Maine Ranked Among the Worst States for Teachers in 2026

While we love our teachers here in Maine, our state has ranked near the bottom when it comes to their working conditions.

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WalletHub released its 2026 Best & Worst States for Teachers report ahead of World Teachers’ Day, which will be celebrated on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026.

The report noted that teachers earn an average of 5% less than they did a decade ago after adjusting for inflation, while WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 measures, including income growth potential, pupil-teacher ratios and public school spending per student.

Maine ranked 48th overall, placing 47th in average starting teacher salary and 49th in average teacher salary, both adjusted for cost of living, along with 48th in projected job competition in 2034 and 17th in the 10-year change in teacher salaries.

Neighboring New Hampshire ranked last overall at 51st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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And there you have it! Maine’s low salary rankings helped place the state near the bottom of WalletHub’s overall list for teachers.

What are your thoughts on this ranking and our state’s placement? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to join the conversation by messaging us on the app.

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