Physical Education Teacher Salary

So you want to teach in a school, work with children, and be an influence to a younger generation, but where do you start with all the jobs the realm of education has to offer? The jobs that a single school brings to its community is astounding. From drama teachers to kitchen staff, teachers to administrators, there are many positions that have to be filled in order for the school to function properly. Let’s take a look at one such position that nearly every school in the United States has to have filled: physical education.

Did you know that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years? In the 1980s, the percentage of obese children in the United States was 7%. Until 2008, the percentage escalated to 20% and it was estimated that 1 out of every 3 children and adolescents were either overweight or obese. Looking at those statistics, you can understand why childhood obesity has viciously progressed from a minor issue to an epidemic. One of the many ways to cure and stop this from becoming an even greater issue and threat is to help young children learn the importance of physical exercise at a young age. Many schools hire physical education teachers to help instill such values in their students.

The requirements of physical education teachers will be different in almost every school, both public and private. Some schools need their physical education teacher to be able to coach sports teams and train their athletes, while other schools simply need a teacher to work with the students during their scheduled PE time.

Physical Education Teacher Salary

Because the job of teaching physical education is so important and demanding, schools are willing to pay a higher salary than some of the other teaching positions they have to fill. In the 2010-11 school year, the average salary of a physical education teacher was $48,000. Elementary physical education teachers generally make a higher salary, averaging $61,000 annually; high school physical education teachers average nearly half that figure, at $31,000 annually.

The actual salary of physical education teachers depends on the requirements of the job, which will vary by school. Some schools have a larger sports program which requires more work from the physical education teacher, while some schools have specialized programs for different age groups which often requires several teachers to fill the positions necessary.

Also, some private and charter schools place a large focus on their physical education program, trying to encourage parents to enroll their children. And because of this, some of these types of schools are often willing to pay a higher salary for a good physical education teacher.