Best States for Teachers 2025

At ProCare Therapy, we believe that teachers are the foundation of every child’s success. Their passion, resilience, and well-being directly shape the quality of education students receive. When teachers feel supported—both inside the classroom and beyond—students thrive, schools flourish, and communities grow stronger.

That’s why we set out to uncover where educators are thriving across the United States. To do this, ProCare Therapy developed a comprehensive index ranking all 50 states, analyzing which provide the strongest environment for teachers to succeed. The index evaluates 10 key factors across three categories—school and living conditions, teacher attitudes, and career support—drawing on the most recent data from trusted sources, including the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health.

Our goal is to shine a light on the states that are leading the way in teacher satisfaction, and to spark conversations that inspire positive change in those that are falling behind. After all, happy teachers create happy learners.

Explore the full research findings below, and learn more about the nation’s leading places for teacher happiness in the 2025-26 school year.

Top 10 Best States for Educators

Rank	State	Score
1	New Hampshire	79.98
2	Nebraska	69.52
3	North Dakota	68.96
4	Illinois	68.33
5	New Jersey	66.99
6	Kansas	65.95
7	Vermont	65.23
8	South Dakota	65.20
9	Massachusetts	62.99
10	Connecticut	62.82

Key Findings

1. New Hampshire Tops the Nation

New Hampshire stands out as the best state for teachers in 2025. The state ranked consistently high across nearly every category, with strong teacher satisfaction, relatively low pupil-to-teacher ratios, and high student safety and engagement.

2. The Midwest Shines for Teacher Support

Nebraska, North Dakota, Kansas, and South Dakota all rank in the top 10, underscoring the Midwest’s reputation for strong teacher retention and supportive community engagement. Teachers in these states report lower stress levels and greater autonomy in the classroom.

3. Northeast States Continue to Lead in Resources

New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut all appear in the top 10. These states stand out for their significant education spending, availability of teaching credential programs, and supportive teacher attitudes.

4. Challenges in the South and West

Louisiana, Nevada, Florida, and Arizona rank at the bottom of the index. These states struggle with high pupil-to-teacher ratios, lower retention rates, and limited teacher autonomy. Many also report higher levels of stress among educators, creating environments that make it harder for teachers to thrive.

Breaking Down the Top 5 States for Teachers

Explore deeper insights into the top-ranking states for teachers below, including key categories each state excelled in:

1. New Hampshire

• Pupil–Teacher Ratio: 3rd best in the nation, averaging just 11.5 students per teacher.
• Low Stress: 3rd nationally, with 80.8% of teachers saying the stress of teaching is worth it.
• Teacher Satisfaction: 4th highest, with 86.3% of teachers describing their schools as a “satisfied group.”
• Education Spending: 5th highest in the U.S., with 25.9% of state and local expenditures dedicated to K–12 education.
• School Safety: 7th nationally, with 71.9% of parents reporting their child is “definitely safe” at school.

2. Nebraska

• School Safety: 3rd safest, with 74.2% of parents confident their child is “definitely safe” at school.
• Teacher Retention: 5th best, with 89.4% of teachers remaining at the same school.
• Low Stress: 5th nationally, with 79.7% of teachers finding the stress worthwhile.
• Education Spending: 6th highest, at 25.3% of state/local budgets going to K–12 education.
• Cost of Living: 7th best real per capita personal income in the U.S. at $65,562.

3. North Dakota

• Curriculum Control: 2nd overall, with 96.1% of teachers reporting autonomy in classroom content.
• School Safety: Tied for 4th, with 73.4% of parents reporting their child is “definitely safe” at school.
• Cost of Living: 5th best real per capita personal income at $67,549.
• Teacher Satisfaction: 7th highest, with 84.7% describing their staff as a “satisfied group.”
• Pupil–Teacher Ratio: 8th best nationally, averaging 12.4 students per teacher.

4. Illinois

• Student Engagement: #1 in the nation, with 90.2% of parents saying their child cares about doing well in school.
• Teacher Retention: 3rd best nationally, with 90.2% of teachers staying at their school.
• Curriculum Control: 7th best, with 93.3% of teachers reporting control over classroom content.
• Teacher Satisfaction: 10th highest, with 84.2% describing their staff as satisfied.
• Education Spending: 11th highest, at 22.9% of state/local budgets going to K–12 education.

5. New Jersey

• Education Spending: Ranks #1 in the U.S., with 30.5% of all state and local spending dedicated to K–12 education.
• Student Engagement: Tied for 2nd, with 88.4% of parents saying their child cares about doing well in school.
• Pupil–Teacher Ratio: 6th best, averaging 11.8 students per teacher.
• Teacher Retention: 8th highest, with 88.6% of teachers staying at their school.
• Cost of Living: 9th best real per capita personal income at $62,623.

Best States for Teachers: Ranking All 50 States

Rank	State	Total Score
1	New Hampshire	79.98
2	Nebraska	69.52
3	North Dakota	68.96
4	Illinois	68.33
5	New Jersey	66.99
6	Kansas	65.95
7	Vermont	65.23
8	South Dakota	65.20
9	Massachusetts	62.99
10	Connecticut	62.82
11	New York	62.31
12	Missouri	61.94
13	Ohio	60.77
14	Maine	60.67
15	Wyoming	59.25
16	Minnesota	58.96
17	Wisconsin	58.67
18	Kentucky	57.09
19	Georgia	56.83
20	Pennsylvania	56.09
21	Arkansas	56.04
22	Delaware	55.52
23	California	54.87
24	North Carolina	54.05
25	Iowa	54.00
26	Virginia	53.10
27	South Carolina	52.63
28	Rhode Island	52.55
29	Colorado	50.83
30	Montana	50.68
31	Oklahoma	50.63
32	Idaho	50.63
33	West Virginia	50.55
34	Oregon	49.79
35	Mississippi	49.60
36	Texas	48.59
37	Utah	48.38
38	Maryland	47.71
39	Tennessee	47.68
40	Washington	46.94
41	New Mexico	46.75
42	Indiana	45.98
43	Michigan	45.59
44	Hawaii	45.46
45	Alabama	43.73
46	Arizona	41.51
47	Alaska	41.38
48	Florida	34.45
49	Nevada	33.50
50	Louisiana	31.72

Conclusion

States that prioritize teacher well-being and invest in schools see higher teacher satisfaction, better retention, and stronger student outcomes. The research demonstrates that by investing in teacher well-being—through smaller class sizes, greater autonomy, fair pay adjusted for living costs, and supportive environments—you’re also investing in your students, schools, and communities.

At ProCare Therapy, our mission is to match teachers with opportunities in schools and communities where they’ll feel supported, valued, and happy in their careers. By placing educators in roles that align with their strengths and aspirations, we help ensure they can focus on what matters most: shaping the lives of their students.

Explore teaching roles and other available opportunities in education with ProCare today, and get ready to embark on an incredibly rewarding career.

Methodology

To determine the best states for teachers, we examined 10 factors across three categories that research and educators themselves identify as essential for teacher well-being and job satisfaction. Each state was scored across multiple indicators, drawing on the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health.

Factors & Weights

School & Living Characteristics (40%)

• Pupil/Teacher Ratio – Average number of enrolled students per full-time teacher.
• Cost of Living – Real per capita personal income to measure income adjusted for state living costs.
• Student Engagement – % of parents reporting their child cares about doing well in school.
• School Safety – % of parents who feel their child is “definitely safe” at school.

Teacher Attitudes (30%)

• Teacher Satisfaction – % of teachers who describe their school staff as a “satisfied group.”
• Teacher Stress – % of teachers who do not feel the stress outweighs the rewards.
• Teacher Retention – Share of teachers who stayed at the same school from 2020–21 to 2021–22.

Career Support (30%)

• Teaching Credential Programs Offered – Number of initial credentialing programs available.
• State Spending on Education – % of state/local government expenditures allocated to education.
• Curriculum Control – % of teachers who say they have control over classroom content.

Scores across all factors were weighted and combined to create a total score out of 100.