Elementary School Teachers salary in Sacramento, CA
Median pay for elementary school teachers in Sacramento, CA: $79,300/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $52,810 – $115,090 · about 9,220 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($62,430) by +$16,870 (+27%).
What it's really worth in Sacramento
With Sacramento's cost of living at 109 (US=100), that $79,300 has the buying power of about $72,692 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $89,227 · median home $582,707 · median rent $2,283/mo.
How Sacramento ranks for this job
On raw pay, Sacramento, CA is 35th of the 187 metros we hold elementary school teachers wages for. Once Sacramento's cost of living is applied, it ranks 51st.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Sacramento sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Sacramento
A median home in Sacramento, CA costs $582,707 — about 7.3× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,283/mo works out at 35% 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 Sacramento.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $105,090 | +33% | 0.9× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,440 | +30% | 1.4× |
| Oxnard, CA | $103,350 | +30% | 1.3× |
| Modesto, CA | $101,210 | +28% | 0.9× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $105,090 | +33% | 0.9× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,440 | +30% | 1.4× |
| Oxnard, CA | $103,350 | +30% | 1.3× |
| Modesto, CA | $101,210 | +28% | 0.9× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires elementary school teachers around Sacramento
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- California Department of Transportation · Government
- State of California · Government
Other jobs in Sacramento
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.