Title: 10 Alarming Facts About Teacher Pay in the United States
Headings: 10 alarming facts about teacher pay in the United States
10 alarming facts about teacher pay in the United States
The average salary for a teacher in the US is $60,477, and starting salaries are often below $40,000.
The US ranks seventh in the world for teacher pay — but pays less than half of what the No. 1 country pays its teachers.
In the highest-paying state for teachers, New York, teachers need to earn a master's degree within five years.
And in the lowest-paying state, Oklahoma, half of all teachers are making less than $33,630 a year.
Over 20% of teachers have second jobs.
Teachers pay an average of $480 out of pocket for school-related expenses.
Teachers often work more hours than the school day provides.
A teacher encourages her student for good work.
Teacher salaries have decreased by 4.5% over the last 10 years.
71% of Americans believe teachers deserve to be paid more.
The US has been experiencing a teacher shortage since the 2008 recession.
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Content: And in the lowest-paying state, Oklahoma, half of all teachers are making less than $33,630 a year. Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images
According to USA Today, Oklahoma teachers make a median of $39,306 a year, only a few thousand dollars above the median Oklahoma salary of $33,630 a year. Keep in mind that this is the median, which means that roughly half of the teachers in the state make less than that amount. According to careerbuilder.com, $39,000 a year is roughly the same average salary as a carpenter, construction equipment operator, or a correctional officer. Over 20% of teachers have second jobs. RHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images
According to NEA Today, around 16% of teachers hold a second job over the summer, and 20% of them hold a second job year-round. The report also found that the younger a teacher is, the more likely they are to hold a second job. The publication also found that if you were to count second jobs within the school system, such as coaching, teaching evening classes, or directing shows, this statistic jumps from 20% to 59%. Teachers pay an average of $480 out of pocket for school-related expenses. Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images
In 2018, the National Center of Education Statistics found that teachers were spending an average of nearly $480 a year out of their own pockets for supplies for their students and classrooms.