CONCORD, NH – Today, the National Education Association (NEA) released four reports detailing pay data for teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) in New Hampshire and around the country. The 2026 Rankings and Estimates data reveal a growing disconnect in New Hampshire’s public education system: while the state ranks among the top in the nation for per-pupil spending—raised disproportionately by local property taxpayers as New Hampshire remains last in the nation for state education funding—it is simultaneously experiencing sharp declines in its educator workforce, falling salary competitiveness, and increasing pressure on classrooms. According to the report, New Hampshire lost 6.74% of its teachers in a single year, and the number of students per teacher increased by 5.66%, one of the highest increases in the country, even as overall student enrollment declined.
While teacher salaries increased modestly—3.3% for starting pay and 5.2% for top salaries—New Hampshire’s national rankings fell. The state now ranks 42nd in starting teacher pay and 33rd in top salaries, signaling that other states are outpacing New Hampshire in the effort to recruit and retain educators. Adjusted for inflation, teacher pay has declined by more than 7% since 2017.
Education support professionals (ESPs), who make up more than 10,000 workers across K–12 and higher education, continue to face low wages. The average K–12 ESP earns $35,296 annually, with more than half earning under $35,000 and nearly one-third earning less than $25,000.
NEA-New Hampshire President Megan Tuttle released the following statement regarding the report:
“These numbers don’t just signal strain—they reveal a system being pushed past its limits. We are asking fewer educators to take on more responsibility, with less support, and students are already feeling the impact in their classrooms.
This isn’t simply a question of how much we spend; it’s about whether we are funding our schools in a way that is fair and sustainable. New Hampshire’s heavy reliance on local property taxes is driving inequities between communities and creating instability across the system.
Granite Staters have a proud tradition of supporting public education. But tradition alone won’t sustain it. Without meaningful action now, we risk long-term damage to the quality of our schools and the strength of our communities. The warning signs are clear. The time to act is now.”
BACKGROUND:
The data released today include “Rankings and Estimates,” a report NEA has produced since the 1960s that is widely cited as an authoritative source on average teacher salaries and per-student expenditures. NEA’s “Teacher Salary Benchmark Report” provides information from over 12,000 school districts on starting teacher salaries and salaries at other points of the teaching career continuum. The “Education Support Professional Earnings Report” offers a pay breakdown for school support staff, also known as education support professionals, working in K-12 public schools and higher education. NEA’s “Higher Education Faculty Salary Analysis” examines full-time faculty and graduate assistant salaries at the national, state, and institutional levels.
The reports show that while some progress has been made, it is not enough to keep pace with inflation or address the long-standing teacher pay penalty—the pay gap between public school teachers and similarly educated professionals. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the gap grew to a record of 26.9%.
Nationally, the average public school teacher salary in the United States rose from $72,000 in 2023–24 to approximately $74,500 in 2024–25. Despite these increases, average teacher pay has not kept up with inflation over the last decade, resulting in a 5% decrease in real earnings.
DATA HIGHLIGHTS AND TRENDS:
- New Hampshire is 7th in the nation for total public school revenue receipts per student in fall enrollment - $25,496. This is a 5.2% change from 2023-24, at which time New Hampshire ranked 10th at $24,235/student.
- New Hampshire is ranked 50th in the nation for state revenue as a percentage of total revenue receipts per student in fall enrollment at 28.2%, down slightly from 28.8% in 2023-24.
- New Hampshire lost 6.74% of its teachers in a single year, and the number of students per teacher increased by 5.66%
- The average New Hampshire public school teacher salary in 2024-25 increased 3.37% from the previous year to $69,432.
- The average starting teacher salary in New Hampshire was $44,010—a 3.3% change over the previous year. Nationally, New Hampshire is ranked 42nd.
- ESPs in K-12 education make, on average, $35,296 per year in New Hampshire.
- More than 50% of all full-time K-12 ESPs earn less than $35,000 annually.
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