Poll: Teacher Salaries

[jjsooner73]

I'm just curious to know what 1st year teacher salaries range nationwide.
I hope some don't consider this nosy, as I'm not interested in what any one person makes.
Someone did tell me once that teacher's up north make much more than they do here and I'm just curious. I'm hoping to switch to education soon.

If you choose to respond, please include the state you live in and whether or not you are in a large city, suburbs, or rural.

Dallas area schools pay around $37,000. Most districts pay $1,000 more for a Master's degree.

Oklahoma first year teachers make at least $10,000 less than Texas.

I have a friend in a small city (@80,000) in Kansas who in her 7th year of teaching 7th and 8th grade makes $29,000. Her husband coaches 2 sports and teaches as well and is just over $30,000. They also can't afford the health insurance premiums for themselves, but do carry some for their 2 boys.

Again, I'm just curious about how much variance there is in teacher salaries nationwide and am not trying to nose around in anyone's business. :)

[ktg0930]

My DH is a second-career teacher and started teaching in NYC while working on his Master's (with some Master's credits). His salary was about $40,000. I think his starting salary in NYC was higher than the base salary because he had a certain number of graduate school credits from previous education. When he got his Master's 1 year ago and starting teaching in the suburbs, his salary increased substantially due to obtaining the degree, having some experience, and being in the suburbs.

[tbb113]

Jen:
I googled the local school district (East Bay suburb of SF). If I read the chart right starting salary is between $36,893 - 39,917 for first year teachers in 2002. I don't think they got a raise last year due to budget constraints.

[MrsReber]

I'm in NJ. I know a woman who is a teacher. Her daughter goes to daycare with my DD. I know she makes a very decent salary. The daycare we go to is expensive (I can't afford 5 days a week and DH and I earn a pretty good income!). She tells me that the teachers in our area are paid very well. She said "come on, you've seen your tax bill." That's very true. I don't know exact figures. This is a pretty crowded area with lots of schools. I would say that 60% of my taxes probably go to the schools. We also have some of the highest property taxes in the country. So maybe it is true that teachers earn more in the north.

[Beth H]

I live in South Carolina. Teachers without a Master's start at less than $30,000. Teachers with a Masters start in the mid-30s. I think teachers here are paid miserably - less than the Southeast average and well-less than the national average. My sister and her husband both teach in Ohio, and I know they start in the 30's.

[ebobbitt]

I just called our programmer for the personnel system so I would have correct information. First year teacher's here make less than $30,000 a year. I think he said it's around $24,000 but I don't think that is with a Masters.

BTW, that's in Little Rock, AR.

[Clara]

Around 35K in the Houston area...

[Jazzmatazz49]

I have 18 years experience and don't quite make 40K. When I came to Louisiana from Texas I took an $8,000 a year cut in pay (but that was 14 years ago). I don't care. I love it anyway. And the cost of living is less here. You can build a new home for $55 a square foot in my area, so it's all relative.

[slknight]

Under $30,000 here. Our town might be just slightly under 30, but DH's district is about 25K. :( :( That's why I work too.:rolleyes: His district is very rural, and is one of the lowest paid in the state. Also, the state of Maine has, I believe, the second lowest teachers' salaries in the nation. But we have the honor of having the second highest tax burden in the country.:mad:

And yes, cost of living is all relative, but building costs here are around $100 a square foot, and you can't buy a house for less than 200K. 25K is just not going to get the job done. If we lived on DH's salary, we would qualify for WIC and free health care from the state.
This is a subject that I am very passionate about. You don't want to get me started!

[Kayla]

Heya :)

I voted for my brother who lives in San Diego, and teaches in a fairly affluent suburb on the outskirts of the city. Surprisingly enough, he makes between 40K and 45K in his first year.

HTH,
Kayla

[cab321]

http://www.aft.org/research/survey02/SalarySurvey02.pdf

Check out page 16

[SueK]

I found some stats stating that the average teacher salary in our district is $47K. The salary range runs from $30 - $77K, so I'm assuming the $30K figure would be the approx starting salary.

[Clover]

I googled our district, and Step 1 pay ranges from $37,100 with a BA to $43,977 with a BA+90 units. Benefits are 100% employer paid for employee and family.

[lisalee]

My district (here in the Valley of the Sun) has finally become competitive with others around here. New teachers without any experience or credits past the Bachelor's start at $32,500.00. If you have experience teaching but are new to the district they will pay for up to 4 years of experience. The next leve on the salary schedule is BA +15 and so on. We are now working on negotiations for next year so we will see what happens. I am hoping to move over to the BA +15 beginning of next year. On paper with the 301 money we get I make about $36,000.

Lisa

[katygirl]

I work in a system 16 miles North West of Boston, I have my masters and have been teaching for 8 years and I make 54,000 I think next year I will make 56,000. My salary chart is at work but I could get specific numbers if you need me to. Not sure what starting teacher makes.

[Escher]

Anything over $17,500 a year is highway robbery.






;)

[fci5767]

NC schools have a really weird salary system. In the school district my Head Start teachers work for starting salary is about $29,000 (suburban and semi-rural I guess.) Each district then pays a local supplement (usually a few thousand more.) Then there is something that is called ABC bonuses (for schools that do well on their end of grade tests.)

We needed to ask them their salaries and none of them were able to tell us:confused: :confused:

I took a big pay cut when I left public school teaching.

Beth

[615bride]

I'm a teacher and our first year teachers definitely make way less than $30,000. It's pitiful...

[kwormann]

This year (2003-4) our first year teachers make 35000. When I started (99-00), I made 32,000. I actually only make about 2000 more than new teachers (this is year 5). We have a decent starting salary, but then it goes up slowly...about 500/year and several years you keep the same salary.

If you have a masters you get a 1000 raise, same for a doc.

Here is a link to our salary schedule. Jennifer, Im in Houston ISD, for comparison.

https://www.houstonisd.org/vgn/images/portal/cit_23015118/55398666_teacher_10-month.pdf

[mlynn]

Here is the info for Douglas County, CO (suburb of Denver)Teacher Salaries:

Starting teacher salary: $29,916
Average new hire salary: $38,479
Average teacher salary: $46,010

Teacher Experience:

Average years of experience: 11
Average years with Douglas County: 6
Percentage with bachelor’s degrees: 44
Percentage with master’s degrees: 55
Percentage with doctorates: 1

[Melman]

Here are the starting salaries for upstate SC (Greenville County...I'm fairly sure we're below the majority of the counties that surround us):

BA - $28,438
Masters - 32,564
Doctorate - 38,249

[Jessica]

I don't know, but I can tell you this. My mom was a public school teacher, my in-laws are public school teachers and after reading about what public school teachers deal with in our city, I can tell you it isn't enough :(

[boisewinesnob]

Originally posted by jjsooner73
Someone did tell me once that teacher's up north make much more than they do here and I'm just curious.

Unless you move to Idaho :eek: (I think our teachers rank 44th in lowest salary).

I just researched this quite a bit when looking for info on RTW states.

[slknight]

Originally posted by cab321
http://www.aft.org/research/survey02/SalarySurvey02.pdf

Check out page 16

Ah, had it wrong. Maine is 38th, not 48th. Still, nothing to write home about.:rolleyes:

[Kay Henderson]

Here is a link below to the district where I taught. As you can see, the first year salary depends upon the amount of education the teacher has.

http://www.sanjuan.edu/employment/documents/CertSS0304/0304-CertSS_Tchers_Nurses_Counselors.pdf

Kay

[Chefzhat]

Michigan is around 32-35K to start, after completing the additional required 18 credit program (effectively a Masters) then you get increases. I think our teachers top out at around $55 or $60K.

Of course, our ADMINISTRATORS start at around $50,000, superintendent makes around $100K.

Where's the justice, I want to know.

[jazzyjas]

I live right outside Washington, DC (read very high cost of living) and the starting pay for a first year teacher with a BA is $34,000. There is a $9000 supplement for a MA and another $2000 for a MA + 30. They don't recognize the PhD at all beyond the MA+30. VA is about 43rd in the nation for state contributions to education although we are 14th in Per capita income. As for benefits -- I am single, no children and pay about $140 a month for my health insurance on our cheapest plan. However, the conributions to state retirement (6%) are paid by the employer (not the case in some other districts in Northern VA -- so it is important to look at the entire benefit package to determine take home pay).

[MKSquared]

*blink*
I'm sorry, but what are you smoking, starting the poll off at 30K and ending it astoundingly high? It's nice to pretend, but ... :rolleyes:

Here's a few samples of beginning salaries in Ohio:
WESTLAKE CITY SCHOOLS
(an upper-middle class suburb of Cleveland)
Bachelors: 30,949
Masters: 37,139

COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS
Bachelors: 32,430
Masters: 35,962

HILLIARD CITY SCHOOLS
(a suburb of Columbus, one I wouldn't mind teaching in)
Bachelors: 29,332
Masters: 32,852

BEAVERCREEK
(a suburb of Dayton)
Bachelors: 28,504
Masters: 31,497

HOLMES COUNTY
(agricultural, rural)
Bachelors: 25,625
Masters: 28,057

[badunnin]

According to the March 2004 issue of NEA Today, the top 10 beginning teacher salaries in 2001-2002 were...

1. Alaska $36,294
2. New Jersey $35,311
3. New York $34,577
4. Connecticut $34,551
5. California $34,180
6. Delaware $32,868
7. Massachusetts $32,746
8. Michigan $32,649
9. Georgia $32,283
10. District of Columbia $31,982

U.S. Average $30.719

MK - I agree with you. If the national average is just over $30k, I want to know where that one vote in the $60k range is coming from.

[ccooney]

Checking in from Southern New Hampshire here. Our starting salaries are in the low 30's. Much of this "high" salary is due to the fact that we are so close to Massachussetts and that many folks who live here commute to high paying jobs in the tech sector. I know that not too far north of here, starting salaries are under 30. So the theory that teachers up north make more depends on whether or not they teach in or near a big city.

[jjsooner73]

Interesting. Thanks everyone for your replies.

I've often thought teachers are grossly underpaid (even before it was on my radar as a career for me). Of course, I'm the daughter of a retired firefighter, another field that is grossly underpaid (at least where we lived).

I guess I'm fortunate that I'll be teaching in the Dallas area, as it appears teachers here are on the higher end of the beginning scale.

MK, I guess I should have had a <25K range. I only added the higher 2 ranges as an afterthought.

[tbb113]

Jennifer:
I agree that teachers are underpaid...but I don't think its grossly. They are paid for an 8 to 9 month year...I get paid for a 12 month year. Granted, I'm not expecting teachers to work during spring/winter break...but if money is a problem, there is nothing wrong with getting a part-time job during the summer to stretch the money. If you take a $30,000 salary for 9 months and compare the same monthly rate to a 12 month job, its really a $40,000 a year salary. All of a sudden it doesn't look quite so small....

Mind you, my mother was a teacher all her working life (sometimes as a sub, sometimes full-time, suspended only when my brother and I were to young for school). I understand the responsibilities that teachers have and I'm glad SOMEONE wants to do it :D

[katygirl]

Originally posted by tbb113
Jennifer:
I agree that teachers are underpaid...but I don't think its grossly. They are paid for an 8 to 9 month year...I get paid for a 12 month year. Granted, I'm not expecting teachers to work during spring/winter break...but if money is a problem, there is nothing wrong with getting a part-time job during the summer to stretch the money. If you take a $30,000 salary for 9 months and compare the same monthly rate to a 12 month job, its really a $40,000 a year salary. All of a sudden it doesn't look quite so small....

Mind you, my mother was a teacher all her working life (sometimes as a sub, sometimes full-time, suspended only when my brother and I were to young for school). I understand the responsibilities that teachers have and I'm glad SOMEONE wants to do it :D

I work in a fairly well paying system so I am not complaining about money but I think that even if you, as you said, compared the job to a 12 month job, it IS still small. The amount of time put in by teachers to first get their degree, certification, get their masters(all new Massachusetts teachers as of 1994 are required to get their masters, I have mine but will be paying on my student loan for the next ten years:( ) teaching, correcting, after school help, calling parents etc is crazy!! I love what I do, and I don't do it for the money, but just thought I would weigh in.

[JenniferJJ]

Checking in from Michigan, ranked 2nd in 2001-2002 in the American Federation of Teachers salary survey (link referenced earlier in this post.) The average salary for teachers here is $52,497. I think that the salaries vary district by district, but that may have changed in 1994 with the Headlee amendment. (I will have to defer that to Debie and Bethany.)

While I have great respect for teachers, I do not think they are underpaid. As Tyra referenced, that is for a 8 or 9 month year. I worked as a recreation therapist for about a year and only earned a little less than 24K. Now that was in Texas and I **think** I might have made 26K here. (Which would not have actually been that much more since there is a state income tax here and there was none in Texas.) To work in this job, I had earned my master's in that field, had spent money on conferences for professional development, had volunteered at events (not necessary but highly encouraged in that field), had done a three-month 40-hour/week unpaid internship, drove 250 miles (and paid ~$200)to take a test to become certified and paid to get my license. (I am still paying my student loan back.)Then I worked Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. I always worked more than 40 hours/week and dealt with many of the types of issues that katygirl referenced, only dealing with patients (fluctuating level of health, improvement, family issues, etc.). I enjoyed my job and wished that I had researched both the level of demand for jobs and salaries more completely before I got my masters. However, I was in my late 20s and needed more $ than that. I am not a materialistic person, but wanted to do some things like buy a house and travel a little. Although occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapist and nurses make more than I did, they still have the same emotional/schedules demands.

[badunnin]

All I have to say is this about teachers. In a high school, you have between 150-180 kids. They are your clients. Not only do you serve your clients, you serve their parents. You deal with kids who don't eat breakfast, kids with eating disorders, kids whose parents die, kids who get tossed around from family to family, kids who have emotional disorders, learning disabilities, abusive parents, kids who drink... the list goes on.


People pay huge money for vehicles, homes, vacations, jewellry... but a teacher, who teaches their kids and helps shapes a future? Gets paid less than what they'd pay for their vehicle that they spend 2 hours in a day. That's priorities for you.

[jjsooner73]

Well said, Bethany.

I guess my comments aren't so much about the time put in, but the importance of the job teachers are supposed to do in relation to their pay. Ditto for police officers, firefighters, healthcare workers, etc. I know I'm certainly not switching to teaching for the money, that's for sure. :)

[JenniferJJ]

I never said that teachers don't have a hard job. They do. I have respect for teachers. My point was that they are not the only helping profession that has a hard job and they have a better schedule than most other helping professions and (at least in Michigan) a better or comparable salary. Working in the in-patient rehab setting in two places, inner city Detroit (Michigan Institute of Rehab) and rural Texas, I dealt with many similar types of issues that you face Bethany: how to discharge a homeless person (you have to discharge them to somewhere, usually a homeless shelter, but it's hard to find one that will take a person with a brain or spinal cord injury), how to discharge a person with only one child who lives 200s miles away, children of patients who drink and cannot take care of the parent, patients who are so depressed with their new disability that they aren't progressing that well in therapy, patients who are 18, have a 4-month-old with one woman and another on the way with the girlfriend who is currently visiting, patients who are dealing with the grief of not only their disability but their new fellow therapy friend who died the day before, had a physical job they can never do again because they cannot walk and have only limited use of their hands and arms and the list goes on.

I do value people who are in the helping professions very much. However, since I am a very frugal person, I only drive a Cavalier. It cost me about 13K. I don't know any public school teachers that make less than that. I don't know many people who drive cars that cost more than 30 or 54K. I'm sure they exist.

Coming out of the automotive industry, I also have a great respect for people who work in that industry, too. In many positions, including all that I worked in, the stress level is very high: There is a lot of shouting and demanding. You have to have a thick skin to work in many of the positions. And the people who are higher paid that Michigan teachers get calls on the cell phone at 9:30p.m. and on weekends, work 60-80 hour/weeks, have to travel out of the country on an hour's notice and have to work at least one 2-3 year assignment in another state or country. Yes, a lot of the positions deal with fancy design and cool technology for things like stereo systems. However, a lot of the work deals with features of the vehicles that save lives: rear/front window defrost systems, safety belts, airbags, brakes, bumpers, engines that don't die in an unsafe area, an accurate fuel gauge, an accurate "check engine/oil" indicator, an accurate speedometer and tires (remember the Firestone issue?). I was rear-ended a year ago and again yesterday: Everything was fine. I had my seatbelt on and my bumper stood the test. If the industry decided that we don't really need improvements based on style and radios and laid off everyone who worked on a luxury vehicle and these items, metro Detroit would be in big trouble with everyone either out of a job or making so much less. So another service the auto industry provides is a way for many people to provide for their familes. So I guess I would say that many of the people in this industry are in the helping profession, too.

My plumber saved me when I had an inoperable kitchen sink line and a flooded laundry room. The exterminator is helping me get rid of my mouse problem that I did not realize could have been close to ruining my internal electrical system. The last time he was there I told him he provides a great service. I wish I would have thought about tipping him. My study coordinator at the university (acting like a nurse in some ways) helped me get rid of Hepatitus C.

I think a more accurate comparison of "priorities" is people who are willing to pay $170/ticket for Red Wings Stanley Cup Playoffs, Round 2 and $85/ticket for Phil Collins First Final Farewell Tour (yep, I did) so that these athletes and performers live great lives materialistically and, yet don't want to pay people in the helping professions very much.

I know I'm going to catch a lot of flack for this. There are lot of helping professions (both typcically thought of as helping and others that I referenced) that I have respect for.

[JenniferJJ]

I appreciated your comment about firefighters Jennifer: My brother and SIL just had a house fire. My little niece's bedroom was burnt to the crisp. Fortunately, everyone was awake and all the kids were in the living room watching TV.

[jjsooner73]

I forgot to add that the professions I added aren't the only ones I think that are underpaid...I know there are many out there.
And I won't even get started on those who are overpaid. :)

[tbb113]

Originally posted by jjsooner73
I forgot to add that the professions I added aren't the only ones I think that are underpaid...I know there are many out there.
And I won't even get started on those who are overpaid. :)

If you want to do that...come over to my thread about 'do you feel over/under paid' :D

[bmonczka]

Chiming in from Michigan too...I don't mind telling you what I make since it's public information anyways! I started six years ago at $36,000 have completed my master's in that time and now make around $58,000. I complained on the thread about what you do or did that I think about leaving teaching all the time to go back in to a "corporate" job but I know I won't start anywhere near what I make now! I may make way more in the long run in a corporate job but who knows how long it would take. Right when I finished my master's I took a $10,000 pay hike! Not too many jobs that you can make that kind of jump plus with the time off, benefits and retirement. In my district, the teacher's top out around $75-80 with a master's degree. Not to mention they can also make considerable money doing other clubs and activities for example our debate coach makes an extra $3000 per year! I do our DECA club and get about $1000 extra per year for that.

I think one thing we're forgetting to mention here is not only the salary but the cost of living! Someone mentioned they know someone who stared at $40-45,000 in San Diego- that is really low for a salary in that area when the average house costs over $400,000! My mother-in-law was offered a job in San Francisco a few years ago at $70k per year as an admin. asst. and she thought she hit the jackpot until she realized how much real estate costs. She had to comute over an hour and a half every day to find something affordable. Dh and I debated moving to Arizona a few years ago and if I stayed in teaching I would take a $15,000 pay cut, granted property is less expensive but not like it used to be out there since their population has grown so tremendously.

Michigan is pretty good as far as salary and cost of living. The average house price in the county I teach in is probably between $175,000 to $260,000 for 1600 square feet.

Rambling..sorry:p

[ccooney]

I can understand the point of view that since teachers only work 10 months out of the year, their pay should reflect that. I don't agree with it, but I can understand it.

I am lucky that in recent years I have not had to get a summer job to make ends meet. For the first 10 years after I graduated from college I had to. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a summer job when you're not a college or high school student? I would pound the pavement for weeks to find them. And usually the ones I got were low-paying positions working with people who really didn't care about the job...they were just there to pick up their paycheck. Many of them were young and unreliable, so those of us who were responsible types had to pick up the slack. Since they were only low-paying, seasonal jobs, the employers didn't feel that they needed to find high quality employees (and probably couldn't have, even if they wanted to). And finding a job for the summer that's not low-paying or seasonal...nearly impossible. Most employers will show you the door the minute they find out you're only available for 2 months. And you'll love this one: I once applied for a position that had been advertised for weeks at a flower shop. They interviewed me but never called me back. I later found a job elsewhere and one of the girls there said she used to work at the flower shop. She said the owners wouldn't hire anyone who had more than a high school degree or was in college or spoke articulately in the interview because then they knew that they could pull the wool over their eyes with scheduling changes and wage disputes. She was a high school graduate who quit because they promised her flexible hours at a certain wage and then kept scheduling her at times she was unavailable and gave her a hard time about what they had agreed on for pay. The ad stayed in the paper for a month after I applied and every time I called for 3 weeks they said the boss was out. He never called me back.

Also, I heard a keynote address at a conference about 5 years ago, at which the speaker said that the average starting wage in the US of a college graduate with a bachelor's degree was $50,000. If you consider that teachers would make $40,000 in 12 months, we're still a little short. Now don't quote me on that, my figures could be off (it has been 5 years), but the speaker's point was that on average, we are underpaid no matter how you look at it, and she had the facts to back it up.

[aggie94]

Originally posted by ccooney
Also, I heard a keynote address at a conference about 5 years ago, at which the speaker said that the average starting wage in the US of a college graduate with a bachelor's degree was $50,000. If you consider that teachers would make $40,000 in 12 months, we're still a little short. Now don't quote me on that, my figures could be off (it has been 5 years), but the speaker's point was that on average, we are underpaid no matter how you look at it, and she had the facts to back it up.

This site has some interesting information:

http://www.themint.org/earning/startingsaleries.php

Based on what I see there (and granted, only a handful of occupations are covered), I'm not sure that $50,000 figure is completely accurate.

[ccooney]

As I said, it was 5 or so years ago, so undoubtedly my figures were off. Her point with the figures she used was that teachers' salaries were near the bottom of the scale. Using the link you gave, the average starting salary for a 4 year degree was $34,000 (I included the ones that said "4 years or more"). Adjusting for the 12 month pay period, the teacher's salary listed was $30,850.