Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Memphis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $76,630 or more. The middle half of elementary school teachers (except special education) in Memphis earn between $52,680 and $64,590.
- $48K10th
- $53K25th
- $62KMedian
- $65K75th
- $77K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $59,940 | $4,995 | — |
| Median | $61,510 | $5,126 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $52,680 | $4,390 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $64,590 | $5,382 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only).
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in Memphis
On the average salary of $59,940, a single filer in Memphis takes home about $50,342 a year, or $4,195 a month and $1,936 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $50,342 | $4,195 |
| Working in MS | $48,676 | $4,056 |
| Working in AR | $48,612 | $4,051 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Memphis a good place for elementary school teachers (except special education)? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Memphis area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $59,940 buys what about $65,026 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Memphis ($46,890). A typical home costs $247,229, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Tennessee cities
Memphis ranks 4th of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($64,250).
- Nashville$64,250
- Johnson City$61,400
- Cleveland$60,060
- Memphis$59,940
- Chattanooga$59,800
- Knoxville$59,170
- Clarksville$57,800
- Kingsport$57,400
- Jackson$53,370
All Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Tennessee
Highest-paying cities for elementary school teachers (except special education)
Mount Vernon, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($106,760).
- Mount Vernon, WA$106,760
- El Centro, CA$105,390
- Merced, CA$103,340
- San Jose, CA$102,340
- Seattle, WA$102,290
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city
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Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Memphis: questions
What is the entry-level elementary school teachers (except special education) salary in Memphis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the elementary school teachers (except special education) take-home pay in Memphis?
About $50,342 a year ($4,195 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $59,940. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do elementary school teachers (except special education) earn more in Memphis than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($74,773).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-2021; area Memphis, TN-MS-AR (32820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.99, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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