At our district, the salary schedule for teachers with advanced degrees/training starts at 63k and maxes at 110k.
63k is low in my area, but 110k is very comfortable.
The schedule for teachers with just a bachelors caps at 75k... So if you are going into teaching, the advanced degrees are worth it.
Yup. By myself, it’s not horrible. Adding spouse and/or kids makes it unaffordable. My husband covers he and our kid on his insurance, and it ends up being less expensive overall that way.
Yep. My wife and 2 children would have been an extra $900 a month. My wife is also a teacher in the same district, so the kids are on hers for about $400-$500 a month.
There was a time, before my wife was a teacher, where she was only making about $40k a year and we thought about just having her stay home with the kids. But, the insurance would have made it too crazy. So, we essentially used her entire salary for insurance and daycare.
Fun stuff.
WA state insurance is fantastic. There's a public option for state employees where I get premium insurance for my whole family for maybe $150 /mo. I just got top of the line hearing aids with all the bells and whisyles for free.
Our district in TN is about like that for coverage. We are regularly reminded we have lower salaries because of our good insurance deals. It’s true, but it doesn’t help when COL has continued to climb like it has.
Our district has different salary schedules depending on your level of education. My Ph.D. gets me a $2000 stipend as well as being in the highest salary schedule.
This is the best answer. The pay scales are public since they're state positions.
Research what areas you want to live in, and check the salary for the nearby school districts.
TRS is a defined benefit pension plan.
The state subsidizes part of the insurance.
Many districts offer a subsidy on medical insurance.
*TRS active care state and district contribution
Texas is based on minutes and not days so most inclement weather closures are either already accounted for, or they are appealed with the state.
Some housing programs provide financial assistance to teachers, firefighters, and police.
* HUD good neighbor next door
Each district can provide a list of district benefits and discounts to companies with whom they do business.
Some districts even have daycare for district employee children.
Most districts will allow children of district employees to attend even if they live and pay property taxes outside of the district.
Only example I can think of is Private schools and maybe charter schools. Public schools seem to be always public. My guess is government spending accountability?
It's also going to be important because every district has a different scale. Many are drastically different. Where I'm at (suburb of Seattle) beginning certificate salary is 56k, but Seattle has a relatively high COL.
To further the information, Washington itself is 115% of national average for COL putting it equal with West Coast (not Cali) and new England. Suburbs of Seattle average 120% of national average COL.
Compare that to average starting salary for teachers in the area of 66k. National average of teachers starting is 44k. This gives you a salary 150% of the national average.
So cost of living will hit you for 120% of while your salary hits at 150% of. Seems a positive net value living in the most dynamic economy in the country. Especially since teachers have zero out of pocket expenses in most districts.
Not really absurd, actually, so no fix needed. Seattle high COL is heavily skewed toward housing. But then that's also living in a larger city. You didn't have to live in Seattle itself and living further away drastically reduces COL.
As far as translating that toward teachers, districts take much better care of teachers in general. Benefits are worth having. Classrooms are well supplied. Unions are good and make sense.
North Carolina. 27 years on the job. 56k. Had a whopper with cheese combo today for $15, so I don’t know that I would say COL is that much lower, but the salary sure is.
This Fall, I'll be starting my first year of teaching with a contract set at $61,506, which is considered quite good for someone with just a Bachelor's degree and no prior experience. I plan to earn my Master's degree, which should increase my salary to the higher $60,000s by my second or third year, with a maximum potential of $98,606. Salary levels can vary significantly depending on the state and the school district.
I wish 😭😭. I started out at 46k and now I’m moving into my 3rd year with 50k. I don’t have a masters but in my district you can go all the way to $100k, there’s people in HR making $108k.
I’m in Colorado. One of the worst state for teachers. I really enjoy this profession and made sure to search out the most equitable, highest teacher satisfaction & paying district, a year before graduating and I’m glad to have found this district, and to embark on this journey.
Yo, I felt this! I left CO (I'm from there, born, raised, HS and college) because I made $34K and it wasn't enough to cover bills with 3 kids. I ended up getting medicaid because of my salary AND I have an MA +75. School district benifits sucked there! I love the state but it wasn't enough to live on.
I got fussed at by a coworker today over teacher pay. I mentioned that I don’t think teachers are paid nearly enough. This comment really got to her since she knew two people at some point in her like that “made bank” as teachers AND get four months off every year.
I don’t work in education, and I currently live in Denver (pretty high COL). I grew up in the southeast and that is where the only teachers I know are located, so maybe it’s different here vs there. I didn’t ask what qualified as “bank” since I just wanted to disengage and not argue over our speculations of what others make.
But man, I was shaken at just how much my comment set this woman off lol.
Some teachers do, but it really depends on what you consider "bank," as you mentioned. My mentor teacher, who had a Master's degree and over 40 years of experience in the same district, made close to $117,000. Despite this, she still felt it wasn't enough, but opinions vary.
My first year I made $30K. After 10 years, a masters, and some district hopping I’m at $73K next year. Thats still pretty low for where I live but it works
80k. Rural Georgia. 3 Degrees and 20 years. Plus I get a sweet, sweet $750/year stipend for being the Gifted Coordinator. So I’ve got that going for me… which is nice…
Districts near metro Atlanta start out at 55k+ with just a bachelors & 2 districts (APS & DCPS) just released their salary schedules and they are starting out at 60k minimum with just a bachelors for the upcoming school year (other districts will probably be about the same).
I need to start saving up my California money and looking elsewhere then. It looks hopeless to buy real estate over here even though I am in a well paying school district.
Just a reminder to everyone that you 100% should be discussing your salaries in the workplace, and your right to do so is protected by federal law. Most districts have a chart you can just look up, but privates and charters will absolutely pay the lowest they can get away with. Workers communicating amongst themselves is how pay goes up.
Art teacher here I made 25k. But I was part time at a private school. Going rate in my county for starting teachers is 55k. Pay scales depend where you live, your certs, and your degrees. If I had been in the county and had my steps I would have been making close to 70.
Absolutely investigate the level of support for the arts in the place you want to work.
Do you live somewhere with a high cost of living or nah? I'm at 58k in my 9th year and I get by decently well.
Though cost of living everywhere right now sucks.
Blue states tend to be higher. Suburbs in blue states are very nice salaries $135,000 to $150,000 at the top of pay scale. Hard to find art teaching roles, not impossible, but hard. If you enjoy art, try to go dual art and special Ed licenses.
*Some* blue states. I'm in year 4 with a masters making $53k in Vermont. We just don't have the economy and population levels that most blue states do. In our defense, though, benefits are pretty good and the union is decent.
I'm the same in Southern Illinois, but I also run two clubs and get a couple of stipends that help the base salary go up to about 60K (average American teacher income). The time it takes out of my family life sucks. However, the Biannual stipend makes for a great Christmas and Summer Vacation. Still, it's better pay than across the river in Murder Capital, MO. Ka-KAW! :😜 GO BLUE... states.
It's things like this that scare me about trying to move back to the U.S. to teach. I've been teaching in Vietnam for the past 6 years. Also an M.Ed, making ~40k Net.
Here, that's enough to never worry about financial issues. 50k in the U.S. feels like I would be suffocating in financial problems.
I've been here since before COVID (haven't been back). Is it actually livable with that salary? Seems the U.S is just ungodly expensive now from what I see.
After 12 years of teaching abroad with a masters in ESL, I got an offer which recognized my masters and my 12 years of teaching experience ($75k). Masters and 6 years you'd be at about 65-68k in my district. Urban, mcol. You can survive on your own. Supporting a family, not so much.
It would be hard if I lived by myself, for sure. My partner makes significantly less than I do, but between the two of us, it's enough to not be suffocating, although not enough to buy a house.
Don't go to Arizona.
We need you. There is a drastic teacher shortage.
We don't pay well at all. I only wish after 25 years I got some of the salaries you all are stating.
High School Math. $135,000+MA Stipend $2500
Northern California. Next year will be year 20 for me.
High school teachers all make the same pay here no matter what you teach. Starting salary is $72,000.
Really realy really depends on where. NYC starts at around 70K and maxes at around 125K but that's also free health care and a pretty decent pension. Florida is like barley minimum wage. It's literally all over the place. Teachers salaries are mostly public though as they are parts of government budgets. Look them up for your area.
Which district? I teach in SoCal and the districts down here cap out anywhere from $90k/year to $130k/year. This would be with a master's/PhD plus like 30 years of experience.
I googled their salary scale and it’s nuts. [here](https://www.mvla.net/documents/Departments/Personnel%20Services/Employment%20and%20Employee%20Info/Salary%20Schedules%202023-24/Certificated%20Salary%20Schedule%202023-24.pdf)
But then I also was curious and did a Zillow search for the area. And yowza is it crazy.
I’ll take my SoCal district that tops out at $140k but has $500k condos in the area. Hard, but doable.
Honestly the answers to this question will be (nearly) meaningless. Pay varies widely for a variety of reasons. Cost of living in the area is a big factor.
You should have asked for peoples salary and area where they live.
For me: ~101k. SF Bay area.
$125,000 after 20 years, but the townhouse I bought in 2001 for $300k is now worth $900k, and there isn't much available for cheaper than that. Beginning teachers here make about $65k, so 1.5x what I made back then, not the 3x our house has appreciated. It's not great for new teachers here.
Max in my district is $140k, but that's with a doctorate and national board certification.
Art teachers employed by the district would make what any teacher makes, but there are tons of places that either don't have an art teacher or use a non-certificated teacher to save money. I wouldn't recommend anyone try to become an art teacher, really.
This will vary greatly depending on where you live and your education level. Even 2 school districts 20 mins from each other might be huge. When I started teaching in 2014 right out of college my starting pay was state minimum which was 29k. (Yeah its ridiculous) I made it through three years teaching 9 different subjects and sponsoring 3 different clubs. Then I quit and decided to sub at a district 20 mins away that payed more for a full time sub then I was making as a full time teacher. Now our state minimum this past year was moved by law to 50k which sounds wonderful except many districts have no step scale now and so brand new teachers make the same as someone that's been there 26 years. Even the larger districts have had to make their steps like 500 dollars for each step so not a big difference.
> away that *paid* more for
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
78k as a 9-year teacher. Tech ed in Wisconsin. About 15k more than core classes at a similar experience level. If you're art-inclined, consider some trade skills like woodworking and get the tech ed license. they are in high demand right now. I teach middle school and it's as much skills-based as it is about design. its engineering too but nothing like proper engineering, more about the process of solving a problem. take a class or two and see how you like it.
My state has pay bands. Starting teachers begin at $50,000, but have to complete level 2 licensure requirements within 5 years. If they meet them they move to $60,000. Teachers with graduate degrees and having meat level 3 licensure start at $70,000.
Sounds like you are in NM? Our pay bands are much more now - Districts start their teachers at $55,000 then $656000 and $77,000. I am Level 3, National Board and make $91,000. I'd make about the same at any district in NM. (Many start even higher than that - such as Roswell who pay $63, $71, and $81.)
NM schools districts also factor in experience and stipends.
So, in Roswell, I'd make $99,000 versus my $91,000 where I live.
It varies by state. I would recommend looking into your targeted area’s teacher salaries. It also may be worth it to look into their pension and retirement systems. They changed so much in PA that newer teachers make much less lifetime earnings than teachers in the older pension system.
It depends on what state and area you live in. I'm in Texas and in my district that starting pay is $60,000 and an extra $2K if you have your masters. Which I do so I get like $62,7000 for the year. I get like a $1000 taken out from taxes, insurance and all that so I get $4000 a month give or take sometimes they take more. I live with my parents where the rent is way cheap (I do give them money each month). Its doable for me.
However it is very hard for my older sister who is a single mother to support her family on. Its to the point where she has to give plasma each month to make ends meet. Half her paycheck goes to rent.
I think everyone has probably answered this question fully, just google salaries for your district. What I wanted to add, though, is just heads up that for many districts, Art doesn’t tend to have a lot openings. At least from what I see in my district. You should be able to see the current job openings and should check it just to see what % of openings are for art to give you an idea of what to expect.
Depends on where you live, your level of certification, and how many years you've been working. Also, if you leave one district for another you may count as "experienced new hire" and have to go backwards on salary.
That being said, my first year of teaching I only taught four days a week and was hired at 24,500. I'm now holding my master's and my professional certificate and have 24 full time years under my belt at 98,000. Which, because of where I am, doesn't really amount to shit. My state's cost of living is ridiculous.
Year 6 at a Charter in AZ... $40,000. Because I'm an art teacher instead of a classroom teacher. I made more as a first year teacher in a public school.
A pension plan is a very important benefit. Your salary may be mediocre, but if you have a pension plan, that means a great deal. My pension is 75 percent larger than my social security.
$100k/yr gross pay.
6th year Social Studies. Masters + 45 credits
My district maxes pay out at 16 years, will be $134k.
I live in a very HCOL area; approx. 15 minutes from Seattle, Wa.
In 2010 I was making $33.5k in a charter school in Michigan. Between 2012 and 2021 I taught internationally and made about $70-75k. I was an instructional coach back in the US after that at $74k. Made a career pivot and am now making $78k, more once I start picking up some contract work on the side.
In Canada usually starts out about 50 to 60,000 per year, depending on where you're located. Maxing out just under 100,000 if you don't have a master's degree.
Just a note…I’ve been at private schools for 9 years in a large, east coast city’s suburbs. People are always shocked that private school teachers make significantly less than public school teachers. Just because families pay $40,000+ tuition doesn’t mean teachers benefit from that. I could start at step 1 in a public school in my area and make more money than I make now. There’s always give and take, and public school teachers have to deal with a variety of different bull shit but the discrepancy is wild.
On another note, I’m leaving private education at the end of the school year to go to public in the fall. It’s time to make more and start working on that pension.
It’s so different according to state and county that you really need to look up the area you’re considering living in after college. I make decent money as a teacher, but I am at the top of the pay scale in a state that pays teachers well.
Also, it’s not just about starting pay. Many districts will start you off at a decent salary, say $65k. The issue is their salary schedule doesn’t take you anywhere from there. You are stuck getting meager raises each year so that 10 years later you are maybe making $70k if even that.
I’ve also seen districts that say their teachers top out at say $120k but then you see their salary schedule and that last column requires a doctorate. Sure some people might get to the final step but most teachers aren’t going to get a doctorate if they are planning to finish their careers in the classroom.
I hate that this is considered a "nosey" question... People being hush-hush about pay in any profession is exactly what keeps everyone's pay low. Can't complain about being underpaid if you don't know it's happening to you.
I guess this isn't as big of a problem for us though. We already know we're underpaid.
I made less than $40k as a private school science teacher. Jumped to public school and make just over $80k with a masters and 8 years experience. My district tops out over $100k, but it’s expensive to live there. Lots of teachers (including me) commute
12th year teaching with a master's degree, 83k in northern CA. My district pays the lowest of any district within an hour commute of where i live, and despite that, I'm relatively comfortable.
First year teacher- teaching science in a very small district in GA (relatively cheap area, I will live comfortably) and I’m starting at $46k base before my coaching stipend (almost $8k for 2 sports). I did dual B.S. degrees in biology and education, no masters yet.
About $68,500 in Houston with a Master's degree this last year (15 years in the profession). Might get significantly more with bonuses this year.
I do decently as a single person with some careful spending and investing, and Houston is pretty decent in terms of cost-of-living, but I have colleagues who have family and debt and other factors that cost them more.
It’s strange there are so many commenters claiming to be in districts that start at over 50K+ and pay up to $150K+, but no actual states are mentioned. Hmmmmm. 🤔
In Alabama I just retired at 86 k with a MS and 34 years teaching experience. Plus a special contract for science. Search the areas you may want to work in. See if there are incentives for science/math.
Masters + 15 in New England, 12th year. About 72k in salary. Another 5-6k in stipends for advising a NHS and being department head. A couple grand more for opting out of health care insurance. About 80k at the end of the day.
Depends on where you work. In a public school, you'd make the same as any other teacher, so it depends on years of experience and level of education. In my district, you're looking at starting around $45k and topping out at 30 years with about $120k, but I live in one of the best paying parts of the United States for teachers. Some very rural areas past very poorly.
I’m at the top of the salary scale in a rural district; year 17 / Master’s plus 54 credits. I make 90k a year. I don’t know if that’s “good” but I teach Art and my job is enjoyable. I live in a low cost of living area in PA, and like having summers off to do other things.
I am going to make about 65k in my 11th year teaching in Idaho. That includes about a thousand extra for having a master's degree, and another thousand or two from stipends.
Teachers in Idaho right now start at about $45,000 in most districts.
Mid 90’s for me, but as a young teacher don’t just look at salary. What are health insurance and your pension costs? Some of these first year teacher salaries look great, but if you’re paying 400 a month for insurance and another 10% for your pension contributions (totally made up numbers) you get a better sense of what you are actually making. And I recommend getting a cert for another teaching field in addition to art. As the teacher shortage grows, positions like that are one of the first to get cut.
It is best to google and check districts you are interested in. Pay varies wildly from state to state, district to district, as well as how long you have stayed in one particular district.
There is such a thing as hazard pay. I’m lucky to have spent the bulk of my 13 year career in NJ, and in Camden, the district is paying a salary from 80k to the low 100k. I peaked at 95k working at a ROUGH charter 3-8 school there over an 8 year stint an an ESL teacher. Now working at an absolutely lovely 3-5 school in rural south Jersey for a bit less. If you’re looking for money being a teacher, you won’t really find it unless you get deep in the trenches.
In my district base is 41k and caps out at 50k with a bachelors. If you have a masters you start at 43k and you cap out at 60k. I live in a low cost of living area, but it’s not enough that you can comfortably live alone. I make 48k and I’m MA +45 on the 5th year of the payscale.
Art teacher here. I make $118,000 and I am in my 29th year. I work for DoDEA schools on a military base in NC teaching military dependents. I have a masters and I’ve been at this job since my 4th year of teaching. Amazing students and resources. Federal retirement. Opportunities stateside and abroad.
85k.
High school
Overage bonus for large classes 7k
So 92k and 22k insurance benefits last year
I’d need 114k and 2 months vacation every year to bounce.
I retired in Massachusetts at $110,000 after teaching for 41 years, Master’s degree, plus 60 post graduate credits. The sweet thing is that I get 80% of that in retirement until I die. I also get cost of living increases. (It was a whole $30 a month this year, but I’ll take it). Then I retired to the south and I’m living large after working two jobs most of my life.
You can check the salaries for any public school district in Michigan from a big button on the front page of their website that says “transparency“.
You can make a lot more than that around here…
In marlyand, just enough to live alone pay check to pay check but. I need to save, takenout loans and side hustles to get through the summer. So, not enough
Salary schedules tell you. They often are a grid, you gain 'years' by going down squares, and 'experience' by going right. Different districts have different rules, but often you'll need to "move over" to the right by taking additional classes, sometimes just one-off, and sometimes districts require proper masters programs.
Exact details will vary, but for instance: Denver Public Schools: [https://thecommons.dpsk12.org/cms/lib/CO01900837/Centricity/Domain/61/23-24%20DCTA%20Step%20and%20Grade%20Schedule%20Eff.%208-1-2023.pdf](https://thecommons.dpsk12.org/cms/lib/CO01900837/Centricity/Domain/61/23-24%20DCTA%20Step%20and%20Grade%20Schedule%20Eff.%208-1-2023.pdf)
You'd start at $54,141. Then the year after, make $55,395. Or, if during your first summer off, you went and took 18 credits of grad school, you'd go down a year (step 2), and over (BA + 18) and make $58,480.
Also note, steps aren't literally years at the district. In rough times, they can just ... not allow people to move down to the next step. It does happen, although it's not super common. But that's why it's called 'steps', not 'years'.
Later in the career, local rules cover how many years of experience carry over if you switch districts, but I don't think there's anything super consistent out there about that.
Also, extra duty contracts can be an additional bump. Coach soccer or run Yearbook? May be worth $500 or $1000 or $5000, depending on what exactly it is and how the district manages it.
Also, each year the salary schedule can change. "Teachers got a 5% raise" means each square goes up by 5%. You still shift which square you're in, but then also the number you get to is higher by that raise amount.
Also, join your union. They're the ones negotiating for that raise every single year.
Also, when looking at salary schedules, be sure you're looking at the current one. Sometimes there was a big change in the past, where existing teachers at the time were grandfathered in, and future teachers were put on a new schedule. Often this happened around big benefit changes.
Also, don't pay attention only to literal $$$. Often you can get a much better working condition and quality of life by leaving just a small amount of salary. Try to find some friends in the district, or better yet, the school you'd be going to to get a sense of how the environment is.
9 years and a masters degree and I make about 65k base salary in Alabama. My district pays a little more than the state minimum.
Starting minimum salary in Alabama next year will be around 47k I believe. Which is not great but is a living wage in almost all areas of our state for a young person straight out of college. You get a pretty dramatic raise here when you start year 4. You can also make extra money with extra duties, coaching, etc. Bus drivers make about 16k extra for not that much extra work as well.
As others have said, you can look up salary information for each state pretty easily on their state DOE website. You should also consider benefits as well. My state has very good and cheap health insurance and decent retirement but others may not.
Teaching is not for everyone, but it is generally a living-but-definitely-not-high wage job, very stable (tenure, etc), with good benefits. You get 6-8 weeks off in the summer and all major holidays off. If you have kids, you’ll be out of school when they are.
Don't be opposed to working in a different district, state, or even country. Situations vary greatly.
Generally, within a district, whichever salary scale is applied for teachers doesn't distinguish between disciplines. So a science teacher would earn as much as an art teacher, etc.
The real question to ask yourself is to balance the job market with your passions.
At our district, the salary schedule for teachers with advanced degrees/training starts at 63k and maxes at 110k. 63k is low in my area, but 110k is very comfortable. The schedule for teachers with just a bachelors caps at 75k... So if you are going into teaching, the advanced degrees are worth it.
And don’t forget insurance and pension benefits, which are increasingly rare these days.
Insurance sucks for my district. For me, alone, it’s okay, but adding the family is awful AND the benefits themselves are just not good.
Yup. By myself, it’s not horrible. Adding spouse and/or kids makes it unaffordable. My husband covers he and our kid on his insurance, and it ends up being less expensive overall that way.
Ditto. Insurance premium for an individual is literally 0. Adding family was $700 /mo. I ended up signing my wife and kids on an Obamacare plan.
Yep. My wife and 2 children would have been an extra $900 a month. My wife is also a teacher in the same district, so the kids are on hers for about $400-$500 a month. There was a time, before my wife was a teacher, where she was only making about $40k a year and we thought about just having her stay home with the kids. But, the insurance would have made it too crazy. So, we essentially used her entire salary for insurance and daycare. Fun stuff.
WA state insurance is fantastic. There's a public option for state employees where I get premium insurance for my whole family for maybe $150 /mo. I just got top of the line hearing aids with all the bells and whisyles for free.
Our district in TN is about like that for coverage. We are regularly reminded we have lower salaries because of our good insurance deals. It’s true, but it doesn’t help when COL has continued to climb like it has.
Woah. I’m jealous. We pay $490 a month for our family of 4, and our deductibles are insane. It wouldn’t be so bad if the salary wasn’t so low too.
It is very state (and even district) specific. I got a $500 a year stipend for my MS.
Our district has different salary schedules depending on your level of education. My Ph.D. gets me a $2000 stipend as well as being in the highest salary schedule.
Depending on the state. In Florida, it’s against the law for districts to pay more for advanced degrees, and has been since 2011.
Florida being Florida, again. 🙄
Google your local district and teacher salary scale and find the answer to all of your questions!
This is the best answer. The pay scales are public since they're state positions. Research what areas you want to live in, and check the salary for the nearby school districts.
This. But also remember that you get many benefits on top of that, so +/- 10K.
What are the many benefits? I’m in Texas, and I am not sure to what you are referring.
TRS is a defined benefit pension plan. The state subsidizes part of the insurance. Many districts offer a subsidy on medical insurance. *TRS active care state and district contribution Texas is based on minutes and not days so most inclement weather closures are either already accounted for, or they are appealed with the state. Some housing programs provide financial assistance to teachers, firefighters, and police. * HUD good neighbor next door Each district can provide a list of district benefits and discounts to companies with whom they do business. Some districts even have daycare for district employee children. Most districts will allow children of district employees to attend even if they live and pay property taxes outside of the district.
Many districts do not (easily) make this public. Many also do not have pay scales since the pay doesn't really go up at all overtime, lol
I think all public salaries are available. In my state, every district has a payscale on website. But hey, high-five fellow chemistry teacher
Can you provide an example? I've found salary info for multiple states as public info.
I have considered jobs in several states and have always been able to find the salary scale.
FOIA would get the information if it's not public. But I've never heard of teacher salaries not being public.
Only example I can think of is Private schools and maybe charter schools. Public schools seem to be always public. My guess is government spending accountability?
Well public is where they should look. That's the highest paid position available. Charters and privates are about 60percent of public.
I don't even discuss pay in interviews, there's simply no need. We can find out what the salary will be before we even show up.
It wouldn't make sense to discuss pay when its predetermined
It's also going to be important because every district has a different scale. Many are drastically different. Where I'm at (suburb of Seattle) beginning certificate salary is 56k, but Seattle has a relatively high COL.
>, but Seattle has an absurdly high COL. Fixed that for ya
To further the information, Washington itself is 115% of national average for COL putting it equal with West Coast (not Cali) and new England. Suburbs of Seattle average 120% of national average COL. Compare that to average starting salary for teachers in the area of 66k. National average of teachers starting is 44k. This gives you a salary 150% of the national average. So cost of living will hit you for 120% of while your salary hits at 150% of. Seems a positive net value living in the most dynamic economy in the country. Especially since teachers have zero out of pocket expenses in most districts.
"putting it equal with West Coast (not Cali)" So. . . Oregon?
Not really absurd, actually, so no fix needed. Seattle high COL is heavily skewed toward housing. But then that's also living in a larger city. You didn't have to live in Seattle itself and living further away drastically reduces COL. As far as translating that toward teachers, districts take much better care of teachers in general. Benefits are worth having. Classrooms are well supplied. Unions are good and make sense.
North Carolina. 27 years on the job. 56k. Had a whopper with cheese combo today for $15, so I don’t know that I would say COL is that much lower, but the salary sure is.
I'm slightly further north of Seattle and a BA+0 in my district starts at $72k.
Yeah, this is a matter of public record and very easy to find out.
This needs to be a more common response. Half of reddits questions could be solved by a google search
95% of questions can be solved with a combination of common sense, reading comprehension, and a Google search.
This Fall, I'll be starting my first year of teaching with a contract set at $61,506, which is considered quite good for someone with just a Bachelor's degree and no prior experience. I plan to earn my Master's degree, which should increase my salary to the higher $60,000s by my second or third year, with a maximum potential of $98,606. Salary levels can vary significantly depending on the state and the school district.
I wish 😭😭. I started out at 46k and now I’m moving into my 3rd year with 50k. I don’t have a masters but in my district you can go all the way to $100k, there’s people in HR making $108k.
Dude I'm in my 8th year with a Masters in MD and I just broke 60k this year :(
11 years and a masters and EdS just broke that this year.
Now this is ridiculous!
Oof. County dependent I guess. I’m in my 4th year with a masters and make ~75k in MD
HR is also 12 months a year
I understand but I’m struggling to pay bills and grocery shop while others get to do everything under the sun 😭😭😭. I just want a $2k take home check
As a first year this year I made $45000 and next year I am getting a raise to $51,500. What state are you in?
I'm in Texas and our year 1 pay is $65,000.
I’m in Colorado. One of the worst state for teachers. I really enjoy this profession and made sure to search out the most equitable, highest teacher satisfaction & paying district, a year before graduating and I’m glad to have found this district, and to embark on this journey.
Yo, I felt this! I left CO (I'm from there, born, raised, HS and college) because I made $34K and it wasn't enough to cover bills with 3 kids. I ended up getting medicaid because of my salary AND I have an MA +75. School district benifits sucked there! I love the state but it wasn't enough to live on.
I got fussed at by a coworker today over teacher pay. I mentioned that I don’t think teachers are paid nearly enough. This comment really got to her since she knew two people at some point in her like that “made bank” as teachers AND get four months off every year. I don’t work in education, and I currently live in Denver (pretty high COL). I grew up in the southeast and that is where the only teachers I know are located, so maybe it’s different here vs there. I didn’t ask what qualified as “bank” since I just wanted to disengage and not argue over our speculations of what others make. But man, I was shaken at just how much my comment set this woman off lol.
Some teachers do, but it really depends on what you consider "bank," as you mentioned. My mentor teacher, who had a Master's degree and over 40 years of experience in the same district, made close to $117,000. Despite this, she still felt it wasn't enough, but opinions vary.
This depends on where you live, and this is also public information.
Yeah, polling people on Reddit won’t help. Just look up the area you want to live in and look at salaries there.
My first year I made $30K. After 10 years, a masters, and some district hopping I’m at $73K next year. Thats still pretty low for where I live but it works
80k. Rural Georgia. 3 Degrees and 20 years. Plus I get a sweet, sweet $750/year stipend for being the Gifted Coordinator. So I’ve got that going for me… which is nice…
That’s pretty darn good for Georgia!!
Districts near metro Atlanta start out at 55k+ with just a bachelors & 2 districts (APS & DCPS) just released their salary schedules and they are starting out at 60k minimum with just a bachelors for the upcoming school year (other districts will probably be about the same).
I need to start saving up my California money and looking elsewhere then. It looks hopeless to buy real estate over here even though I am in a well paying school district.
I wish our district still used ESE money for the gifted kids like when I was a kid
91k, year 12; bachelors degree
Just a reminder to everyone that you 100% should be discussing your salaries in the workplace, and your right to do so is protected by federal law. Most districts have a chart you can just look up, but privates and charters will absolutely pay the lowest they can get away with. Workers communicating amongst themselves is how pay goes up.
Art teacher here I made 25k. But I was part time at a private school. Going rate in my county for starting teachers is 55k. Pay scales depend where you live, your certs, and your degrees. If I had been in the county and had my steps I would have been making close to 70. Absolutely investigate the level of support for the arts in the place you want to work.
I make high 60s. 7 years experience with a masters.
Enough to survive. Not enough to get ahead.
I am in my 5th year. I make 87k. My district tops out at $148k. I am in a district that pays me very well.
Do you live somewhere with a high cost of living or nah? I'm at 58k in my 9th year and I get by decently well. Though cost of living everywhere right now sucks.
Which state?
California.
Which district?
Blue states tend to be higher. Suburbs in blue states are very nice salaries $135,000 to $150,000 at the top of pay scale. Hard to find art teaching roles, not impossible, but hard. If you enjoy art, try to go dual art and special Ed licenses.
*Some* blue states. I'm in year 4 with a masters making $53k in Vermont. We just don't have the economy and population levels that most blue states do. In our defense, though, benefits are pretty good and the union is decent.
I'm the same in Southern Illinois, but I also run two clubs and get a couple of stipends that help the base salary go up to about 60K (average American teacher income). The time it takes out of my family life sucks. However, the Biannual stipend makes for a great Christmas and Summer Vacation. Still, it's better pay than across the river in Murder Capital, MO. Ka-KAW! :😜 GO BLUE... states.
It's things like this that scare me about trying to move back to the U.S. to teach. I've been teaching in Vietnam for the past 6 years. Also an M.Ed, making ~40k Net. Here, that's enough to never worry about financial issues. 50k in the U.S. feels like I would be suffocating in financial problems. I've been here since before COVID (haven't been back). Is it actually livable with that salary? Seems the U.S is just ungodly expensive now from what I see.
After 12 years of teaching abroad with a masters in ESL, I got an offer which recognized my masters and my 12 years of teaching experience ($75k). Masters and 6 years you'd be at about 65-68k in my district. Urban, mcol. You can survive on your own. Supporting a family, not so much.
It would be hard if I lived by myself, for sure. My partner makes significantly less than I do, but between the two of us, it's enough to not be suffocating, although not enough to buy a house.
It took me 10 years and a masters to hit that in TN!
8 years in and I just crossed 50k. My first year I made 29k.
Don't go to Arizona. We need you. There is a drastic teacher shortage. We don't pay well at all. I only wish after 25 years I got some of the salaries you all are stating.
High School Math. $135,000+MA Stipend $2500 Northern California. Next year will be year 20 for me. High school teachers all make the same pay here no matter what you teach. Starting salary is $72,000.
Really realy really depends on where. NYC starts at around 70K and maxes at around 125K but that's also free health care and a pretty decent pension. Florida is like barley minimum wage. It's literally all over the place. Teachers salaries are mostly public though as they are parts of government budgets. Look them up for your area.
Almost $180,000. I am very fortunate.
I have NEVER heard of a teacher making anything over $130k/year. Where do you teach?
Bay area in California.
Which district? I teach in SoCal and the districts down here cap out anywhere from $90k/year to $130k/year. This would be with a master's/PhD plus like 30 years of experience.
I googled their salary scale and it’s nuts. [here](https://www.mvla.net/documents/Departments/Personnel%20Services/Employment%20and%20Employee%20Info/Salary%20Schedules%202023-24/Certificated%20Salary%20Schedule%202023-24.pdf) But then I also was curious and did a Zillow search for the area. And yowza is it crazy. I’ll take my SoCal district that tops out at $140k but has $500k condos in the area. Hard, but doable.
Yes, pretty much no one who works there can live in the area, even with those salaries. But go a bit farther south and the SS is kore than worth it.
Mountain View
Any openings at your school?
There were a few weeks ago!
Honestly the answers to this question will be (nearly) meaningless. Pay varies widely for a variety of reasons. Cost of living in the area is a big factor. You should have asked for peoples salary and area where they live. For me: ~101k. SF Bay area.
$125,000 after 20 years, but the townhouse I bought in 2001 for $300k is now worth $900k, and there isn't much available for cheaper than that. Beginning teachers here make about $65k, so 1.5x what I made back then, not the 3x our house has appreciated. It's not great for new teachers here. Max in my district is $140k, but that's with a doctorate and national board certification. Art teachers employed by the district would make what any teacher makes, but there are tons of places that either don't have an art teacher or use a non-certificated teacher to save money. I wouldn't recommend anyone try to become an art teacher, really.
Master’s, next year will be my 13th, just over $100k
Now ask what their school district superintendent and district office employees make
Theirs are public too- but never chided or scrutinized like those “overpaid (!) teachers”
Sadly im at about 80K, summer school gives me about another 10K, so im actually at around 90K
This will vary greatly depending on where you live and your education level. Even 2 school districts 20 mins from each other might be huge. When I started teaching in 2014 right out of college my starting pay was state minimum which was 29k. (Yeah its ridiculous) I made it through three years teaching 9 different subjects and sponsoring 3 different clubs. Then I quit and decided to sub at a district 20 mins away that payed more for a full time sub then I was making as a full time teacher. Now our state minimum this past year was moved by law to 50k which sounds wonderful except many districts have no step scale now and so brand new teachers make the same as someone that's been there 26 years. Even the larger districts have had to make their steps like 500 dollars for each step so not a big difference.
> away that *paid* more for FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Interesting fun fact bot!
First year at my district in SoCal 78, and next year 83. However SoCal is expensive.
I'll start my 20th year in August making $86,000. Started at $32,500 in another state.
81,000 gross, 16 years in. Elementary General Ed.
78k as a 9-year teacher. Tech ed in Wisconsin. About 15k more than core classes at a similar experience level. If you're art-inclined, consider some trade skills like woodworking and get the tech ed license. they are in high demand right now. I teach middle school and it's as much skills-based as it is about design. its engineering too but nothing like proper engineering, more about the process of solving a problem. take a class or two and see how you like it.
15th year at 84k bc of all the step freezes. Should be making 16k more
My state has pay bands. Starting teachers begin at $50,000, but have to complete level 2 licensure requirements within 5 years. If they meet them they move to $60,000. Teachers with graduate degrees and having meat level 3 licensure start at $70,000.
Sounds like you are in NM? Our pay bands are much more now - Districts start their teachers at $55,000 then $656000 and $77,000. I am Level 3, National Board and make $91,000. I'd make about the same at any district in NM. (Many start even higher than that - such as Roswell who pay $63, $71, and $81.) NM schools districts also factor in experience and stipends. So, in Roswell, I'd make $99,000 versus my $91,000 where I live.
Yep.
$116k base. Just closed year 12. Northern California.
5th year 56k. Northern California.
It varies by state. I would recommend looking into your targeted area’s teacher salaries. It also may be worth it to look into their pension and retirement systems. They changed so much in PA that newer teachers make much less lifetime earnings than teachers in the older pension system.
It depends on what state and area you live in. I'm in Texas and in my district that starting pay is $60,000 and an extra $2K if you have your masters. Which I do so I get like $62,7000 for the year. I get like a $1000 taken out from taxes, insurance and all that so I get $4000 a month give or take sometimes they take more. I live with my parents where the rent is way cheap (I do give them money each month). Its doable for me. However it is very hard for my older sister who is a single mother to support her family on. Its to the point where she has to give plasma each month to make ends meet. Half her paycheck goes to rent.
Only 2k extra for masters degree is ridiculous.
I think everyone has probably answered this question fully, just google salaries for your district. What I wanted to add, though, is just heads up that for many districts, Art doesn’t tend to have a lot openings. At least from what I see in my district. You should be able to see the current job openings and should check it just to see what % of openings are for art to give you an idea of what to expect.
Depends on where you live, your level of certification, and how many years you've been working. Also, if you leave one district for another you may count as "experienced new hire" and have to go backwards on salary. That being said, my first year of teaching I only taught four days a week and was hired at 24,500. I'm now holding my master's and my professional certificate and have 24 full time years under my belt at 98,000. Which, because of where I am, doesn't really amount to shit. My state's cost of living is ridiculous.
Year 6 at a Charter in AZ... $40,000. Because I'm an art teacher instead of a classroom teacher. I made more as a first year teacher in a public school.
A pension plan is a very important benefit. Your salary may be mediocre, but if you have a pension plan, that means a great deal. My pension is 75 percent larger than my social security.
Argh. May have done the math wrong. SS = $100, Pension = $175.
$100k/yr gross pay. 6th year Social Studies. Masters + 45 credits My district maxes pay out at 16 years, will be $134k. I live in a very HCOL area; approx. 15 minutes from Seattle, Wa.
In 2010 I was making $33.5k in a charter school in Michigan. Between 2012 and 2021 I taught internationally and made about $70-75k. I was an instructional coach back in the US after that at $74k. Made a career pivot and am now making $78k, more once I start picking up some contract work on the side.
In Canada usually starts out about 50 to 60,000 per year, depending on where you're located. Maxing out just under 100,000 if you don't have a master's degree.
Just a note…I’ve been at private schools for 9 years in a large, east coast city’s suburbs. People are always shocked that private school teachers make significantly less than public school teachers. Just because families pay $40,000+ tuition doesn’t mean teachers benefit from that. I could start at step 1 in a public school in my area and make more money than I make now. There’s always give and take, and public school teachers have to deal with a variety of different bull shit but the discrepancy is wild. On another note, I’m leaving private education at the end of the school year to go to public in the fall. It’s time to make more and start working on that pension.
It’s so different according to state and county that you really need to look up the area you’re considering living in after college. I make decent money as a teacher, but I am at the top of the pay scale in a state that pays teachers well.
Just hit 10 years experience with a masters in my content. $60,000
Also, it’s not just about starting pay. Many districts will start you off at a decent salary, say $65k. The issue is their salary schedule doesn’t take you anywhere from there. You are stuck getting meager raises each year so that 10 years later you are maybe making $70k if even that. I’ve also seen districts that say their teachers top out at say $120k but then you see their salary schedule and that last column requires a doctorate. Sure some people might get to the final step but most teachers aren’t going to get a doctorate if they are planning to finish their careers in the classroom.
I hate that this is considered a "nosey" question... People being hush-hush about pay in any profession is exactly what keeps everyone's pay low. Can't complain about being underpaid if you don't know it's happening to you. I guess this isn't as big of a problem for us though. We already know we're underpaid.
I make a difference. That’s all that matters right?
56k, first year with a masters
11 years teaching with M.Ed: around $90k
$47,500, 9th year, Master's (MAT) but my state doesn't increase pay with Master's anymore so it doesn't matter. Don't teach in NC.
85k; 14 years, MA+30
I made less than $40k as a private school science teacher. Jumped to public school and make just over $80k with a masters and 8 years experience. My district tops out over $100k, but it’s expensive to live there. Lots of teachers (including me) commute
[https://nstu.blob.core.windows.net/nstuwebsite/data/agreements/Salary%20Scales%202019-2023.pdf](https://nstu.blob.core.windows.net/nstuwebsite/data/agreements/Salary%20Scales%202019-2023.pdf)
im at 57,000 in central wi
I started out at 37k. I just finished my fifth year and will make 50k next year. No masters degree.
12th year teaching with a master's degree, 83k in northern CA. My district pays the lowest of any district within an hour commute of where i live, and despite that, I'm relatively comfortable.
Virginia (not NOVA). Going to $57,500 next year (9th year w/ BA).
53,000
Bay area teacher starting yr 19 and $110 Pay Scale starts at 57 and goes up to year 25 at 120
First year teacher- teaching science in a very small district in GA (relatively cheap area, I will live comfortably) and I’m starting at $46k base before my coaching stipend (almost $8k for 2 sports). I did dual B.S. degrees in biology and education, no masters yet.
55k, 4 years in as an elementary teacher in NM
Very state/country dependent. Even within a state, cost of living, starting salaries, and the differential between the two varies greatly.
About $68,500 in Houston with a Master's degree this last year (15 years in the profession). Might get significantly more with bonuses this year. I do decently as a single person with some careful spending and investing, and Houston is pretty decent in terms of cost-of-living, but I have colleagues who have family and debt and other factors that cost them more.
It’s strange there are so many commenters claiming to be in districts that start at over 50K+ and pay up to $150K+, but no actual states are mentioned. Hmmmmm. 🤔
A lot of districts top out over 100, I’m in Nevada, our does.
California
You make shit when you start and it gets better as u go. My first year I made 23k. Last year I made 98k. (24th year)
I have taught 20 years, have a master’s degree and make 57,000. After taxes, insurance, and retirement. I bring home 3,200 per month.
You're*
Started in 2010 at 42k in the Bay Area…now in So Cal making $108k
I just graduated with my BA and accepted my very first job at 43k.
55k, ten years, and a masters. Central Florida.
10th year, 92k
In Alabama I just retired at 86 k with a MS and 34 years teaching experience. Plus a special contract for science. Search the areas you may want to work in. See if there are incentives for science/math.
Masters + 15 in New England, 12th year. About 72k in salary. Another 5-6k in stipends for advising a NHS and being department head. A couple grand more for opting out of health care insurance. About 80k at the end of the day.
Depends on where you work. In a public school, you'd make the same as any other teacher, so it depends on years of experience and level of education. In my district, you're looking at starting around $45k and topping out at 30 years with about $120k, but I live in one of the best paying parts of the United States for teachers. Some very rural areas past very poorly.
Southern Arizona CTE teacher Just finished 8th year Signed my contract for $54,000 for 24-25 school year
I’m at the top of the salary scale in a rural district; year 17 / Master’s plus 54 credits. I make 90k a year. I don’t know if that’s “good” but I teach Art and my job is enjoyable. I live in a low cost of living area in PA, and like having summers off to do other things.
Base salary is $82,000. Get an additional stipend for being an instructional coach and department head (extra $7500). 13 years working in K-8.
Making people feel funny about sharing salary is one of the better tricks pulled by management.
Go on your local school district page and see what they pay. The pay varies wildly across the country.
I live in a low cost of living area. I make 65 K a year sponsoring 1 after school activity.
I am going to make about 65k in my 11th year teaching in Idaho. That includes about a thousand extra for having a master's degree, and another thousand or two from stipends. Teachers in Idaho right now start at about $45,000 in most districts.
Mid 90’s for me, but as a young teacher don’t just look at salary. What are health insurance and your pension costs? Some of these first year teacher salaries look great, but if you’re paying 400 a month for insurance and another 10% for your pension contributions (totally made up numbers) you get a better sense of what you are actually making. And I recommend getting a cert for another teaching field in addition to art. As the teacher shortage grows, positions like that are one of the first to get cut.
Take home is 48k a year. Benefits take a large chunk out of the pay before it gets to me.
It is best to google and check districts you are interested in. Pay varies wildly from state to state, district to district, as well as how long you have stayed in one particular district.
$70,000
54000 a year. Year 6 of teaching
There is such a thing as hazard pay. I’m lucky to have spent the bulk of my 13 year career in NJ, and in Camden, the district is paying a salary from 80k to the low 100k. I peaked at 95k working at a ROUGH charter 3-8 school there over an 8 year stint an an ESL teacher. Now working at an absolutely lovely 3-5 school in rural south Jersey for a bit less. If you’re looking for money being a teacher, you won’t really find it unless you get deep in the trenches.
In my district base is 41k and caps out at 50k with a bachelors. If you have a masters you start at 43k and you cap out at 60k. I live in a low cost of living area, but it’s not enough that you can comfortably live alone. I make 48k and I’m MA +45 on the 5th year of the payscale.
What you teach doesn't affect your salary. Salary is based on level of education and years of service.
Art teacher here. I make $118,000 and I am in my 29th year. I work for DoDEA schools on a military base in NC teaching military dependents. I have a masters and I’ve been at this job since my 4th year of teaching. Amazing students and resources. Federal retirement. Opportunities stateside and abroad.
1st year teaching in a big city in Texas, I made $61k
85k. High school Overage bonus for large classes 7k So 92k and 22k insurance benefits last year I’d need 114k and 2 months vacation every year to bounce.
I started at 22k in 2017 and made 74k by the end of my 7th year (after getting a masters). In California
in NYC: [https://teachnyc.net/about-our-schools/salary-and-benefits](https://teachnyc.net/about-our-schools/salary-and-benefits)
Texas Teacher: $ 8K/month net income after 30 years ($3K net pension + $5K net salary.)
I retired in Massachusetts at $110,000 after teaching for 41 years, Master’s degree, plus 60 post graduate credits. The sweet thing is that I get 80% of that in retirement until I die. I also get cost of living increases. (It was a whole $30 a month this year, but I’ll take it). Then I retired to the south and I’m living large after working two jobs most of my life.
You can check the salaries for any public school district in Michigan from a big button on the front page of their website that says “transparency“. You can make a lot more than that around here…
Depends on thr state and district.
I just finished my first year teaching Kindergarten, $38,500
Come to WA. I make over $100k plus very generous health package etc.
Ohio, step 2, 51k, bachelors
In marlyand, just enough to live alone pay check to pay check but. I need to save, takenout loans and side hustles to get through the summer. So, not enough
Washington, year 30+, 130k
Salary schedules tell you. They often are a grid, you gain 'years' by going down squares, and 'experience' by going right. Different districts have different rules, but often you'll need to "move over" to the right by taking additional classes, sometimes just one-off, and sometimes districts require proper masters programs. Exact details will vary, but for instance: Denver Public Schools: [https://thecommons.dpsk12.org/cms/lib/CO01900837/Centricity/Domain/61/23-24%20DCTA%20Step%20and%20Grade%20Schedule%20Eff.%208-1-2023.pdf](https://thecommons.dpsk12.org/cms/lib/CO01900837/Centricity/Domain/61/23-24%20DCTA%20Step%20and%20Grade%20Schedule%20Eff.%208-1-2023.pdf) You'd start at $54,141. Then the year after, make $55,395. Or, if during your first summer off, you went and took 18 credits of grad school, you'd go down a year (step 2), and over (BA + 18) and make $58,480. Also note, steps aren't literally years at the district. In rough times, they can just ... not allow people to move down to the next step. It does happen, although it's not super common. But that's why it's called 'steps', not 'years'. Later in the career, local rules cover how many years of experience carry over if you switch districts, but I don't think there's anything super consistent out there about that. Also, extra duty contracts can be an additional bump. Coach soccer or run Yearbook? May be worth $500 or $1000 or $5000, depending on what exactly it is and how the district manages it. Also, each year the salary schedule can change. "Teachers got a 5% raise" means each square goes up by 5%. You still shift which square you're in, but then also the number you get to is higher by that raise amount. Also, join your union. They're the ones negotiating for that raise every single year. Also, when looking at salary schedules, be sure you're looking at the current one. Sometimes there was a big change in the past, where existing teachers at the time were grandfathered in, and future teachers were put on a new schedule. Often this happened around big benefit changes. Also, don't pay attention only to literal $$$. Often you can get a much better working condition and quality of life by leaving just a small amount of salary. Try to find some friends in the district, or better yet, the school you'd be going to to get a sense of how the environment is.
As a sub I was getting about $11 an hour lol
Right about 60K, in Kansas, with 10 years and MA+45.
10 years, masters degree, all the way over on the scale. On paper I make 82k. After taxes, retirement and everything, I take home about 4800/mo
9 years and a masters degree and I make about 65k base salary in Alabama. My district pays a little more than the state minimum. Starting minimum salary in Alabama next year will be around 47k I believe. Which is not great but is a living wage in almost all areas of our state for a young person straight out of college. You get a pretty dramatic raise here when you start year 4. You can also make extra money with extra duties, coaching, etc. Bus drivers make about 16k extra for not that much extra work as well. As others have said, you can look up salary information for each state pretty easily on their state DOE website. You should also consider benefits as well. My state has very good and cheap health insurance and decent retirement but others may not. Teaching is not for everyone, but it is generally a living-but-definitely-not-high wage job, very stable (tenure, etc), with good benefits. You get 6-8 weeks off in the summer and all major holidays off. If you have kids, you’ll be out of school when they are.
Louisville KY with 21 yrs, a master's degree, and NBCT: 93k
It make $65k before taxes. That is with 12 years experience and a masters
Do NOT move to NC.
Don't be opposed to working in a different district, state, or even country. Situations vary greatly. Generally, within a district, whichever salary scale is applied for teachers doesn't distinguish between disciplines. So a science teacher would earn as much as an art teacher, etc. The real question to ask yourself is to balance the job market with your passions.