Buzz
The U.S. faces a shortage of educators. According to data from Brown University, approximately 55,000 K-12 teacher positions remain unfilled. In Arizona, the ratio is 43.8 teachers for every 1,000 students.
A major factor contributing to the teacher shortage: frustration over low wages. Teachers make an average salary of $68,000, which is 8 percent below the national average for all occupations.
The National Education Association (NEA) recently published a report detailing average public school teacher salaries by state. The data highlights a considerable regional disparity, with some states seeing salary differences of up to 100 percent.
- Alabama // $60,441
- Alaska // $76,371
- Arizona // $60,275
- Arkansas // $54,309
- California // $95,160
- Colorado // $60,775
- Connecticut // $83,400
- Delaware // $68,787
- District of Columbia // $84,882
- Florida // $53,098
- Georgia // $64,461
- Hawaii // $70,947
- Idaho // $56,365
- Illinois // $73,916
- Indiana // $57,015
- Iowa // $61,231
- Kansas // $56,481
- Kentucky // $56,296
- Louisiana // $54,248
- Maine // $59,964
- Maryland // $79,420
- Massachusetts // $92,307
- Michigan // $67,011
- Minnesota // $70,005
- Mississippi // $53,354
- Missouri // $53,999
- Montana // $55,909
- Nebraska // $58,763
- Nevada // $61,719
- New Hampshire // $64,169
- New Jersey // $81,102
- New Mexico // $63,580
- New York // $92,696
- North Carolina // $56,559
- North Dakota // $56,792
- Ohio // $66,390
- Oklahoma // $55,505
- Oregon // $72,476
- Pennsylvania // $74,945
- Rhode Island // $79,289
- South Carolina // $57,778
- South Dakota // $53,153
- Tennessee // $55,369
- Texas // $60,176
- Utah // $63,481
- Vermont // $66,536
- Virginia // $63,103
- Washington // $86,104
- West Virginia // $52,870
- Wisconsin // $62,524
- Wyoming // $61,979
California leads in teacher pay, with an average salary of $95,160 annually. Massachusetts follows closely with $92,307. This is nearly double the earnings of teachers in Florida, where the average is $53,098.
These figures don’t reflect the starting salaries. According to the NEA, the national average salary for new teachers is $44,530.
Salary is only part of the equation. Staffing shortages can also be attributed to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted many teachers nearing retirement to leave early due to health concerns. However, stagnant wages are also deterring new graduates from joining the profession.
In response to the shortage, some districts are filling positions with individuals who lack the qualifications typically required. Strategies to address this gap include recruiting international workers and increasing class sizes. On the state level, efforts to raise salaries are being proposed, but whether these measures will sufficiently address the shortage in the coming years remains uncertain.
