According to Education Next, teachers retire, on average, at around the age of 58. AARP reports that 33 percent of all beginning teachers leave the teaching profession within three years of beginning their careers, but the majority of teachers continue teaching and can reap retirement benefits later in life. Retirement eligibility varies widely by state and may change periodically.
20 Years
Some states allow teachers to retire after just 20 years of teaching service. These states include Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
25 Years
Florida, Maine, Mississippi and New Mexico require their teachers to complete at least 25 years of teaching service, although teachers who reach a certain age before that number of years of service may retire sooner.
27 or 28 Years
In Kentucky, teachers can retire after 27 years. Those in Arkansas, Delaware and Rhode Island can retire after 28 years.
30 Years
Several states require that teachers complete 30 years of service. Those states include California, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Age Requirements
While most states allow teachers to retire after a certain number of service years, other states require that teachers reach a certain age before retiring. In New Jersey, teachers can retire at the age of 60. In Arizona, teachers must reach the age of 62, and in Idaho, Nebraska and Washington, they must reach the age of 65. In Minnesota, teachers must meet Social Security retirement requirements. Oregon teachers can retire when they reach the age of 58.
Other states use a formula that adds age plus years of service. Texas and West Virginia teachers can retire when their age plus years of service equals 80. In Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, teachers can retire when their age plus years of service equals 85. In Iowa, teachers can retire when their age plus years of service equals 88. In Oklahoma, teachers can retire when their age plus years of service equals 90.