Title: How much teachers are paid in the US
Headings: Chicago teachers’ strike continues to cancel class for over 360,000 students—here’s how much teachers are paid in the US
Chicago teachers’ strike continues to cancel class for over 360,000 students—here’s how much teachers are paid in the US
A high school classroom.
Teachers demand better pay, more staff
Nationwide teacher pay is growing slowly
Other financial burdens faced by teachers

Content: The bottom 10% of teachers earn less than $40,000 annually. While wages across different occupations have seen steady growth since the recession, the average teacher salary has actually decreased by 3% over the past decade when adjusted for inflation, according to the National Education Association. Chicago Public School teachers earn a starting salary of just under $53,000 annually, the Chicago Tribune reports. In a rule unique to Chicago, public school teachers are required to live in the city proper, where the cost of living is greater than the surrounding suburbs. In fact, Chicago’s cost of living is 23% higher than the national average, according to data from salary site PayScale. Other financial burdens faced by teachers
Outside of salary concerns alone, teachers often confront additional financial strains due to the nature of the job. Many teachers have reported spending their own money on classroom supplies without reimbursement, adding further financial strain. Since teachers generally only work for 10 months out of the year, they must find ways to stretch their salary or other means of making ends meet during summer breaks. An analysis by the Pew Research Center found that one in six public school teachers work a second job during the summer to supplement their income. As classes were cancelled for the fourth day, the union and the school system are still negotiating a deal.