Annual mean wage: $ 45,240

Annual mean wage: $45,220

Annual mean wage: $44,210

Annual mean wage: $43,950

Annual mean wage: $42,460

As states compete to best educate their students, they also are vying for the best teachers. Hawaii, a state where the average salary for a high school teacher is $58,480, is currently facing a teacher shortage. The state is having difficulty filling 1,600 open teacher positions.

Barbara Krieg, assistant superintendent for the Office of Human Resources told the AP, “Teachers are in such demand everywhere. Every school district is trying to steal from the other’s district.”

In order to best recruit talented educators, some states are paying up. These five states are paying high school teachers the most, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Annual mean wage: $74,940

Number of teachers: 104,530

Annual mean wage: $75,250

Number of teachers: 30,310

Annual mean wage: $76,260

Number of teachers: 14,890

Annual mean wage: $81,410

Number of teachers: 65,880

Annual mean wage: $82,020

Number of teachers: 2,250

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