Study Ranks Indiana & Illinois in Top 10 for Best States in America for Teachers

I am all about shining a positive spotlight on the heroes in our community, and I have the chance to do that following the results of the recent WalletHub study ranking the Best & Worst States for Teachers in 2024. I am so excited to share that Indiana and Illinois are both ranked as top 10 best states!

How to Determine the Best & Worst States for Teachers

In order to help teachers find the best opportunities and teaching environments, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 24 key indicators of teacher-friendliness, including the following categories and subcategories.

Opportunity & Competition

•  Average Starting Salary for Teachers
• Average Salary for Teachers
• Teachers’ Income Growth Potential
• Average Teacher Pension
• Public-School Enrollment Growth

Academic & Work Environment

• Quality of School System
• Pupil-Teacher Ratio
• Public-School Spending per Student
• Projected Share of Teacher Turnover
• Share of Teachers Who Feel Supported by Their Administrator
• Average Commute Time
• Working Mom-Friendliness

Illinois is the 6th Best State for Teachers

Illinois scored well in both main categories, ranking 7th in opportunity & competition, and 17th in academic & work environment. Illinois also offers the 3rd highest annual salary in the country. Teachers there also benefit from policies that encourage continued professional development and career growth. The state’s investment in education goes beyond just numbers on a paycheck—it’s about creating a sustainable environment for teachers to thrive and succeed.

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Indiana is the 10th Best State for Teachers

Indiana is ranked 14th in opportunity & competition, and 11th in academic & work environment. The Hoosier State has been working hard to attract and keep talented educators with support systems that include mentorship programs, professional development resources, and growing financial incentives, and this effort is clearly paying off.

READ MORE: Study Reveals Indiana Has One of the Best School Systems in America

Scroll over the map below to see how the rankings for the rest of the country, and if you want to take a deeper dive into the data, you can see the full report here.