The Truth about Teaching Salaries

Teaching salaries vary widely depending on geographic area, level of education and seniority. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary of elementary, middle and secondary school teachers was between $50,510 and $52,200 in 2009, but the top 10 percent earned between $78,720 and $82,000.

These salaries are highly competitive with comparable markets. For example, librarians, archivists, curators, public relations specialists and social workers all made equal or lower salaries that year.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) found that the average teacher salary was between $35,157 and $53,291 in 2009. Teacher salaries exceeded inflation rates for the first time in 15 years in 2007, according to the AFT. This is especially noteworthy during a time when many other industries have cut raises and cost-of-living income adjustments significantly.

So while the average inflation-adjusted salaries of all U.S. workers dropped sharply, teachers enjoyed an unheard-of 4.5 percent increase. If this kind of increase continues, teaching salaries will continue to look promising for both experienced and new teachers in the coming years.

 The AFT found that beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $35,284 for the 2006–2007 school year. That's a 6.2 percent increase from the previous year. With beginning teaching salaries increasing at a faster rate than teaching salaries overall, the profession is sure to attract more qualified practitioners in the coming years.

This is great news because the BLS predicts 468,600 additional teacher positions to be available between 2008 and 2018, showing a larger growth than all but a small number other occupations.

Most school districts increase teaching salaries according to the number of approved continuing education credits they've accumulated and the number of years they've been teaching. Teachers with master's degrees or national certification often have higher salaries. A charter school teacher salary will vary depending on your particular school's charter.

Private school teachers generally earn less than public school teachers but have other benefits like smaller class size. Some teachers earn extra income teaching summer school, tutoring or performing other jobs in the school system, and many teachers earn $75,000 or more toward the end of their tenure without any supplemental income.

Because of vast cost-of-living differences, teaching salaries vary significantly across the country. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the following average annual secondary teacher salaries for some major American cities in 2009:

• Atlanta, Georgia – $54,880
• Boston, Massachusetts – $64,290
• Chicago, Illinois – $74,530
• Cincinnati, Ohio – $54,630
• Dallas, Texas – $56,160
• Los Angeles, California – $63,370
• Miami, Florida – $52,440
• New York, NY – $71,220
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – $58,270
• St. Louis, Missouri – $50,330
• Seattle, Washington – $59,470
• Washington, DC – $68,340

Can you guess the top states for secondary teacher salaries?

• New York – $68,010
• Illinois – $67,960
• Alaska – $67,640
• Connecticut – $65,790
• New Jersey – $65,420
• Rhode Island – $65,050
• California – $63,860
• Maryland – $62,500
• Massachusetts – $61,470
• Virginia – $59,980

States with lower average teaching salaries generally also have a lower cost of living, so teacher salaries are competitive throughout the country.

For more information on why teaching salaries are often better than they appear, see our article on Teacher Salary Secrets.