Raleigh, NC - The National Education Association (NEA) has released its 2026 Educator Pay in America report, highlighting North Carolina’s continued failure to support public school educators. The state ranks near the bottom in nearly every category and is the only state in the nation where teacher salaries are projected to decrease this year. The annual report examines teacher pay and per-student funding across all 50 states.
North Carolina is estimated to rank 46th in the nation for teacher pay in 2025-26 — down three spots from last year — a direct consequence of the General Assembly's failure to pass a state budget. North Carolina ($59,971) continues to lag behind all its neighboring states based on the NEA projections: Georgia $72,758 (22nd), Virginia $72,014 (23rd), South Carolina $67,107 (31st), and Tennessee $62,941 (39th). The gap between North Carolina’s average teacher salary and the national average has widened, with North Carolina teachers earning more than $16,500 less than the national average of over $76,552.
Without a state budget this year, North Carolina teachers salaries not only failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living, but the average salary is estimated to have a nominal decline. In fact, North Carolina is also the only state in the country where the average teacher salaries will decline this year. For the 2025-2026 school year, North Carolina teachers are estimated to make an average of $59,971, down from the 2024-25 estimate of $60,323. Teachers in North Carolina would need a raise of more than 21% to match the highest average salary in the Southeast, currently held by Georgia.
"North Carolina's placement in these rankings is an embarrassment — and it is the entirely predictable result of a legislature that has been captured by corporations and wealthy donors,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE President. “This report shows the nation what educators in this state already know: tax cuts for the powerful have come at the direct expense of our public schools and the educators who serve them. When you starve public schools of funding and let teacher pay decline, you are not just failing children — you are undermining the democratic promise that every kid, regardless of zip code or income, deserves an equal shot."
The NEA report also underscores the state’s failure to adequately invest in public schools. North Carolina is estimated to rank 46th in per-student funding, dropping nearly 10 spots over the past two years. The state recorded one of the smallest increases in per-pupil funding nationwide, spending an estimated $40 more per student than the previous year. Current per-student spending stands at approximately $13,680—well below the national average of nearly $19,000 and lower than all neighboring states except Tennessee. North Carolina spends 40% less per student, or $5,567, than the highest in the Southeast mark set by Louisiana.
According to the NEA data, Education Support Professionals, or classified public school workers, saw a modest improvement, with average salary rankings rising from 36th to 32nd nationally and average pay increasing to around $33,521. Despite this progress, ESP salaries still remain below the national average of $36,380 and fall short of what the NC Budget and Tax Center estimates is necessary for a single adult with no dependents to afford basic living expenses. ESPs include non-certified staff such as teacher assistants, custodians, and bus drivers.
The NEA data released today can be found at www.nea.org/educatorpay. NEA has produced its highly respected “Rankings and Estimates” report since the 1960s and is widely cited as an authoritative source of comparative state education data.
