Average Teacher Salary in Memphis, TN

The average Teacher in Memphis, TN earns $59,820 per year. See how this compares to the national average and what it means for your budget.

Average Salary
$59820
Median Salary
$61730
vs. National
18.9% below
Real Pay (COL-adjusted)
$64895

“Real pay” adjusts the average for Memphis’s cost of living (Regional Price Parity 92.179, U.S. average = 100) — what this salary is worth in national-average dollars.

What Teachers actually earn in Memphis

The spread from entry-level (10th percentile) to top earners (90th), from BLS wage data.

10th (entry) $49050
25th $50810
Median $61730
75th $65190
90th (top) $76100

5290 Teachers employed in the Memphis metro.

Can a Teacher afford a home in Memphis?

Max home price under the 28% rule (housing ≤ 28% of gross), 10% down, 6.7% 30-yr rate. Median Memphis home: $157100.

Earnings levelSalaryMax homeMedian home?
Entry (10th)$49050$197073Yes
Median$61730$248018Yes
Top (90th)$76100$305754Yes

What’s this salary worth in another city?

What you earn (or want to compare)

Take-home pay for a Teacher in Memphis

Estimated pay after federal, FICA, and TN state taxes (2026). Prefilled with the local average — adjust for your situation.

Estimate only — not tax advice. Tax year 2026, federal + FICA + state (single or married filing jointly). Excludes local/city income taxes (e.g., NYC, Philadelphia) and individual credits. See our methodology.

Memphis at a glance

Population629063
Median household income$51211
Median home value$157100
Median rent$1123/mo
Cost of living (RPP, U.S.=100)92.179
Bachelor’s degree or higher16.9%
Poverty rate22%

In Memphis, TN, Teachers earn a median of $61,730 a year — about 16% below the U.S. median of $73,800. Among the 50 metros tracked here for this role, that ranks #40.

What that pay is worth in Memphis

Local prices run 92 on the BEA cost-of-living index (U.S. = 100), so a $59,820 salary stretches further than the sticker number — about $64,895 in national-average buying power.

Can Teachers afford a home in Memphis?

A typical Memphis home runs about $157,100 — 2.6 times the average Teacher salary, very affordable against the classic 3x rule of thumb. Median rent near $1,123/mo takes roughly 23% of gross pay — within the 30% comfort line.

The Teacher pay ladder in Memphis

Entry-level (10th percentile) Teachers earn about $49,050; the top 10% reach $76,100 — a $27,050 spread, narrow for this field. Most of that gap comes down to experience, employer, and how hard you negotiate.

The Teacher job market in Memphis

Memphis employs roughly 5,290 Teachers. It’s a sizable local market to build a career in.

Compare Memphis with other cities

See the full Teacher salary by city ranking to weigh Memphis against the other metros on both pay and cost-adjusted value, or use the cost-of-living calculator to compare any two cities directly.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Teachers make in Memphis?

The average Teacher in Memphis, TN earns about $59,820 per year, 18.9% below the national average of $73,800.

What is the take-home pay for Teachers in Memphis after taxes?

After federal and TN taxes, this $59,820 salary is worth about $50,245 a year - roughly $4,187 a month in take-home pay, an effective tax rate near 16%.

What do the highest-paid Teachers earn in Memphis?

The top 10% of Teachers in Memphis earn about $76,100 a year, versus about $49,050 for the bottom 10%.

Can Teachers afford a home in Memphis?

A typical Memphis home runs about $157,100 - roughly 2.6x this salary, within reach by the classic 3x rule of thumb.