There's no single "best" state, as it depends on what matters most (salary, work-life balance, support), but recent rankings highlight New York, Virginia, Utah, and Washington as top contenders for overall conditions, while states like New Hampshire, Nebraska, and North Dakota also score highly in specific teacher-focused metrics, with New York often leading in high salaries and support, and Utah offering strong starting pay despite higher student-to-teacher ratios.
According to the data, the best states for teachers in 2025 are Virginia, Utah, Washington, New York and Illinois. The worst states for teachers in 2025 are South Dakota, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana and Hawaii.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their populations of ~8.3 million and ~6.8 million respectively, New South Wales and Victoria dominate every year's ``Top 100 schools list''. For 2023, these states accounted for 86 of the top primary schools and 79 of the top secondary schools.
Teachers are most highly respected in China, Greece, Turkey and South Korea and least respected in Israel, Brazil, Czech Republic and Italy. A teacher in China is almost 100 times more respected in China than in Israel.
Queensland has the best EA and future salary increases. It also has some improved conditions.
Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, is a laid-back city with a subtropical climate and a relaxed lifestyle. Known for its friendly locals and outdoor activities, Brisbane is an ideal destination for TEFL and TESOL teachers seeking a more relaxed pace of life.
NEA Pay Report Highlights
The lowest salaries are in Mississippi ($53,704), Florida ($54,875), and Missouri ($55,132). At $58,409, California also maintains the highest average starting teacher salary, followed by Washington ($57,912) and New Jersey ($57,603).
The 70/30 rule in teaching generally means students should be actively engaged (talking, practicing, applying) for 70% of the time, while the teacher provides instruction, feedback, and prompts for the remaining 30%, shifting focus from teacher-led lecturing to student-centered application for better learning and fluency, especially in language learning. It's a guideline to maximize student participation, fostering deeper understanding through practice rather than passive listening.
Not only does the general Finnish population experience a high level of happiness and satisfaction living in the country, but even teachers experience a sense of contentment as a result of the country's culture and education policies.
Data from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership highlights that shortages are far sharper outside major cities. Principals often report limited applications, particularly in high demand areas such as STEM, special education and leadership roles.
Port Douglas. Port Douglas in Far North Queensland is a perfect tropical paradise for families seeking adventure and relaxation. With its warm weather, stunning beaches and close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, it's an ideal holiday destination for families.
The top 10 issues Australians say are the most concerning
NAPLAN scores for each year level
The next chart shows the difference across the domains tested by NAPLAN (reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy) in Victoria compared to NSW. Victoria wins most, from reading in Year 3 to numeracy in Year 9, with a few exceptions.
The report found New Hampshire, Nebraska, North Dakota, Illinois and New Jersey are the best states for teachers. It found the worst states to be a teacher are Louisiana, Nevada, Florida, Alaska and Arizona.
Massachusetts. Massachusetts, known for its top colleges like MIT and Harvard, ranks as the most educated state in America. The state has the highest percentage of adults ages 25 and older with at least a Bachelor's degree, at nearly 47%, and the highest share who have a graduate or professional degree, at over 21%.
Let's explore the best countries to work for teachers, their eligibility, salaries, and working environment:
South Korea
The pivotal Suneung college entrance examination essentially controls students' futures, creating extreme academic pressure from an early age. This relentless pursuit of academic excellence has made South Korea's system one of the world's most demanding and stressful educational environments.
📚 The 10 Most Educated Countries in the World (2025) Based on tertiary education attainment among adults (ages 25–64) As of 2025, Canada leads the world in education, with 63% of its adult population holding a post-secondary qualification — the highest among OECD nations.
Nevada Teacher Vacancies in 2025
According to a number of sources, Nevada is ranked as the US state with the highest teacher shortages. In 2025, unfilled teacher vacancies account for more than 10% of the number of teachers in Nevada.
To keep students engaged, you must win the battle for their attention every 10 minutes. I call this the 10-minute rule. Every 10 minutes I use what I call a “hook” to refocus my audience on my topic or message. I also organize my material in a hierarchical fashion, because that is how the brain processes information.
The eight second rule says we ask a question and then we start counting eight seconds in our heads and I'm actually going to do eight seconds of silence on this recording so we can see just how long eight seconds is.
The golden rule of teaching is simply that teachers shouId treat their students as they would have their own instructors treat them. They learn best when treated with courtesy and respect and when encouraged to learn in the way that suits them best.
In 2024, preschool teachers made the least, earning around $52,800 annually. High school teachers made the most at around $64,700 per year. In other words, teachers of the oldest students earned about 22.5% more than those teaching the youngest.
What is the hardest state to become a teacher in? New York and California are known for stringent licensing requirements.
Key Findings