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Boston Career Explorer

Educational Instruction and Library

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.

Also called: Art Teacher, Classroom Teacher, Elementary Classroom Teacher, Elementary School Teacher, Elementary Teacher, Math Teacher (Mathematics Teacher)

Compare with my current job (Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$98,060
Jobs in Greater Boston
20,340
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+1.4%
2,140 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$61,660$77,820$98,060$104,240$124,880

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students.
  • Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests.
  • Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
  • Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  • Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure64 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 68
  • Language-model AIOE 74
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 51

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for elementary school teachers is moderate, and some AI use has been observed in this job. AI tools can help with drafting lesson plans and adapting teaching materials. Guiding and counseling students, running group work, and keeping order in a classroom depend on a teacher's judgment and relationships.

Likely to change

  • Drafting lesson plans and activities
  • Adapting materials to different student needs

Still relies on people

  • Guiding and counseling students one-on-one
  • Keeping order and a safe classroom

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

52 programs near Boston (plus 39 graduate)

Related occupations

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