Elementary School Teachers salary in Lansing, MI
Median pay for elementary school teachers in Lansing, MI: $61,000/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $45,840 – $80,530 · about 1,760 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($62,430) by −$1,430 (-2%).
What it's really worth in Lansing
With Lansing's cost of living at 93 (US=100), that $61,000 has the buying power of about $65,573 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $68,270 · median home $250,377 · median rent $1,265/mo.
How Lansing ranks for this job
On raw pay, Lansing, MI is 107th of the 187 metros we hold elementary school teachers wages for. Once Lansing's cost of living is applied, it ranks 102nd.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Lansing sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Lansing
A median home in Lansing, MI costs $250,377 — about 4.1× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,265/mo works out at 25% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where elementary school teachers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Lansing.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lansing | Rent vs Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $105,090 | +72% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,440 | +70% | 2.6× |
| Oxnard, CA | $103,350 | +69% | 2.4× |
| Modesto, CA | $101,210 | +66% | 1.6× |
Same job elsewhere in MI
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lansing | Rent vs Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | $64,040 | +5% | 1.6× |
| Detroit, MI | $63,870 | +5% | 1.2× |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $63,650 | +4% | 1.3× |
| Flint, MI | $62,910 | +3% | 0.9× |
Staying in MI keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires elementary school teachers around Lansing
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- State of Michigan · Government
- Michigan State University · Education
Other jobs in Lansing
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.