The Salary Lowdown
June 3, 2010 by Andrea Bennett
The good news for new teachers: Entering the profession no longer necessarily means expecting a “flat” pay schedule, in which the only financial reward you’ll ever see is a pension at the end of 20 to 30 years of minimal cost-of-living increases. The bad news: So-called “alternative pay” programs are different from state to state, and represent a bedeviling mix of merit pay options (like being rewarded for a subjective evaluation, or your students’ test scores) and incentive programs.
All these special programs – each with its own clever acronym – are piled atop wage schedules that vary wildly from state to state, and even district to district. The National Education Association is advocating for a $40,000 starting salary across the board for new teachers — which likely sounds great to some teachers in Maine and Utah, who, according to research by the American Federation of Teachers, started the 2006-2007 school year making less than $29,000. (The national average for those years was $50,816 according to the National Center for Education Statistics; though keep in mind that, by some estimates, as much as half of the teacher workforce comprises baby boomers whose higher salaries push the average up.)
Until starting teachers are guaranteed that $40,000 flat entry rate (if it happens), they’ll still have to research salaries themselves. If you are a new teacher, and have the freedom to move for your ideal job, a good place to start is by scanning salary maps like the NEA’s. But that won’t give you the complete picture: Keep in mind that often the states with the most attractive compensation packages — such as California, Connecticut, and New Jersey — often have costs of living that far outpace the salary differences. And, says AFT spokesman George Jackson, states’ averages don’t necessarily reflect the salary you’ll make: “One school district within a state can have very different salaries. It can throw off the whole average.”
The AFT publishes a teacher salary survey, which Jackson says is created “literally by surveying all the school districts and compiling their pay schedules.” The last was published in 2007 and held good news for beginning teachers: Salary growth was up 6.2 percent for them versus an increase of 4.5 percent for teachers overall — both outpacing the 2.8 percent rate of inflation. Still, around 20 percent of new public school teachers leave teaching by the end of their first year, and almost half leave within five years, according to the NEA; much of the turnover is pay-related. That’s why it’s important to make sure you have a salary and benefits package you can live with. This toolbox of resources can help you get started.
Do a general state-by-state search.
Despite differences from district to district, doing a general statewide salary search is a good place to start, particularly if you can put that into the context of the cost of living. In addition to the NEA salary map, check out Certification Map; it’s based on the NEA salary survey, but also links you to each state’s education department homepage, where, in most cases, you can drill down into district-by-district salary schedules. It lists the 10 highest and 10 lowest average salaries by state, followed by all 50 states in order of highest to lowest compensation. Certification Map also breaks out the teacher salary versus state average salary, number of years to tenure, number of vacation weeks per year, and the states from which each place will accept teaching credentials. Once you’ve found raw numbers, the information at Teaching Tips will help you put it in context. For instance, Teaching Tips reveals that, although salaries for Wisconsin teachers rank 26th based on averages, that is skewed in favor of more experienced teachers; new teachers make salaries that rank 49th in the nation. Still, this marks an increase from years past, and Wisconsin’s relatively low cost of living makes stretching your teaching dollar easier.
Calculate your true potential earnings.
NEA’s USA salary calculator is intended for teachers who want to calculate their true hourly wage and then “take [it] to your school board, your governor, or the bargaining table and show them why teachers are worth professional pay.” But the calculator is also useful for teachers who have done initial research and want to take it one step further, by figuring out their true, per hour earning potential. (Note: be sure to use a consistent ballpark guess to fill in fields like the number of hours you’ll spend grading papers at home and shopping for school supplies.)
Familiarize yourself with states’ incentive programs.
“Merit pay” is a soon-to-be antiquated term for rewarding teachers, often based on evaluations (often subjective) by principals. “Pay-for-performance” is the newer term for merit pay, which can include rewards for evaluations, test scores, or other gauges of success. “Shortage areas” describe disciplines that are traditionally difficult to staff, such as some foreign languages, or specialty math or science classes, which may carry financial incentives. “Hard to staff schools,” such as schools with high percentages of poor, minority schools are also now sometimes incentivized by school districts.
Some of the newest advances in alternative pay can be lucrative for new teachers, including additional pay for National Board Certification or advanced degrees or for gaining new knowledge through professional development.
In fact, according to the NEA, around 37 states plus the District of Columbia have alternative compensation systems in place, with more on the way. You can find the latest news at NEA.org. Another good source for updates is the nonprofit group ECI (Educator Compensation Institute), which details alternative compensation examples on its website and streams the latest legislation on its homepage.
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56 Comments
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June 11, 2010 by Stephanie
I wouldn't listen to a single thing the NEA had to say. They don't care about children they only care about power, money and an agenda of brainwashing children.
Don't believe me? Watch the former General Counsel say just that on video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-piPkgAUo0w
Notice he never once talks about children. Union teachers salaries, which include benefits of lifetime pensions and health/dental/etc. coverage far exceed the private sector. No one in the private sector has pensions anymore and many have no health coverage. Why should taxpayers have to subsidize anyone for things they cannot and do not have themselves?
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September 25, 2010 by alyssa
GOOD BUT MORE IN TO IT
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January 6, 2011 by Dave
A recent study by a conservative think tank has found that teachers in New Jersey are paid the same or less as workers with the equivalent education in the private sector (that includes benefits too). Believe it or not, teachers live in the same world as everyone else and pay taxes just like you.
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May 22, 2011 by kathy larson
I have been teaching for 27 years. The pay scale has been very skewed to say the least. When I started in 1982, I made a whopping 16,000 for a very difficult position! Years of experience later and the completion of my Masters plus 50 ormore credits beyone that, with 5 licensures, the most I made was 68,000, not nearly enough for the stress of this career!
I believe that the step pay should go and all teachers no matter what their age of experience, should begin with at least 40,000 or more at this time of 2011! This means, each and every state across the board!
Then teachers should be paid for their Master's Level, Doctoral and beyond. Most teachers at one time could end up with 80,000 or more as they retire! Still not enough for the 24/7 job duties....
Hello, why are physicians paid so well and many lousy lawyers? Nothing but bunk. And the sports players?? Those who get into trouble still make millions per year?
At this time, I would not support the NEA ever again! I was forced to join the school district union for years and I did not like their policies and the way they supported certain organizations! This should be an option and also, when has the union ever really done anything for a teacher except slap the hand of a principal for gross misconduct or some othe violation?
It is time for a major reform! Teachers deserve the same respect if not more than most accredited careers! Thank you.
A concerned teacher who loves the job but not the politics!
July 1, 2010 by RICHARD
.....I'M A RETIRED TEACHER FORCED OUT EARLY BY OTHER JELOUS TEACHERS AND NON SUPORTIVE STUPID ADMINISTRATERS. WHEN I WAS REVIEWED BY THE STATE I RECEIVED AN A+ AND YET I WAS NIT PICKED AT BY ADMINISTRATION. TEACHERS ARE GETTING FAR TOO MUCH MONEY NOW, BUT ARE ALWAYS CRYING LIKE BIG BABIES FOR MORE AND MORE. I WANTED TO GO TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT THEY SENT OUT THE POISEN FILES AND RECKED THAT FURTHER EMPLOYMENT ALSO , EVEN THOUGH I RESIGNED AT AGE 40, AND STILL WANTED TO TEACH. TEACXHERS HOULD BE GIVEN THE ABILITY TO JUDGE THEIR ADMINISTRATERS AND DEPT. HEAD ONCE A YR. GOOD LUCK ON THAT ONE TOO. RICHARD
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July 30, 2010 by Debbee
I totally agree with you. I am in the same situation that you are and I am a lot older with medical problems which makes it even more difficult to get a job. I love teaching, but due to an administrator that was let go last year I cannot get a teaching job. Teaching under him was a nightmare and there is further evidence of his maleficence while being a principal. Everyone turned a blind eye and I am paying for it. Several others tried to do something to halp me , but it didn't matter. By that time I had already lost my job and have not been able to get another..
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August 10, 2010 by Lesley
Too bad garbage collectors are getting paid more than teachers....now what does that tell you about how our youth are valued in this country?
We spend a lot of money to get an education to teach. We will never make the money back in salary. It only deters others from joining the field.
SOMETHING
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December 18, 2010 by mehwish
hi how are you i m interested to in this job do u have any vicancy soo contact us with my email id thankyou
February 5, 2011 by sami
hi , how r u i want a teaching job in saudia, i am female 29
can u help me how i can get job there, i am originally from pakistan
February 23, 2011 by cook2712
You can find some interesting information here.....believe it or not
http://teacherportal.com/
Oh, and dont forget to figure in the benefits :-)
April 14, 2011 by JonC
Maybe because that garbage collector works fifty weeks a year and you only work about thirth-five to forty. And as you and I both know that is what your salery is based on.
May 10, 2011 by tracy1427
Richard (July Comment) If you are/were really a teacher then you would not misspell so many words. Your creditability goes right out the window when you say you are a teacher, voice your opinion, and then misspell. Maybe this was the reason for your problems with administrators!?
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September 2, 2011 by Bob
I hope your spelling is not indicative of what you taught students. I also suspect you emphasized proof reading before submission of any papers. You are a poor example of a teacher. And, YOU were indeed probably overpaid and under-worked. There are a lot of teachers out there who spend the classroom time with children, then take work home and do that, and then supply school items to children which the parents can not or will not supply. You failed to look at the big picture.
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September 3, 2011 by No Wonder
I could not even read your blog with all of the terrible spelling errors ! Please do not represent yourself as an educator unless you will at least use the spell checker on a computer. Also just think before you put this kind of stuff in writing and take time to calm down first ......peace out !
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July 6, 2010 by Beth Faircloth
I am a future educator and I have been getting more informed on the issue of merit based pay. This is a very important topic to me. I understand that teachers to get paid more now than in previous years, but we also need to look at the loss between pay and materials. Teachers are not now and have never really been compensated enough for school materials and god knows that the schools do not get enough funds to cover materials. How in the world can teachers be expected to teach effectively if they do not have enough tools to give children the education they need and deserve? I am on both sides of the Merit pay system. I agree with rewarding teachers for a good job, but on the other hand, what about low-poverty areas and parent-involvement. How can a teacher be held accountable for parents that do not care about their child's education and help them at home. A teacher can be the best they can be, but we need parent involvment as well to keep our children informed and on the right path. It just seems like in this system, teacher's are going to be penalized for things out of their control. Granted there are quite a few teachers that should not be in the education field to begin with, but there are many, many others that are doing the best they can. I just hate to see a few bad seeds ruin it for the brighter teachers that really have education and our children at heart.
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July 13, 2010 by Judi
I agree with your assessment that most teachers are doing their best with what they are given and merit pay is fraught with many dangers. How will success be measured? Is it a fair measuring stick across all teaching challenges? How will teachers in underfunded and under supported schools be given the basics that they need to help all students learn? and so forth. I do want to add in response to your comments, that most parents, just like most teachers, are doing the best they can with what they have and its not that they don't care about their students' education, but they are struggling for survival and only have what they have to give. This is a better starting place for developing relationships with all parents, than one that assumes that they don't care.
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September 1, 2010 by jr
What supplies?? I have been buying supplies since my son entered kindergarten. He is now in 7th Teachers on Long Island get payed very well for only working 6 months per year. I do not know of any other profession who gets paid for "STEPS:. I have not had a raise in 3 years. Looking at my son's work asighnments, I found most of them on line.
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July 16, 2010 by muma tanji
dear sir i am a cameroonian and i am 30years old,please what do i need to become a teacher or obtain a teaching job in your country. thanks for understanding.
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July 27, 2010 by jajohn
Open your own School. There is an available licensed facility in silsbee, TX.
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August 19, 2010 by Ernie
Stefanie; I wonder why I think you're a Republican. Seems to me i've heard that song before. In case you didn't read the article, I'll quote: Around 20% of new public school teachers leave teaching by the end of their first year and almost half leave within five years. Much of the turnover is pay related.
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April 29, 2011 by L. LeB.
Pay related is correct. Or, some are pushed out of their jobs so that others will have a job.
Sincerely,
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August 21, 2010 by kim
As two of my own four children have been expensively educated as double majors in education, i sympathize with all. My two 'educator' children have both returned to their jobs in the restaurant business e.g. events management and waiting tables where they can make more money and get far less grief from the politics. How very sad. As a writer, however, I am shocked at the numerous errors in spelling and grammar I have seen in almost all of these remarks including those by the writer of the otherwise well-written actual article which preceeds them. One expects a much better command of the written language from people educated to educate others. It's not your fault. It is a sad commentary on just what we are talking about: our education crisis. Perhaps, a return to the one-room schoolhouse would do America some good.
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August 25, 2010 by Ray
Teachers, in California at least, are paid just fine. For example, I'm a special ed. teacher (10 years) and get a base salary of about 75 Gs. I usually teach summer school, so add at least $ 4 Gs. I also work as a Home Hospital teacher after my schoold ay and receive an additional 10 Gs an year. You can also sub on your prep, coach, or tutor for extra pay. So, it's seriously not that bad, I don't know whose doing all the crying about salaries. After all, we're not doctors, we didn't have to go to school for 12 years or anything. 4 years + a very simple credentialing program and bam, your a teacher.
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September 2, 2011 by mike
I am not sure what the cost of living is in California, but that is a great salary for teaching. I am a teacher of 32 years in North Carolina. I started at 10 Gs in 1979. It took me about 20 years to make 40 Gs. I now make $50,000. To me that is not enough for the things that we have to put up with and the politics. I realize that we only work 40 weeks per year, but there are a lot of people that "work" 52 weeks per year that don't do as much as we do in 40. Mike
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September 11, 2010 by Kay
I am a single Mom who raised my children alone. They were blessed to have amazing teachers, because as a parent I took on that responsibility. I made sure that their education was a good experience. There are NO excuses, I have heard them all. I have watched teachers get dismissed because of cruel judgments, I have seen teachers go on teaching and tighten their belts because they love kids, I've watched teachers and administrators stay in education, when they dislike teaching. Students sometimes suffer because of adult pride. You can see the cup half empty or half full. I have kept my children s' father alive and he will always be great in their eyes. I have continued the thought that if we are patient enough, things will always work out, and it's the stumbling blocks that give us character and growth. I choose to remember greatness, not dwell on the few bad days. We could go on forever blaming others for what they did or did not do, but the bottom line is parents can stay positive with their children if they choose to. When you research the greatness of others, you will discover that it was because of a teacher, coach or leader that changed a child's life forever. That is why we teach, to lead, to exemplify and to lift our children to a greater level of success. I
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October 18, 2010 by Eric
Maybe an abrasive temperment and lack of correct spelling had something to do with your early demise. Just an observation though.
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October 20, 2010 by mes
MOST TEACHERS DO AN EXCELLENT JOB! Teachers should be paid their weight in gold. Walk one day in their shoes. In order to understand you would have to go to work when they do, leave when they do( which for the record is after the contractual day ends) and then correct for at least two hours at night.
I also agree that it appears that an abrasive temperment could have helped with your departure from your school. It is difficult in any job to get rid of someone without just cause and proper documentation. My guess is all of these things were intact for you to be let go.
In the end it is about the children. They hold our future in their hands, and to them we owe a proper and stellar education! In order to have this, WE HAVE TO PAY, AND PAY WELL!
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October 30, 2010 by rosa
i dont have a job
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March 12, 2011 by Radha shah
i want to teach . i love teaching,
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