Elementary Teacher
Education & Training
Teach core subjects and build the foundation students carry forward.
Why it matters here: MCPS actively recruits; loan-forgiveness pathways available.
Labor Market — DMV Region
Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS releases (DMV metro and nationwide) plus MD, VA, and D.C. workforce agencies.
Local cost of living is why DMV pay often differs from the national median.
- DMV & state figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS wage & employment estimates and Employment Projections, with OEWS area pay relatives for the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria metro, Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia · View source
- Occupation profiles & skills: O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor) · onetonline.org
All salary figures are published estimates for groups of workers, not offers or guarantees for any individual role.
Education & Career Pathways
Multiple ways to get here — pick the one that fits your life.
Career Progression
How you can grow — with expected salary at each step.
- Entry-level Elementary TeacherLearning the role, supervised work, building core skills.$56,680
- Elementary Teacher (experienced)Independent work, mentoring newer team members.$69,410
- Senior / Lead Elementary TeacherOwning projects, specialization, higher responsibility.$87,200
- Manager or specialist trackSupervising a team or moving into a high-demand specialty.$104,640
Skills Required
What you'll actually do — and how you'll be judged.
Your own classroom, school-day hours plus prep at home
Where you work
A classroom you decorate and own for the year, plus hallways, the cafeteria on duty days, and a shared planning room.
Hours and schedule
School-day hours with early arrival and after-school meetings, plus grading and planning at night. Summers and school breaks are off.
Pace and pressure
Nonstop during the day — you're 'on' from the first bell to dismissal with one planning period.
Who you work with
Grade-level or department teams that plan together, plus counselors, special educators and families.
Physical demands
On your feet and moving all day, voice strain, rarely a quiet moment.
What people wear
Professional casual; many schools allow spirit wear on Fridays.
Remote reality
In person; virtual teaching exists but is a small share of positions.
Workplace culture: what's normal here
- Classroom doors are increasingly open — coaching, walkthroughs and peer observation are normal.
- Family communication is expected early and often, not just when something goes wrong.
- New teachers get a mentor, and asking for help is expected rather than penalized.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Work Environment, with regional detail for the DMV.
Official data behind this career
Federal statistics for DMV Region, translated into plain language.
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metro area
Source: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP03, DP02, DP05)
- The DMV functions as one labor market: workers routinely cross state lines to get to work.
- The largest employment destinations are D.C., Fairfax County and Montgomery County.
Top places these workers go to work
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — BEA regional GDP and personal income, most recent published year
Private-sector payroll data from ADP. It is a supplemental near-real-time indicator and does not replace BLS government employment statistics.
Source: ADP National Employment Report — Most recent monthly ADP National Employment Report
- 1U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH, OEWS, Employment Projections, CES) — Primary source for occupation wages, outlook, projected openings, education and training.
- 2U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey — Primary source for income, educational attainment, labor force and demographic context by place.
- 3Census LEHD (LODES / OnTheMap) — Primary source for where workers live versus where they work, and local workforce flows.
- 4U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Primary source for regional GDP, industry contribution, compensation and personal income.
- 5ADP National Employment Report — Supplemental near-real-time private-sector employment and pay indicator. Not a replacement for BLS.
Figures describe groups of workers, not any one person. Where an official figure is not published for a category, this page says “Data unavailable for this category.” rather than estimating.
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