Elementary School Teachers salary in Memphis, TN
Median pay for elementary school teachers in Memphis, TN: $55,180/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $40,700 – $75,360 · about 6,320 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($62,430) by −$7,250 (-12%).
What it's really worth in Memphis
With Memphis's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $55,180 has the buying power of about $60,013 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $62,178 · median home $247,229 · median rent $1,441/mo.
How Memphis ranks for this job
On raw pay, Memphis, TN is 141st of the 187 metros we hold elementary school teachers wages for. Once Memphis's cost of living is applied, it ranks 136th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Memphis sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Memphis
A median home in Memphis, TN costs $247,229 — about 4.5× 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 $1,441/mo works out at 31% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
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 Memphis.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $105,090 | +90% | 1.4× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,440 | +87% | 2.3× |
| Oxnard, CA | $103,350 | +87% | 2.1× |
| Modesto, CA | $101,210 | +83% | 1.4× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | $58,550 | +6% | 1.2× |
| Chattanooga, TN | $55,780 | +1% | 1.1× |
| Nashville, TN | $52,580 | −5% | 1.2× |
| Kingsport, TN | $51,810 | −6% | 0.9× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires elementary school teachers around Memphis
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Shelby County Schools · Education
Other jobs in Memphis
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.