Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary in Portland, ME

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area earn a median $77,470 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $59,283 take-home, or $4,940 a month.

Median salary
$77,470
$37.25 per hour
Typical range
$48,620 – $92,060
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Portland, ME
2,420
1.22× national concentration
▲15.2%
Pay trend: The median for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Portland, ME rose from $67,240 (May 2024) to $77,470 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 12.8%. Large one-year swings in local data can partly reflect BLS survey sampling.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in Portland, ME. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in Portland, ME
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$59,283
per year · effective tax rate 23.5%
$4,940Monthly
$2,470Twice a month
$2,280Every 2 weeks
$28.50Hourly
  • Federal income tax$8,213
  • Social Security (6.2%)$4,803
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,123
  • Maine income tax$4,048
  • Take-home pay$59,283

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 6.75% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay by experience in Portland, ME

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$48,620$23.38$39,146$3,262
25th percentile$60,790$29.23$48,103$4,009
Median (50th)$77,470$37.25$59,283$4,940
75th percentile$81,140$39.01$61,606$5,134
90th percentile (top earners)$92,060$44.26$68,508$5,709

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maine resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $77,470 buys in Portland, ME

Prices in Portland, ME are 1.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education's $59,283 take-home pay has the buying power of $58,201 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,548
31% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,968
40% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$3,392
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Portland, ME has 1.2× the national concentration of secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, adjusted for cost of living

Portland, ME ranks #43 of 84 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $102,670$81,058$72,938
2Fresno, CA $100,750$73,258$71,710
3Bakersfield, CA $99,150$72,302$71,667
4Chicago, IL $98,970$73,701$71,144
5Sacramento, CA $105,060$75,833$71,091
6San Jose, CA $108,230$77,727$70,390
7Providence, RI $92,110$70,792$69,559
8Akron, OH $81,820$64,923$69,533
43Portland, ME$77,470$59,283$58,201

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 84 metros →

About the job: secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
-0.2% (slower than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education make in Portland, ME?

The median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area is $77,470 a year, or about $37.25 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $60,790 and $81,140.

What is a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s take-home pay in Portland, ME?

On the median $77,470 salary, a single filer living in Maine takes home about $59,283 a year ($4,940 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,048 in Maine taxes in 2026.

Is Portland, ME a good place to work as a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education?

Pay here is 8% above the national median of $72,040. Local prices are 1.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $58,201 would in a typical U.S. city. Portland, ME ranks #43 of 84 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford rent in Portland, ME?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Portland, ME is $1,548 a month ($1,968 for two bedrooms) — 31% of a median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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