Empire State Teachers Are Among Highest Paid In US: Study

NEW YORK — If being an educator is your calling, you could do worse than living in New York, but chances are you won't do better.

First, the bad news. As World Teachers’ Day approaches on Oct. 5, a new report on 2022’s Best & Worst States for Teachers from the personal-finance website WalletHub found teachers are making an average of $2,150 less per year than they did 10 years ago when adjusted for inflation.

"Teaching can be a profoundly rewarding career, considering the critical role educators play in shaping young minds," the study's authors noted. "Unfortunately, many teachers find themselves overworked and underpaid."

The just released report contends that this is an especially rough time for career educators.

Education jobs are among the lowest-paying occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree, and teacher salaries consistently fail to keep up with inflation. Meanwhile, the Every Student Succeeds Act demands trackable growth in student performance, while at the same time, teachers have to deal with the continued presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the learning loss that it has caused over the last two years.

"Teachers face myriad issues, including wage degradation," Seton Hall Professor Christopher Tienken said of the findings. "For example, according to an economic policy institute (EPI) report from August 26, 2022, average weekly teacher wages grew by just $29 when adjusted for inflation, between 1996-2021, compared to $445 for other college graduates over the same period. Dubbed the 'Teacher pay penalty,' teachers can make as little as 35 percent less than college-educated people in other professions."

The study's authors analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 key metrics, ranging from teachers’ income growth potential to the pupil-teacher ratio to whether the state has a digital learning plan. WalletHub said the goal of the report was to help educators find the best opportunities and teaching environments in the U.S.

Teachers are more fairly compensated and better protected in some states than in others, though. The best states are less likely to face a revolving door of teacher turnover.

Fortunately for New Yorkers, the best educators, especially those with experience, have plenty of reasons to choose the Empire State as the place to ply their craft.

Top Ten Best States For Teachers:

1. New York
2. Utah
3. Virginia
4. Florida
5. Washington
6. New Jersey
7. Pennsylvania
8. Massachusetts
9. Maryland
10. Connecticut

When annual teacher salaries were adjusted for the cost of living, the top-ranking states were: New York, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington, according to the report. The lowest-ranking states were: District of Columbia, Florida, South Dakota, Maine and Hawaii.

In terms of projected teachers turnover, Kentucky, Montana, Missouri, New York and Alabama had the lowest numbers, the study found. Indiana, Virginia, Arizona, Vermont and the District of Columbia had the highest numbers in the country.

Teacher-Friendliness of New York (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

• 10th – Avg. Starting Salary for Teachers (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
• 1st – Avg. Salary for Teachers (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
• 17th – Quality of School System
• 7th – Pupil-Teacher Ratio
• 1st – Public-School Spending per Student
• 5th – Teachers’ Income Growth Potential
• 9th – 10-Year Change in Teacher Salaries
• 1st – Existence of Digital Learning Plan

Retaining the best teachers is harder than ever, but those in the best-ranked state for taking care of their educators said taking steps to reverse the troubling trend can be surprisingly simple.

"Leaders in the community and schools must work to create an environment of respect for teachers and support for their work," Lehman College Dean School of Education Rene Parmar said of the report. "Salary is important as well, but we see teachers leaving high-paying districts when the working conditions are not supportive or safe. All stakeholders must participate in the work of attracting and retaining great teachers. If local officials disrespect them, parents and Boards challenge their professionalism, the environment around schools is unsafe and poorly maintained, and the local media promotes negativity, teachers will leave.”