While teacher salaries have grown throughout the U.S., the increase is not enough to account for inflation, according to the National Education Association.
For the 2022-2023 school year, the national average teacher salary increased 4.1% from the previous year, according to NEA. That’s because of help from elected officials, in addition to efforts from teachers unions.
But when adjusted for inflation, teachers are making 5% less than they were 10 years ago.
According to NEA, 77% of school districts still pay a starting salary below $50,000. And the national average teacher salary across the board was below $70,000.
Some states are making better progress than others when it comes to teacher pay. NEA data shows that in states with collective bargaining, teachers earn 26% more, on average.
Alabama, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Mississippi and Washington all made considerable gains in the 2022-2023 school year.
But other states, like Florida, dropped to 50th in the nation for average teacher salary.
Overall, the national average starting salary for teachers in the U.S. was $44,530.
