Delaware Teaching Salaries and Benefits
Delaware teacher salary and benefits break down as follows: median annual pay runs between $67,780 and $77,960 depending on grade level, according to May 2025 BLS data, and all four teaching occupations in the state are projected to grow through 2034, bucking the national trend. Beyond pay, every public school teacher is enrolled in the Delaware State Employees’ Pension Plan and can choose from four state health insurance plans. Contribution rates and retirement eligibility depend on when you were hired.
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Delaware pays its teachers well relative to the rest of the country, and unlike most states, it’s actually growing its teaching workforce instead of shrinking it. The state also backs that pay with a mandatory pension and a choice of health plans, benefits many private-sector jobs don’t match. Here’s a full look at Delaware teacher salary and benefits, and how the retirement and health coverage actually work. If you’re still working toward licensure, learn more about teacher certification programs in Delaware. Already certified in another state? Check Delaware’s teacher reciprocity agreements to see how your existing license transfers.
Teacher Salaries in Delaware
According to May 2025 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Delaware teachers earn the following median annual salaries:
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Mean Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $74,030 | $68,420 |
| Elementary School Teachers | $75,920 | $73,230 |
| Middle School Teachers | $67,780 | $71,270 |
| Secondary (High) School Teachers | $77,960 | $74,240 |
Elementary and secondary teachers see the strongest median pay in the state, both ahead of $75,000 a year. Middle school teachers report the widest gap between mean and median, which usually signals a smaller number of higher-paid, more experienced teachers pulling the average up while most middle school salaries sit closer to the median.
Job Growth for Delaware Teachers
Nationally, the BLS projects a slight decline in K-12 teaching jobs through 2034, driven mostly by falling enrollment. Delaware doesn’t follow that pattern. State labor projections show growth across every teaching category between 2024 and 2034:
- Kindergarten Teachers: 120 to 130 jobs, a 10% increase, with about 20 average annual openings
- Elementary School Teachers: 2,930 to 3,220 jobs, a 10% increase, with about 230 average annual openings
- Middle School Teachers: 3,070 to 3,380 jobs, a 10.1% increase, with about 240 average annual openings
- Secondary School Teachers: 6,210 to 6,850 jobs, a 10.3% increase, with about 470 average annual openings
That’s a meaningfully different outlook than the national picture, where elementary and middle school teaching jobs are both projected to shrink over the same period. If job security is part of your decision to teach, Delaware’s growth trend is worth factoring in.
Retiring in Delaware: The State Employees’ Pension Plan
Every Delaware public school teacher is automatically enrolled in the State Employees’ Pension Plan, administered by the Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System under 29 Del. C. § 5541. It’s a defined benefit plan, meaning your monthly payout at retirement is based on your salary and years of service, not on how your individual contributions perform in the market.
What You Contribute
Your contribution rate depends on when you were hired:
- Hired before January 1, 2012: you contribute 3% of the portion of your compensation above $6,000 per year
- Hired on or after January 1, 2012: you contribute 5% of the portion of your compensation above $6,000 per year
The state and your school district cover the rest of the plan’s required contribution. Contributions are deducted pre-tax.
When You Can Retire
Eligibility also splits by hire date. If you were hired before January 1, 2012, you qualify for a full service pension once you reach any of the following:
- 30 years of credited service, at any age
- 15 years of credited service, at age 60
- 5 years of credited service, at age 62
If you were hired on or after January 1, 2012, the thresholds are higher:
- 30 years of credited service, at any age
- 20 years of credited service, at age 60
- 10 years of credited service, at age 65
Reduced pensions are also available at 15 years of service and age 55 (pre-2012 hires) or 15 years and age 55 with a steeper reduction (post-2012 hires), for teachers who want to retire early and accept a smaller monthly payout.
Because your exact benefit depends on your final average compensation and total years of credited service, the Office of Pensions’ own State Employees’ Pension Plan calculator is the most reliable way to estimate your monthly payout.
Health Insurance for Delaware Teachers
Delaware public school teachers are eligible for the state’s Group Health Insurance Plan, which currently offers four non-Medicare plan options through Highmark Delaware and Aetna:
- Highmark First State Basic PPO
- Highmark Comprehensive PPO
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna CDH Gold, which pairs a higher deductible with an employer-funded health reimbursement arrangement to help offset it
All four plans cover the same core categories of care, including inpatient and outpatient services, mental health care, specialist visits, imaging and lab work, ambulance transport, and preventive screenings like mammograms. Enrollment also includes access to dental and vision coverage, along with the state’s prescription plan through CVS Caremark. Premiums vary by plan and coverage tier. For current rates and plan comparisons, see the Delaware Statewide Benefits Office’s health plan comparison page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do teachers make in Delaware?
According to May 2025 BLS data, median annual salaries in Delaware range from $67,780 for middle school teachers to $77,960 for secondary school teachers, with kindergarten and elementary teachers falling in between at $74,030 and $75,920, respectively.
How much do Delaware teachers contribute to their pension?
It depends on your hire date. Teachers hired before January 1, 2012 contribute 3% of compensation above $6,000 per year. Teachers hired on or after that date contribute 5% of compensation above $6,000 per year.
When can Delaware teachers retire with a full pension?
Teachers hired before 2012 qualify at 30 years of service (any age), 15 years at age 60, or 5 years at age 62. Teachers hired in 2012 or later need 30 years (any age), 20 years at age 60, or 10 years at age 65.
What health insurance options do Delaware teachers get?
Delaware teachers can choose from four state-sponsored plans: Highmark First State Basic PPO, Highmark Comprehensive PPO, Aetna HMO, and Aetna CDH Gold. All include dental and vision access and prescription coverage.
Is teaching a growing job in Delaware?
Yes. State projections show 10% or greater job growth for kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary teachers between 2024 and 2034, a stronger outlook than the national trend, which shows a slight decline for the same occupations.
- Delaware teacher pay is grade-dependent — median salaries range from $67,780 (middle school) to $77,960 (secondary), according to May 2025 BLS data.
- Pension contributions depend on hire date — 3% above $6,000 in earnings for teachers hired before 2012, 5% for anyone hired since.
- Retirement eligibility has two tiers — pre-2012 hires qualify sooner (as early as 5 years of service at age 62) than teachers hired in 2012 or later.
- Health coverage includes four plan choices — Highmark First State Basic PPO, Highmark Comprehensive PPO, Aetna HMO, and Aetna CDH Gold, all with dental, vision, and prescription access.
- Delaware’s teaching job market is growing — every K-12 teaching category is projected to grow 10% or more through 2034, unlike the national trend.
Find accredited teacher certification programs in Delaware, including application requirements and licensing timelines for your certification path.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage estimates and 2024-2034 employment projections for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers, reflect state and national data, not school-specific outcomes. State or district job-growth projections are sourced separately from national BLS outlook data. Conditions vary by school sector, subject area, and district. Data accessed July 2026.
