Average teachers pay vs average pay.

[todd down under]

The thing about teachers being underpaid is the same as the cries of federal government workers being underpaid - a myth. Their benefits and pensions alone add a great value.

And you know all about those federal government workers, right?

 

[Lisa558]

Leftist tend to want to be teachers. So they can push agendas on kids.

So they tend to fill more spots than conservatives.

So yes we need to replace them. Good point

There’s something I’ve been avoiding saying, but m going to go ahead: Education majors are just about lowest IQ average of all the majors, with sociology the one lower.

 

[Lisa558]

And you know all about those federal government workers, right?

I know stats and data. The only government workers underpaid are those at the very top. The mid-grade professionals, and ESPECIALLY the support staff, outearn their private counterparts. And that’s before you add in all the cushy benefits.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Actually 6 percent of teachers are HS grads only.

Teacher Demographics and Statistics [2025]: Number Of Teachers In The US

How many Teachers are in US? More than 3,842,796. Learn more about 2025 demographics based on factors such as age, race, sex, salary and location.

www.zippia.com

Private School teachers aren't required to have degrees or licenses. (My sister was a private school teacher when she didn't have her degree OR her license.)

In Virginia full teacher licensure requires a Bachelors Degree. There is a special license call a "Technical Professional" which is not a general education license it's the ability to teach specific classes on a given field. We have 1400 teachers and exactly 2 have a Technical Professional License and education below a Bachelors. One is an ex-police officer that teaches law enforcement in our Criminal Justice High School Academy the other is a Chef in out Culinary Arts High School Academy.

Of the rest (rounded):
Bachelors = 50%
Masters = 42.1%
Graduate Studies = 6.4%
Doctorate = 1.4%

WW

 

[Lisa558]

Private School teachers aren't required to have degrees or licenses. (My sister was a private school teacher when she didn't have her degree OR her license.)

In Virginia full teacher licensure requires a Bachelors Degree. There is a special license call a "Technical Professional" which is not a general education license it's the ability to teach specific classes on a given field. We have 1400 teachers and exactly 2 have a Technical Professional License and education below a Bachelors. One is an ex-police officer that teaches law enforcement in our Criminal Justice High School Academy the other is a Chef in out Culinary Arts High School Academy.

Of the rest (rounded):
Bachelors = 50%
Masters = 42.1%
Graduate Studies = 6.4%
Doctorate = 1.4%

WW

And? They make more than $100,000 a year - with summers off.

 

[todd down under]

I know stats and data. The only government workers underpaid are those at the very top. The mid-grade professionals, and ESPECIALLY the support staff, outearn their private counterparts. And that’s before you add in all the cushy benefits.

You don't know anything. You just make up things.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Probably ex Military or other life skills

More likely, private schools which don't required degrees or licensure.

WW

 

[Lisa558]

So you give your starting salary and give an approximate salary, but your exact salary is none of my business.

I said it was on par with my teacher friends - low 100s. That’s more than enough to make the point.

The kids with IQs averaging 105 majoring in education end up earning $100,000+. They’ve done quite well for themselves.

The problem isn’t the money. The problem is the liberal control of the education system, which has turned public schools into a joke. I just drove past a school bus stop this morning, and half the kids were wearing their pajama bottoms.

 

[WorldWatcher]

I made $12,900 in 1979 as an Engineer

I got ya all beat. I made $6235.20 in 1979 as an E-3 in the Navy.

WW

 

[todd down under]

I said it was on par with my teacher friends - low 100s. That’s more than enough to make the point.

But then you said it's not my business. You don't make sense.

 

[todd down under]

The problem isn’t the money. The problem is the liberal control of the education system, which has turned public schools into a joke. I just drove past a school bus stop this morning, and half the kids were wearing their pajama bottoms.

You made that up. Like you always do.

 

[WorldWatcher]

That's a lot teachers with HS degrees, 240,474 to be exact.

how many teachers are there in the us - Bing

Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.

www.bing.com

How many teach at private schools?

How many of those don't have full teaching licenses but may be teaching an occupational specialty area (vocational class).

WW

 

[Lisa558]

I got ya all beat. I made $6235.20 in 1979 as an E-3 in the Navy.

WW

Well, I guess my $10,600 in 79 doesn’t look so bad.

In today’s dollars, I started at $46,000. You started at $28,000.

So what’s all the crying for teachers starting in the 50s - and with summers off?

 

[WorldWatcher]

And? They make more than $100,000 a year - with summers off.

Not hear the average is $66818.78473 (I just calculated it) and of course summers are off.

They are only contracted 200 days a year.

WW

 

[Lisa558]

Not hear the average is $66818.78473 (I just calculated it) and of course summers are off.

They are only contracted 200 days a year.

WW

No it’s not. $6200 in 1979 is $28,000 in 2025 dollars.

Teachers do just fine.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Well, I guess my $10,600 in 79 doesn’t look so bad.

In today’s dollars, I started at $46,000. You started at $28,000.

So what’s all the crying for teachers starting in the 50s - and with summers off?

As someone in the field, I see less problems recruiting teachers as a function of pay and more with the problem is that people don't want to go into the profession because - as a society - they feel the profession is shit.

WW

 

[WorldWatcher]

Not hear the average is $66818.78473 (I just calculated it) and of course summers are off.

They are only contracted 200 days a year.

WW

No it’s not. $6200 in 1979 is $28,000 in 2025 dollars.

Teachers do just fine.

That's what is crap about trying to talk about absolutes for a national question.

$66,818 around here is decent, not crap, but not wealthy.

Try teaching in New York City for that and you will be living out of your car.

Earnings are relative to the local cost of living.

WW

 

[Lisa558]

As someone in the field, I see less problems recruiting teachers as a function of pay and more with the problem is that people don't want to go into the profession because - as a society - they feel the profession is shit.

WW

I said that earlier. The problem isn’t the pay. The problem is the leftists have made a disaster of the education system.

First thing they should do is require kids to take off their pajamas and put on a decent pair of pants to attend school.

 

[Lisa558]

That's what is crap about trying to talk about absolutes for a national question.

$66,818 around here is decent, not crap, but not wealthy.

Try teaching in New York City for that and you will be living out of your car.

Earnings are relative to the local cost of living.

WW

I know a teacher in NY. She earns well over $100,000 and doesn’t even teach a class. They have too many teachers,

 

[WorldWatcher]

I know a teacher in NY. She earns well over $100,000 and doesn’t even teach a class. They have too many teachers,

Just wondering why is it always (well it seems always) anecdotal with you?

"I know someone", "Someone told me", "I met a lady the other day" - paraphrased - and you then extend the anecdotes to everyone in the country?

Well - I know a teacher in Richmond that makes $12,000 a year and teaches 27 one hour classes a day. That anecdotal information is a direct contradiction to your anecdotal information.

Just to repeat - you can't effectively compare "National" numbers to ANY profession because of pay and cost of living impacts on the local compensation rates.

WW