Key Takeaways
$37,097
Average earnings of ESPs working full time
29.7%
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 (2018–2022), while other tables use three years of data (2020–2023). Earnings data are adjusted to 2023 dollars and are termed 2023–2024 to reflect the academic calendar.
Highlights
Among ESPs working full‐time, the average earnings in 2023‐24 was $37,097. This average was slightly lower for K–12 ($34,954) and higher in higher education ($45,662).
Less than a third (29.7%) of all ESPs working full-time earn less than $25,000 per year, and 10.0% earn less than $15,000. Among those working in K–12 schools, 34.5% earn less than $25,000, and 11.1% earn less than $15,000. Within higher education, 12.6% earn less than $25,000, and 6.2% earn less than $15,000.
In states where there are bargaining laws covering ESPs, the average earnings is $38,554. In states that do not have a bargaining law but where bargaining may take place, the average ESP earnings is $34,623. In states where bargaining is prohibited, the average ESP earnings is $35,879.
More than three-quarters of all ESPs (77.5%) work full-time, which is defined as 30 or more hours per week. This is slightly higher for those working at K–12 schools (80.8%) and slightly lower in higher education (66.2% percent).
The average earnings for ESPs rose from $31,190 in 2014–2015 to $37,097 in 2023–2024. However, when adjusted for inflation, the average earnings for ESPs fell from $31,190 to $28,318 in constant 2015 dollars.
In a recent NEA survey 90% of pre-K-12 ESPs respondents said that low pay was a moderate or serious concern. Over 4 out of 10 (43%) of higher education ESP have a moderate or serious problem making a living wage.
In the same NEA survey, 29% of pre-K-12 ESPs and 25% of higher education ESPs reported having a moderate or serious problem with paying for medical expenses. One quarter (25%) pf pre-K-12 ESPs and 16% of higher education ESPS have a moderate or serious problem with paying health insurance premiums.
Over two-thirds (69%) of pre-K-12 ESPs and 66% of higher education ESPs live in the community in which they work. Just over one quarter of those pre-K-12 ESPs (27%) and a third (34%) of higher education ESPs say that it is a financial strain to do so.
Nearly one third (30%) of pre-K-12 ESPs and one-quarter (24%) of higher education ESPs have a moderate or serious problem buying food. 11% of pre-K-12 ESPs and 13% of higher education ESPs participate in free grocery or free meal programs, while 9% of pre-K-12 ESPs and 6% of higher education ESPs participate in SNAP.
Report Findings
The 2025 ESP Earnings report found that while progress is being made in ESP earnings increases, there is still a lot of work to be done.
Among ESPs working full‐time, the average earnings in 2023‐24 were $37,097, up slightly from $35,995 in 2022-23. States like Montana and Rhode Island led the way in increasing pay for K-12 education support professionals.
However, almost 38% of all full-time K-12 education support professionals earn less than $25,000 annually, and ESPs earn far less than they did a decade ago after adjusting for inflation.
Unionized education support professionals earn 7% more on average in states with collective bargaining.
In states where there are bargaining laws covering ESPs, the average earnings is $38,554. In states that do not have a bargaining law but where bargaining may take place, the average ESP earnings is $34,623. In states where bargaining is prohibited, the average ESP earnings is $35,879.
K-12 ESP Earnings
| State | Salary 2022-23 | Rank 2022-23 | Salary 2023-24 | Rank 2023-24 | 2022-23 to 2023-24 Percent Change | 2022-23 to 2023-24 Change Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $33,756 | N/A | $34,954 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Alabama | $29,768 | 40 | $30,776 | 40 | 3.4% | 33 |
| Alaska | $42,118 | 3 | $40,588 | 9 | -3.6% | 49 |
| Arizona | $30,199 | 37 | $32,374 | 29 | 7.2% | 4 |
| Arkansas | $29,177 | 42 | $30,415 | 42 | 4.2% | 21 |
| California | $39,877 | 6 | $41,013 | 5 | 2.8% | 36 |
| Colorado | $33,424 | 23 | $35,249 | 21 | 5.5% | 8 |
| Connecticut | $40,285 | 5 | $40,743 | 8 | 1.1% | 45 |
| Delaware | $44,237 | 1 | $42,551 | 2 | -3.8% | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $44,098 | 2 | $41,097 | 4 | -6.8% | 51 |
| Florida | $32,127 | 27 | $33,324 | 26 | 3.7% | 28 |
| Georgia | $30,219 | 36 | $31,472 | 38 | 4.1% | 23 |
| Hawaii | $39,221 | 8 | $40,894 | 7 | 4.3% | 20 |
| Idaho | $26,628 | 50 | $28,345 | 47 | 6.4% | 7 |
| Illinois | $34,844 | 17 | $35,651 | 18 | 2.3% | 40 |
| Indiana | $30,450 | 32 | $31,501 | 37 | 3.5% | 31 |
| Iowa | $29,649 | 41 | $30,966 | 39 | 4.4% | 19 |
| Kansas | $27,024 | 48 | $28,270 | 48 | 4.6% | 17 |
| Kentucky | $27,053 | 47 | $28,088 | 49 | 3.8% | 27 |
| Louisiana | $28,640 | 43 | $29,764 | 44 | 3.9% | 24 |
| Maine | $31,363 | 29 | $31,708 | 35 | 1.1% | 46 |
| Maryland | $38,235 | 10 | $38,613 | 11 | 1.0% | 47 |
| Massachusetts | $36,778 | 13 | $37,876 | 13 | 3.0% | 35 |
| Michigan | $30,654 | 31 | $31,753 | 33 | 3.6% | 30 |
| Minnesota | $34,289 | 19 | $35,938 | 16 | 4.8% | 13 |
| Mississippi | $26,770 | 49 | $27,741 | 50 | 3.6% | 29 |
| Missouri | $30,176 | 38 | $31,711 | 34 | 5.1% | 10 |
| Montana | $31,642 | 28 | $32,037 | 30 | 1.2% | 44 |
| Nebraska | $30,446 | 33 | $30,408 | 43 | -0.1% | 48 |
| Nevada | $36,900 | 12 | $39,327 | 10 | 6.6% | 6 |
| New Hampshire | $31,175 | 30 | $32,762 | 28 | 5.1% | 9 |
| New Jersey | $41,338 | 4 | $42,233 | 3 | 2.2% | 42 |
| New Mexico | $28,175 | 45 | $29,457 | 45 | 4.6% | 18 |
| New York | $39,845 | 7 | $40,939 | 6 | 2.7% | 37 |
| North Carolina | $30,167 | 39 | $31,686 | 36 | 5.0% | 11 |
| North Dakota | $32,776 | 24 | $35,259 | 20 | 7.6% | 2 |
| Ohio | $34,346 | 18 | $35,775 | 17 | 4.2% | 22 |
| Oklahoma | $26,612 | 51 | $27,656 | 51 | 3.9% | 25 |
| Oregon | $33,838 | 21 | $34,656 | 23 | 2.4% | 39 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,500 | 14 | $36,869 | 15 | 3.9% | 26 |
| Rhode Island | $39,165 | 9 | $42,940 | 1 | 9.6% | 1 |
| South Carolina | $30,372 | 35 | $31,800 | 32 | 4.7% | 16 |
| South Dakota | $28,619 | 44 | $30,618 | 41 | 7.0% | 5 |
| Tennessee | $27,986 | 46 | $29,362 | 46 | 4.9% | 12 |
| Texas | $30,382 | 34 | $31,812 | 31 | 4.7% | 15 |
| Utah | $34,893 | 16 | $37,437 | 14 | 7.3% | 3 |
| Vermont | $34,208 | 20 | $35,071 | 22 | 2.5% | 38 |
| Virginia | $33,464 | 22 | $34,490 | 24 | 3.1% | 34 |
| Washington | $37,334 | 11 | $38,609 | 12 | 3.4% | 32 |
| West Virginia | $32,515 | 25 | $33,247 | 27 | 2.3% | 41 |
| Wisconsin | $35,059 | 15 | $35,577 | 19 | 1.5% | 43 |
| Wyoming | $32,134 | 26 | $33,676 | 25 | 4.8% | 14 |
Higher Ed ESP Earnings
| State | Salary 2022-23 | Rank 2022-23 | Salary 2023-24 | Rank 2023-24 | 2022-23 to 2023-24 Percent Change | 2022-23 to 2023-24 Change Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $44,898 | N/A | $45,662 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Alabama | $42,380 | 35 | $42,935 | 35 | 1.3% | 31 |
| Alaska | $45,534 | 19 | $44,515 | 26 | -2.2% | 48 |
| Arizona | $44,634 | 24 | $45,345 | 22 | 1.6% | 27 |
| Arkansas | $39,243 | 45 | $40,487 | 46 | 3.2% | 13 |
| California | $50,858 | 3 | $51,110 | 3 | 0.5% | 39 |
| Colorado | $47,601 | 13 | $48,471 | 11 | 1.8% | 25 |
| Connecticut | $53,022 | 1 | $54,653 | 1 | 3.1% | 14 |
| Delaware | $45,139 | 20 | $45,242 | 23 | 0.2% | 42 |
| District of Columbia | $49,708 | 4 | $48,520 | 10 | -2.4% | 49 |
| Florida | $41,778 | 38 | $42,681 | 37 | 2.2% | 22 |
| Georgia | $39,878 | 42 | $41,096 | 44 | 3.1% | 15 |
| Hawaii | $46,333 | 18 | $47,084 | 17 | 1.6% | 26 |
| Idaho | $38,370 | 48 | $39,438 | 49 | 2.8% | 18 |
| Illinois | $44,209 | 26 | $44,272 | 27 | 0.1% | 43 |
| Indiana | $41,923 | 37 | $44,251 | 28 | 5.6% | 4 |
| Iowa | $47,374 | 16 | $47,841 | 14 | 1.0% | 34 |
| Kansas | $41,931 | 36 | $43,069 | 34 | 2.7% | 19 |
| Kentucky | $40,917 | 39 | $41,865 | 39 | 2.3% | 20 |
| Louisiana | $43,253 | 28 | $41,860 | 40 | -3.2% | 51 |
| Maine | $39,061 | 47 | $43,371 | 33 | 11.0% | 1 |
| Maryland | $46,741 | 17 | $46,467 | 19 | -0.6% | 46 |
| Massachusetts | $48,436 | 8 | $50,558 | 4 | 4.4% | 7 |
| Michigan | $47,960 | 12 | $48,156 | 12 | 0.4% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $47,996 | 11 | $47,933 | 13 | -0.1% | 45 |
| Mississippi | $36,921 | 50 | $38,146 | 50 | 3.3% | 10 |
| Missouri | $42,818 | 30 | $44,201 | 29 | 3.2% | 11 |
| Montana | $42,448 | 32 | $41,360 | 42 | -2.6% | 50 |
| Nebraska | $44,516 | 25 | $45,151 | 24 | 1.4% | 29 |
| Nevada | $47,480 | 14 | $48,808 | 8 | 2.8% | 17 |
| New Hampshire | $39,193 | 46 | $41,709 | 41 | 6.4% | 3 |
| New Jersey | $52,119 | 2 | $52,064 | 2 | -0.1% | 44 |
| New Mexico | $42,552 | 31 | $42,788 | 36 | 0.6% | 38 |
| New York | $48,643 | 6 | $49,143 | 7 | 1.0% | 33 |
| North Carolina | $42,404 | 34 | $43,765 | 31 | 3.2% | 12 |
| North Dakota | $48,640 | 7 | $47,671 | 15 | -2.0% | 47 |
| Ohio | $47,453 | 15 | $47,636 | 16 | 0.4% | 41 |
| Oklahoma | $39,257 | 44 | $39,785 | 48 | 1.3% | 30 |
| Oregon | $44,694 | 22 | $46,023 | 20 | 3.0% | 16 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,900 | 21 | $45,562 | 21 | 1.5% | 28 |
| Rhode Island | $48,109 | 10 | $49,221 | 6 | 2.3% | 21 |
| South Carolina | $42,429 | 33 | $44,766 | 25 | 5.5% | 5 |
| South Dakota | $35,603 | 51 | $35,815 | 51 | 0.6% | 37 |
| Tennessee | $39,997 | 41 | $40,297 | 47 | 0.8% | 36 |
| Texas | $43,364 | 27 | $44,198 | 30 | 1.9% | 24 |
| Utah | $39,815 | 43 | $41,177 | 43 | 3.4% | 8 |
| Vermont | $37,147 | 49 | $40,544 | 45 | 9.1% | 2 |
| Virginia | $44,669 | 23 | $46,705 | 18 | 4.6% | 6 |
| Washington | $48,821 | 5 | $49,875 | 5 | 2.2% | 23 |
| West Virginia | $42,945 | 29 | $43,414 | 32 | 1.1% | 32 |
| Wisconsin | $48,200 | 9 | $48,568 | 9 | 0.8% | 35 |
| Wyoming | $40,580 | 40 | $41,936 | 38 | 3.3% | 9 |
‘We Must Do Better’
Too many school support professionals endure a lack of respect, lack of support, and poor working conditions. They are also egregiously underpaid.
ESP Earnings
NEA’s ESP Earnings Report offers a breakdown of educational support professional (ESP) earnings for K-12 and higher education.
Download the Report (pdf)
