ESP Earnings

Key Takeaways

$35,995

Average earnings of ESPs working full time

32.7%

Of all ESPs working full‐time earn less than $25,000 per year

ESP Earnings

This report provides earnings data for education support professionals (ESPs) working in K–12 schools and higher education institutions.

The data are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), a large, continuously-collected survey that uses a nationwide sample.

As a result, the data presented here provide a picture of ESPs working in public schools as a whole rather than NEA’s ESP membership.

Earnings averages are calculated using five years of ACS data (2017-2021), while other tables use three years of data (2019-21). Earnings data are adjusted to 2022 dollars and are termed 2022–2023 to reflect the academic calendar.

Highlights

More than three‐quarters of all ESPs (76.4%) work full time, which is defined as 30 or more hours per week. This is slightly higher for those working at K–12 schools (79.8%) and slightly lower in higher education (66.2%).

Among ESPs working full‐time, the average earnings in 2022‐23 was $35,995. This average was slightly lower for K–12 ($33,756) and higher in higher education ($44,898).

A third (32.7%) of all ESPs working full‐time earn less than $25,000 per year, and 11.2% earn less than $15,000. Among those working in K–12 schools, 38.0% earn less than $25,000, and 12.5% earn less than $15,000. Within higher education, 14.0% earn less than $25,000, and 6.4% earn less than $15,000.

The average earnings for ESP rose from $31,223 in 2013‐14 to $35,995 in 2022‐23. However, when adjusted for inflation, the average earnings for ESP fell from $31,223 to $28,149 in constant 2014 dollars.

In states where there are bargaining laws covering ESPs, the average earnings is $38,167. In states that do not have a bargaining law but where bargaining may take place, the average ESP earnings is $33,831. In states where bargaining is prohibited, the average ESP earnings is $32,308.

In a recent NEA survey of its members, nearly a third (32%) of PK‐12 ESPs said they were having a serious issue making a living wage, and another 21% said this was a moderate problem for them. More than a quarter of PK‐12 ESP reported participating in or utilizing assistance programs, with seven percent utilizing free grocery or free meal programs, 7% participating in Medicaid, and 4% using SNAP benefits.

In the same NEA member survey, about three‐quarters of PK‐12 ESP (77%) reported not working a full 12‐month contract. Just under a quarter of this group (21%) reported being laid off at the end of the school year, with only 8% stating that they are eligible for unemployment benefits during the time that they are laid off.

Filter by State:

State	Salary 2021-22	Rank 2021-22	Salary 2022-23	Rank 2022-23	2021-22 to 2022-23 Percent Change	2021-22 to 2022-23 Change Rank
United States	$33,177	—	$33,756	—	—	—
Alabama	$28,708	41	$29,768	40	3.6%	7
Alaska	$42,241	3	$42,118	3	-0.3%	47
Arizona	$29,079	40	$30,199	37	3.7%	5
Arkansas	$28,050	44	$29,177	42	3.9%	4
California	$39,321	7	$39,877	6	1.4%	35
Colorado	$32,574	22	$33,424	23	2.5%	20
Connecticut	$39,502	6	$40,285	5	1.9%	29
Delaware	$43,543	2	$44,237	1	1.6%	34
District of Columbia	$43,811	1	$44,098	2	0.7%	40
Florida	$31,286	27	$32,127	27	2.6%	18
Georgia	$29,616	35	$30,219	36	2.0%	28
Hawaii	$38,984	8	$39,221	8	0.6%	41
Idaho	$26,681	49	$26,628	50	-0.2%	46
Illinois	$34,814	14	$34,844	17	0.1%	44
Indiana	$29,574	37	$30,450	32	2.9%	15
Iowa	$29,928	32	$29,649	41	-0.9%	50
Kansas	$26,705	47	$27,024	48	1.2%	37
Kentucky	$26,686	48	$27,053	47	1.4%	36
Louisiana	$28,156	43	$28,640	43	1.7%	32
Maine	$30,856	28	$31,363	29	1.6%	33
Maryland	$38,755	9	$38,235	10	-1.4%	51
Massachusetts	$37,080	12	$36,778	13	-0.8%	48
Michigan	$30,303	31	$30,654	31	1.1%	38
Minnesota	$33,155	19	$34,289	19	3.3%	10
Mississippi	$25,826	51	$26,770	49	3.5%	8
Missouri	$29,507	38	$30,176	38	2.2%	24
Montana	$29,756	33	$31,642	28	6.0%	1
Nebraska	$30,358	30	$30,446	33	0.3%	43
Nevada	$37,210	10	$36,900	12	-0.8%	49
New Hampshire	$30,547	29	$31,175	30	2.0%	27
New Jersey	$40,346	4	$41,338	4	2.4%	21
New Mexico	$27,602	45	$28,175	45	2.0%	26
New York	$39,922	5	$39,845	7	-0.2%	45
North Carolina	$29,349	39	$30,167	39	2.7%	17
North Dakota	$32,029	24	$32,776	24	2.3%	23
Ohio	$33,717	18	$34,346	18	1.8%	31
Oklahoma	$25,881	50	$26,612	51	2.7%	16
Oregon	$32,342	23	$33,838	21	4.4%	3
Pennsylvania	$34,716	15	$35,500	14	2.2%	25
Rhode Island	$37,114	11	$39,165	9	5.2%	2
South Carolina	$29,579	36	$30,372	35	2.6%	19
South Dakota	$28,317	42	$28,619	44	1.1%	39
Tennessee	$27,080	46	$27,986	46	3.2%	12
Texas	$29,677	34	$30,382	34	2.3%	22
Utah	$33,846	17	$34,893	16	3.0%	14
Vermont	$33,092	20	$34,208	20	3.3%	11
Virginia	$32,835	21	$33,464	22	1.9%	30
Washington	$36,150	13	$37,334	11	3.2%	13
West Virginia	$31,329	26	$32,515	25	3.6%	6
Wisconsin	$33,883	16	$35,059	15	3.4%	9
Wyoming	$31,963	25	$32,134	26	0.5%	42

Filter by State:

State	Salary 2021-22	Rank 2021-22	Salary 2022-23	Salary 2022-23	2021-22 to 2022-23 Percent Change	2021-22 to 2022-23 Change Rank
United States	$44,295	—	$44,898	—	—	—
Alabama	$42,427	29	$42,380	35	-0.1%	38
Alaska	$45,754	16	$45,534	19	-0.5%	41
Arizona	$43,969	22	$44,634	24	1.5%	28
Arkansas	$37,306	48	$39,243	45	4.9%	9
California	$51,089	3	$50,858	3	-0.5%	40
Colorado	$44,753	19	$47,601	13	6.0%	5
Connecticut	$52,327	2	$53,022	1	1.3%	30
Delaware	$40,645	37	$45,139	20	10.0%	2
District of Columbia	$49,035	5	$49,708	4	1.4%	29
Florida	$40,459	38	$41,778	38	3.2%	17
Georgia	$39,672	40	$39,878	42	0.5%	34
Hawaii	$46,590	12	$46,333	18	-0.6%	42
Idaho	$35,658	50	$38,370	48	7.1%	4
Illinois	$44,356	21	$44,209	26	-0.3%	39
Indiana	$41,444	32	$41,923	37	1.1%	31
Iowa	$47,043	10	$47,374	16	0.7%	32
Kansas	$40,152	39	$41,931	36	4.2%	14
Kentucky	$38,821	44	$40,917	39	5.1%	8
Louisiana	$41,407	34	$43,253	28	4.3%	13
Maine	$38,279	46	$39,061	47	2.0%	24
Maryland	$45,719	17	$46,741	17	2.2%	22
Massachusetts	$49,041	4	$48,436	8	-1.2%	44
Michigan	$47,666	8	$47,960	12	0.6%	33
Minnesota	$48,510	7	$47,996	11	-1.1%	43
Mississippi	$34,898	51	$36,921	50	5.5%	7
Missouri	$42,751	27	$42,818	30	0.2%	35
Montana	$39,318	41	$42,448	32	7.4%	3
Nebraska	$42,560	28	$44,516	25	4.4%	11
Nevada	$44,800	18	$47,480	14	5.6%	6
New Hampshire	$44,705	20	$39,193	46	-14.1%	51
New Jersey	$53,200	1	$52,119	2	-2.1%	47
New Mexico	$38,258	47	$42,552	31	10.1%	1
New York	$48,582	6	$48,643	6	0.1%	37
North Carolina	$42,338	30	$42,404	34	0.2%	36
North Dakota	$47,627	9	$48,640	7	2.1%	23
Ohio	$46,001	14	$47,453	15	3.1%	18
Oklahoma	$38,351	45	$39,257	44	2.3%	20
Oregon	$43,869	24	$44,694	22	1.8%	25
Pennsylvania	$43,899	23	$44,900	21	2.2%	21
Rhode Island	$45,944	15	$48,109	10	4.5%	10
South Carolina	$42,968	26	$42,429	33	-1.3%	45
South Dakota	$36,805	49	$35,603	51	-3.4%	48
Tennessee	$39,283	42	$39,997	41	1.8%	27
Texas	$42,282	31	$43,364	27	2.5%	19
Utah	$41,413	33	$39,815	43	-4.0%	49
Vermont	$38,927	43	$37,147	49	-4.8%	50
Virginia	$43,867	25	$44,669	23	1.8%	26
Washington	$47,022	11	$48,821	5	3.7%	15
West Virginia	$41,090	36	$42,945	29	4.3%	12
Wisconsin	$46,448	13	$48,200	9	3.6%	16
Wyoming	$41,154	35	$40,580	40	-1.4%	46