Median Salary for Teachers
Many people enter the field of teaching because it is a way to impact children's lives. Another perk with this job is that, even in a faltering economy, it can provide for a steady paycheck. This salary for teachers, however, can vary greatly depending on grade level, years of experience, geographic location, and even gender.
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General
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According to payscale.com most teachers make a median salary between $40,376 and $44,156 a year.
Benefits
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Out of all teachers surveyed on payscale.com, most earned a bonus between $1,004 and $1,516 a year. Additionally most received at least some paid sick leave. About half had the benefit of paid vacation days. About 40 percent received life or disability insurance through their employers and about 30 percent get 401(k) options through their work.
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Subject
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The median salary varies greatly based on the subject matter the educator teaches. Those who specialize in the English language make an average of $41,127 per year, whereas those teaching Spanish bring in about $42,470, and those who focus in mathematics make on average $44,405 a year. Teachers of French earn an average of $49,809 while those who focus in science typiclly make less bringing in $43,377 each year. Technology coordinators (IT teachers) also make on the higher range bringing in $49,296 a year.
Grade Level
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Typically the older the students in a teacher's class, the more money he will make. Elementary school teachers make on average $40,376 a year. Middle school teachers bring in $42,367 and high school teachers earn a median salary of $43,277 per year. Special education and pre-school teachers can be an exception to this making about $41,251 every year. For secondary schools salaries are very similar.
Experience
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As teachers gain experience, their average salary increases. Educators who have worked for less than a year make a median annual salary of $34,426. Having one to four years of experience increases this to $37,200 per year. Once they reach five to nine years of experience they earn on average $42,625. Having worked 10 to 19 years increases this further to $49,489 each year. Once educators have over 20 years of experience their average annual salary rises to $57,297.
Geographic Location
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The median salary for teachers varies greatly by state. Teachers working in California make on average $50,861 per year On the other hand, those practicing in Pennsylvania and Illinois make slightly over $41,000 per year. Educator working in New York make a median annual salary of $49,372. This falls to $48,162 for those working in New Jersey and even further to $39,107 for teachers in Florida. Payscale.com lists median salaries for all states. It is also important to note that teachers working in large cities typically earn more per year than those working in rural areas.
Gender
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Male teachers typically earn $1.64 more per hour than female teachers which can amount to about $3,000 per year.
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References
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