Average Salary for Teachers

In 2010 there were 3,823,142 registered teachers in the United States, including those in public, private and charter schools. That number seems astounding until you realize that back in 2000 there were 76.6 students in the United States, meaning that the ratio of students to teachers would be 20 to 1 if the number of students did not increase over the last ten years. The demand for teachers is very high, and because of this, they are often offered salaries that will encourage them to continuing teaching.

Average Salary for Teachers

The national teaching salary in the United States in 2010 was $51,000 annually. A teacher’s salary depends greatly on many things, including location, personal education, school involvement, and what type of school they teach in.

The national education budget for 2007 in the United States was $97 billion, including private and public schools. When you look at what type of school you want to teach in, public schools and government-supported private schools generally pay a higher salary because they have a larger budget that allows them to do so. Private schools that are not supported by the government often have to offer a smaller salary because they don’t have as large of a budget; they have to operate strictly on the income they get from the community and the tuition they collect from their students. Because of this, private schools sometimes offer benefits, such as subsidized housing or free tuition for their teachers’ children, to help supplement the smaller income they are able to pay their teachers.

When you are looking for a teaching position, you can earn certain degrees and national certificates that will help you earn a greater salary. According to studies done, 85% of today’s adult population has completed high school and out of that percentage, only 27% has any type of bachelor’s degree. The average income for a college or university graduate is $51,000 annually, nearly $24,000 above the average of those whose education is no greater than a high school diploma.

Schools want teachers that will get involved in their students’ lives and will do their best to influence them in every way possible. Most public schools will give a salary to teachers that get involved in sports, participate in after school tutoring, conduct study groups or teach summer school. Simply getting involved in your students’ lives will often encourage your school to increase your salary. Schools simply want what is best for their students and for their school, and if they can hire a teacher that will be an asset to their education system and community, they will do their best to encourage those teachers to continue teaching.