A Gym Teacher's Average Salary
A gym teacher, also referred to as a physical education teacher, instructs students in exercise and physical activities. These professionals often instruct students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Like other teachers, gym teachers create lesson plans, instruct students in a variety of sports and other physical activities, and grade students based on their performance.
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Job Requirements
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Gym teachers are required to have at least a bachelor's degree, as well as a state-administered license to practice professionally. Most states require teachers to be licensed in one of five areas -- early childhood, elementary grades, middle grades, secondary education or special subjects such as art, music and physical education.
National Average
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Most employers, which include a variety of educational institutions such as public and private schools, offer gym teachers a base salary. In November 2010, Payscale reported the average base salary for gym teachers ranged from $33,981 to $50,882 per year. Averages are based on 607 individuals in this occupation reporting their wages to Payscale.
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Degree
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Most gym teachers hold at least a bachelor's degree in physician education. Payscale reported salary for this degree ranged from $34,150 to $46,724 per year. Those who obtained a master's degree earned average salaries ranging from $50,400 to $83,929 per year.
Professional Experience
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Gym teachers increase their salary as they gain experience. Payscale reported 43 percent of these professional had one to four years of experience and earned average salaries ranging from $31,385 to $43,287 per year. Those with five to nine years of experience earned average salaries ranging from $36,467 to $53,957 per year, and those with more than 10 years of experience earned average salaries ranging from $41,117 to $72,800 per year.
Significance
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Childhood obesity has tripled since the 1970s, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which makes a gym teacher's responsibilities an important part of promoting the physical activity of children. Many schools with the help of physical education faculty are developing plans to improve gym programs.
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References
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