Average Salary. The national average starting teacher salary is $36,141, while the average teacher salary in America (non-starting) is $56,383. Montana has the lowest starting salary: $27,274, while D.C. has the highest starting salary: $51,539. Coming in second is New Jersey at $48,631. New York has the highest average teacher salary: $75,279 and South Dakota has the lowest: $39,580.