Teacher Salary Secrets Revealed

Take a closer look at teacher salaries and you'll find states like New York where the average kindergarten teacher salary is $66,450 a year, and states like New Jersey where middle school vocational teachers make $63,870 a year.

You'll also find states, such as Montana, where the average teacher salary is $40,000 a year and others such as Arkansas, where the average teacher salary is $45,000. These lower salaries reflect the lower cost of living in different areas. However, teachers generally make a good salary considering the cost of living in their city or state. Research teacher salaries across the U.S. to find the most promising teaching opportunities for you.

Many areas of the U.S. offer teachers great employment opportunities. According to the BLS, in 2009, the following states had the greatest number of teachers:

• California – 128,930
• Texas – 102,630
• New York – 74,070
• Illinois – 56,700
• Ohio – 52,060
• Pennsylvania – 46,770

There is a persistent misconception that teachers are not well paid. But a recent survey by the BLS shows that you can earn a very respectable teacher salary. Below is a list of the average annual salaries for teachers in some of the top-paying states.

• New York – $68,010
• Illinois – $67,960
• Alaska – $67,640
• Connecticut – $65,790
• New Jersey – $65,420
• Rhode Island – $65, 050
• California – $63,860
• Massachusetts – $61,470

Although not as high as salaries in the top states, teacher salaries across the U.S. are generally commensurate with the cost of living.

Teacher salaries are even higher for those who continue their education and gain more teaching experience. With a master's degree or higher and a lot of seniority, here are teacher salaries for the top 10 percent of teachers in the highest-paid states:

• Illinois – $106,540
• New York – $103,270
• Alaska – $95,170
• New Jersey – $94,880
• Virginia – $93,680

Even though these are salaries for the most experienced teachers, teachers make a good living throughout their careers. So, if you want to make a great teacher salary, get the teacher training you need to succeed in the field of education.

The BLS also estimates that full-time public teachers work an average of 36.5 hours a week during the school year. With the average school year across much of the United States at usually less than 200 days, teaching salaries start to look even more attractive.

In addition, these numbers don't take into account the benefits that most school districts offer their educators: comprehensive health and life insurance, as well as solid retirement and pension plans. Many school districts also offer to pay for or contribute to a teacher's continuing education.

Most districts pay more based on the amount of college education a teacher has. A master's degree, doctorate or other types of certification, such as special education or vocational certificates, can add thousands of dollars to a base teacher salary each year. For more information on these programs, read our article, "How to Become a Teacher."

There are also many other opportunities to increase your teacher salary:

• coaching after-school athletics
• advising after-school clubs
• becoming a department head
• becoming a mentor for new teachers
• helping with after-school tutoring programs
• administering and grading placement exams
• teaching summer school programs

By supplementing your teacher salary with these extra teaching opportunities, you can make an even better living in many areas. Depending on your teaching degree, experience and job placement research, you can have a very rewarding and good-paying career in the teaching profession.

_{Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2009}