Abstract: ObjectiveTo study the mental health and work ability of the middle and elementary school teachers and analyze the influence factors of their work ability.Methods1500 teachers selected by cluster sampling were examined by SCL-90,Affect Scales and CWM Scales.ResultsThe mental health status of the teachers of Hui and Han ethnic group were poorer than others.The teachers with short-period experience were better than the teachers with long-experience.The high academic career teachers were better than the low academic career teachers in the mental healthy status and degree of psychological satisfaction.The work ability of males was more excellent than that of females.The work ability varied among different ethnicities.The teachers with long-period experience or high academic career had better working ability.The work ability index was negatively correlated with the score of SCL-90.However,it was positively correlated with psychological satisfaction.The main determinants of teachers'work ability were gender,time of service,mental health state and psychological satisfaction.ConclusionThe teachers'mental health state and work ability vary with their ethnicities,time of service,academic careers.The main determinants of work ability is mental health state.