Are teachers underpaid?
Everyone has heard the complaint that public school teachers in the U.S. (up to the high school level) are underpaid. Teachers need to be paid more, they do so much, they're underpaid, they don't get paid in the summer, etc.
We take an in depth look at the myth that is the underpaid teacher.
The average public school teacher in the U.S. earns a starting salary of $38617 per year (let's just say $38600 for convenience sake).
The average public school teacher in the U.S. works 185 days of the year. Let's round this to 200 to account for the argument of teachers having to grade papers outside of the classroom.
Now let's compare this to anyone who makes $38600 at a job where they work 5 days a week, 40hrs a week for the entire year and gets holidays.
5 days * 52 weeks = 260 days worked a year - 10ish holidays = 250 days worked a year.
Now let's break it down by hourly wages.
$38600/200/8 = an hourly wage of $24.125 for teachers
$38600/250/8 = an hourly wage of $19.3 for anyone who works 5 days per week, 40 hrs per week, year round, and makes $38600.
Based on this, teachers work 50 fewer days per year, and earn $5 more per hour. This hourly wage increases dramatically if you start comparing say earning $50k or $60k per year.
We're not counting sick days or vacation days because everyone gets those.
Teachers also have a summer break which means they don't need to take leave during the summer. Everyone else does if they want to go on a vacation. The same is true during their winter or spring break.
Teachers get delays and early dismissals which count as full days worked.
Teachers have planning periods and can use this time to grade papers.
If teachers get excessive snow or other extreme weather days, the state often excuses these, so they may work fewer than 185 days per year.
Teachers can choose to get paid year round. That way if someone is bad with managing money, they'll get checks year round, rather than for 10/12 months of the year.
The average salary for all teachers (as opposed to the starting salary) is $56,840.
The idea that public k-12 teachers are underpaid needs to be cleared up. They are paid well, but not super well. They're certainly not underpaid, especially compared to those making the same annual salary in other fields who work 25% more days a year.
We take an in depth look at the myth that is the underpaid teacher.
The average public school teacher in the U.S. earns a starting salary of $38617 per year (let's just say $38600 for convenience sake).
The average public school teacher in the U.S. works 185 days of the year. Let's round this to 200 to account for the argument of teachers having to grade papers outside of the classroom.
Now let's compare this to anyone who makes $38600 at a job where they work 5 days a week, 40hrs a week for the entire year and gets holidays.
5 days * 52 weeks = 260 days worked a year - 10ish holidays = 250 days worked a year.
Now let's break it down by hourly wages.
$38600/200/8 = an hourly wage of $24.125 for teachers
$38600/250/8 = an hourly wage of $19.3 for anyone who works 5 days per week, 40 hrs per week, year round, and makes $38600.
Based on this, teachers work 50 fewer days per year, and earn $5 more per hour. This hourly wage increases dramatically if you start comparing say earning $50k or $60k per year.
We're not counting sick days or vacation days because everyone gets those.
Teachers also have a summer break which means they don't need to take leave during the summer. Everyone else does if they want to go on a vacation. The same is true during their winter or spring break.
Teachers get delays and early dismissals which count as full days worked.
Teachers have planning periods and can use this time to grade papers.
If teachers get excessive snow or other extreme weather days, the state often excuses these, so they may work fewer than 185 days per year.
Teachers can choose to get paid year round. That way if someone is bad with managing money, they'll get checks year round, rather than for 10/12 months of the year.
The average salary for all teachers (as opposed to the starting salary) is $56,840.
The idea that public k-12 teachers are underpaid needs to be cleared up. They are paid well, but not super well. They're certainly not underpaid, especially compared to those making the same annual salary in other fields who work 25% more days a year.
Comments
Teachers dont work 8 hour days. Typically longer. MY minimum is 8.5 hour day required and almost everyday an extra hour or 2. I put in 55-60 hour weeks all the time. Several weeks this year more like 70.
Teachers dont get paid for the summer so that doesnt even matter. District requires 10 months pay stretched to 12 here, so saying people cant manage money get their pay stretched out is wrong and condescending.
If its optional some places, just because a person prefers the ease of a routing check of the same amount 12 times a year instead of going 2-3 months of no pay doesnt mean they cant manage money. Its not like they are taking a financial hit for it.
The job is hell of a lot more stressful than a normal 8-5 job. You can say you have a weekend off, but to me sunday isnt even off. Have to have everything prepared for the next school day. So either stay extra late Friday or several times this year had to go to work on sunday to get stuff ready. Bare minimum lesson planning etc on sunday. The grading papers stuff depends on the subject. Its impossible to grade math papers during a short conference periods. I have other stuff to get done, ARD meetings a few times a month taking the period away. ISS/DAEP prepwork which is a whole lesson plan daily in itself.
This whole summary of "Grading papers" as the extra work teachers have is condescending and shows you know nothing about the job.
https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2013/08/how-many-hours-do-educators-actually-work
Fist, average salary is around $50,000. However teachers work on average 12-16 hours. Oh, and teachers spend much of their summer prepping for school. I'm curious what the OP's occupation is?
You couldn't pay me to do it. I'll tell you that much,
Try teaching algebra with your hands tied behind your back, all the while the kids dont give a shit, and you are judged on them passing an end of course state algebra test. Oh and half your classes are kids who failed 8th grade state test. Kids are using their fingers and calculators to add single digit amounts. and have to use a calculator for 3rd grade multiplication. Its that bad.
We take an in depth look at the myth that is the underpaid teacher.
Who's we? Is this like a blog post?
Lets see.
8 weeks summer
2 weeks christmas
1 week spring break
another week of random days lets say
so 12 weeks off a year ( 5 work days a week) Thats 60 workweek days off a year and 40 of those teachers dont get paid for. So you are looking at 20 days off a year. So typical jobs have about 10 off days. Well big whoop an extra 10 days. My friends typical job gets almost 2 weeks vacation days a year. Seems pretty typical for full time 8-5. I personally only get 5 personal days. For me thats 5 less days. So woah a whole 5 days for a stressful ass job
So bottomline 50 less days is bullshit dude. you are looking at it as a salary perspective. Even if you want to say I get paid for the summer because its a 10 month contract stretched to 12, then you are still less than 50 more like 35-40. And your hourly wage is all kind of wrong. Teachers dont work 8 hour days lmao
You couldn't pay me to do it. I'll tell you that much,
Try teaching algebra with your hands tied behind your back, all the while the kids dont give a shit, and you are judged on them passing an end of course state algebra test. Oh and half your classes are kids who failed 8th grade state test. Kids are using their fingers and calculators to add single digit amounts. and have to use a calculator for 3rd grade multiplication. Its that bad.
Yeah...teachers definitely are not allowed to do what they need to do to teach. All seems to come down to what parents want and not upsetting the children otherwise the teacher gets in trouble!...
PS, and now our president wants teachers to carry guns and you still think they're overpaid?
You couldn't pay me to do it. I'll tell you that much,
Try teaching algebra with your hands tied behind your back, all the while the kids dont give a shit, and you are judged on them passing an end of course state algebra test. Oh and half your classes are kids who failed 8th grade state test. Kids are using their fingers and calculators to add single digit amounts. and have to use a calculator for 3rd grade multiplication. Its that bad.
Yeah...teachers definitely are not allowed to do what they need to do to teach. All seems to come down to what parents want and not upsetting the children otherwise the teacher gets in trouble!...
Its these damn cell phones. I hate them. They bitch and whine when you make them put them away. They are addicted. Theyll just tell you they dont have it when you tell them to put it up on the wall for class procedure. You catch them and take it away, they bitch and whine. Parents come up to the school and bitch and whine. Admin wont enforce consistently the 10 dollar fine.
I HATE PHONES. They really ruin the job. The cheating is out of control with air drop and snap chat. Kids start a room and boom answers spread. Have to change tests and papers routinely.
Ever try to talk to 30 kids? I can't imagine trying to get them to pay attention. Never mind actually teach them meaningful things.
And kids nowadays are jerks. No respect.
Teachers need to be paid MUCH MORE. They're teaching the youth of tomorrow for god's sake!
I give much respect to teachers out there.
You couldn't pay me to do it. I'll tell you that much,
Try teaching algebra with your hands tied behind your back, all the while the kids dont give a shit, and you are judged on them passing an end of course state algebra test. Oh and half your classes are kids who failed 8th grade state test. Kids are using their fingers and calculators to add single digit amounts. and have to use a calculator for 3rd grade multiplication. Its that bad.
Yeah...teachers definitely are not allowed to do what they need to do to teach. All seems to come down to what parents want and not upsetting the children otherwise the teacher gets in trouble!...
Its these damn cell phones. I hate them. They bitch and whine when you make them put them away. They are addicted. Theyll just tell you they dont have it when you tell them to put it up on the wall for class procedure. You catch them and take it away, they bitch and whine. Parents come up to the school and bitch and whine. Admin wont enforce consistently the 10 dollar fine.
I HATE PHONES. They really ruin the job. The cheating is out of control with air drop and snap chat. Kids start a room and boom answers spread. Have to change tests and papers routinely.
I’m old school and an Army vet who was raised by parents and grandparents who were the same. I’m afraid my teaching methods while effective wouldn’t pass the pc test of today’s society.
Homeboy said nothing about class sizes lol
I think students should be charged 50 cents per class per day. Government can subsidize it for families below the poverty line. For a six period day (middle/high school), that would be $3 per day and a total of $15 per week. They would have more buy-in (literally), and teachers could get a nice pay bump (proportional to class sizes) even if they only get half of the 50 cents.
(I know we can't simultaneously require school and charge for it, but hey, a guy can dream...)
Teachers do not work 12-16hrs per day. The point is comparing pay to those who work many more days a year than teachers. Even if teacehers did work 12-16hrs per day, there are so many other jobs where people work extra hours but don't get paid for them. Teachers also get off for holidays that no one else does, such as Muslim and Jewish holidays.
Do your research properly. Early dismissal days are not freebue days. Teacher stay in meetings... students are the only ones going home early. Teachers have to grade papers.
Do some simple math, average out to a 30 student classroom, 6 or 8 (if a teacher has the option, all schools are different) clases a day, depending on the school schedule. How many papers for homework is that to grade? What about tests? Quizzes? Journal entries if applicable? Yea, that is a lot of grading. Sure, some teachers have multiple choice, but those take time anyways. One classroom of 30 students at 6 classes for one homework assignment, go ahead.
Teachers do not work 12-16hrs per day. The point is comparing pay to those who work many more days a year than teachers. Even if teacehers did work 12-16hrs per day, there are so many other jobs where people work extra hours but don't get paid for them. Teachers also get off for holidays that no one else does, such as Muslim and Jewish holidays.
"Let me completely ignore all of the facts presented in this thread and just continue my moronic spewing."
You are an idiot.
Edit: My wife was a teacher and worked a lot of hours, including extracurriculars she ran. However, she was shocked at the insane hours I work. Try leaving every day before your kids get up and getting home after midnight for two months straight in addition to coming home after dinner three other months of the year. Almost half of the year my wife is essentially a single parent because of my hours. There are careers with far worse hours than teachers.
It's not always bad for teachers. It really depends where you work. The pensions where I live are ridiculous. Teachers retire in their 50s and then are making 6 figures in retirement because they get 80% of their highest year salary. Then they are long term subs and are getting paid well for it.
Edit: My wife was a teacher and worked a lot of hours, including extracurriculars she ran. However, she was shocked at the insane hours I work. Try leaving every day before your kids get up and getting home after midnight for two months straight in addition to coming home after dinner three other months of the year. Almost half of the year my wife is essentially a single parent because of my hours. There are careers with far worse hours than teachers.
Yes, and I respect the job, I’m sure it’s not easy. That said, a doctor screws up, somebody dies. A defence lawyer screws up, somebody goes to jail. A teacher screws up what they grade something or a days lesson? Possibly a little embarrassment. Little real fallout. So I wouldn’t say teachers are underpaid or overpaid on the face of it, but all I know about the job is what I’ve seen from friends.
It's not always bad for teachers. It really depends where you work. The pensions where I live are ridiculous. Teachers retire in their 50s and then are making 6 figures in retirement because they get 80% of their highest year salary. Then they are long term subs and are getting paid well for it.
Edit: My wife was a teacher and worked a lot of hours, including extracurriculars she ran. However, she was shocked at the insane hours I work. Try leaving every day before your kids get up and getting home after midnight for two months straight in addition to coming home after dinner three other months of the year. Almost half of the year my wife is essentially a single parent because of my hours. There are careers with far worse hours than teachers.
Yes, and I respect the job, I'm sure it's not easy. That said, a doctor screws up, somebody dies. A defence lawyer screws up, somebody goes to jail. A teacher screws up what they grade something or a days lesson? Possibly a little embarrassment. Little real fallout. So I wouldn't say teachers are underpaid or overpaid on the face of it, but all I know about the job is what I've seen from friends.
Little real fallout? Last I did any research, most school systems hire new teachers on annual contracts. Meaning you have a job from the start to the end of the school your with NO guarantee for the year after. Meaning you can be let go for any number of reasons reguardless of your job performance. Just think about that for a second.
Teachers do not work 12-16hrs per day. The point is comparing pay to those who work many more days a year than teachers. Even if teacehers did work 12-16hrs per day, there are so many other jobs where people work extra hours but don't get paid for them. Teachers also get off for holidays that no one else does, such as Muslim and Jewish holidays.
I get off for muslim and jewish holidays? News to me.
thanks for telling me i dont put 10 hour plus days in. You sure know more than me.
It's not always bad for teachers. It really depends where you work. The pensions where I live are ridiculous. Teachers retire in their 50s and then are making 6 figures in retirement because they get 80% of their highest year salary. Then they are long term subs and are getting paid well for it.
Edit: My wife was a teacher and worked a lot of hours, including extracurriculars she ran. However, she was shocked at the insane hours I work. Try leaving every day before your kids get up and getting home after midnight for two months straight in addition to coming home after dinner three other months of the year. Almost half of the year my wife is essentially a single parent because of my hours. There are careers with far worse hours than teachers.
Yes, and I respect the job, I'm sure it's not easy. That said, a doctor screws up, somebody dies. A defence lawyer screws up, somebody goes to jail. A teacher screws up what they grade something or a days lesson? Possibly a little embarrassment. Little real fallout. So I wouldn't say teachers are underpaid or overpaid on the face of it, but all I know about the job is what I've seen from friends.
Little real fallout? Last I did any research, most school systems hire new teachers on annual contracts. Meaning you have a job from the start to the end of the school your with NO guarantee for the year after. Meaning you can be let go for any number of reasons reguardless of your job performance. Just think about that for a second.
Im sorry but the fact that you think that’s a big deal is difficult for me to process. A lot of jobs you can be there Monday screw up and be gone Tuesday.
Anyways as I said I respect the job and couldn't do it so I'll leave it there. But I also don't believe that teachers are grossly underpaid. Perhaps in areas where cost of living is high. But I also realize that I don’t know enough about it for my opinion to be fully informed