Why Teachers Are Paid So Little In The U.S.

Teachers earn nearly 20% less than other professionals with similar education and experience, according to the Economic Policy Institute. In many states, their wages are below the living wage, forcing teachers to seek secondary jobs to supplement their income or leave the profession all together.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the rise of remote learning, the challenges faced by educators has become increasingly demanding. Some organizations are trying to redesign teacher pay structures in some of the 13,500 public school districts nationwide. Watch the video above to learn more about why teachers are paid so little and how to fix that.

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Why Teachers Are Paid So Little In The U.S.

[mysterioustiings]

Seeing my 63-year old Civics teacher working at Walmart after school hours and weekends always hurts my heart.

[SAFFY]

Education simply isn't a priority, that is why they're paid so little.

[paulthompson]

I'm a teacher who makes $32, 500 a year with a master's degree and 10 years of experience. I will be leaving the profession that I love after this school year because I cannot afford to live on that low of a salary anymore.

[daniella]

As a parent I agree 100%. Teachers are grossly underpaid and the expectations are unreal.

[Steamrick]

The short of it: You pay for what you value. Apparently, education doesn't rank high on the priority list.

[rasaecnai]

Politicians have no incentives to have educated voters.

[greatlakes]

As a father of 10-year old, I sincerely appreciate and respect what the teachers are doing to my kid: just look the smile on my daughter’s face when she comes home every day

[saras.]

I was a teacher for 3 years and my salary was around 27K. That's what they paid starting out.
I taught HS Math and subed whenever needed during my planning period. I was expected to be at sporting events/games as much as I was able, have lunch duty one week a month and do carline morning and afternoon one week per month, and have help/tutoring class once a week for one hour. So most days I was working from 7am to 4:30 nonstop. All that in addition to checking tests and HW at home in the evenings and weekends, and having to stay even later due to a meeting or making sure I had my planning done for the week when many teachers fell sick and was expected to be subbing everyday.

[jemontes]

I brought up this topic to someone & they replied “well, they don’t care about the money. They’re passionate about their job, they do it because they love it. Not for the money” and while that is true, that most teachers go into the education system because they are passionate about it, THEY DO DESERVE BETTER PAY. Teachers are so

[kaeekelih]

One of the things that makes this worse is the fact that many teachers aren’t given enough money to get supplies for their students so they have to use their own money. I vividly remember a teacher nearly in tears when she was talking about how there were no more public pencils for us because people kept taking them

[sneakprev]

I'm a teacher in Germany and I'm always shocked by how little my colleagues in the US earn... I'm paid really well and teachers in Germany are also treated well in other regards (paying less taxes, better health-insurance and most teachers are state-servants so we can't be fired unless we do something really bad)... However, we also have a shortage in teachers over here...

[SpeakingEnglishToday]

Growing up I never really saw teachers leaving their job or quitting during the school year. But now it seems normal. It always seems like the best teachers leave.

[BobTheBob]

My high school teacher was literally working minimum wage at a grocery store.

[daishaoutar]

I'm a teacher, and although we knew this before, this pandemic really showed how little the US values teachers. Economically and as individuals

[johnjohnson]

It’s been two years since this article. I check back in on this from time to time. I’m a teacher. I fall into a pit of despair knowing nothing changes. I’m tired and trying to get out of this hole. I want to be able to afford a family of my own and a home of my own. I work hard and do a needed service in this country. Why can’t I as a teacher have those things?

[cl]

It’s good to see teachers standing up for themselves and not accepting the toxicity and disrespect in these districts.

[Sipapate]

Teachers are paid little all over the world, I'm in Zimbabwe and teachers have been on a strike for the past 5 years

[BK-jhmg]

No wonder why Walter White from Breaking Bad got into drug making business.

[Thee_Dennis_Scott]

Here’s the crazy fact I realized:
Most people in their professions today would not be where they are without teachers. I say this because we all learn from teachers in some way or form. We do not just go into a profession without knowing anything.

[missapeydoo]

I am a teacher at a public school who has 2 part-time side jobs. By the end of the week, I usually work about 75-80 hours a week. That doesn't include the time I spend grading papers and doing lessons. Also, it doesn't include being a mom, which is another full-time job in itself. Tired is an understatement.