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Who knew teachers received such salaries?

palswim

Golden Member
Perhaps I based my perceptions on some mischaracterizations in popular culture, but I had always thought that teachers did not make a whole lot of money.

But, recently I stumbled across an article that contained data on teacher salaries and the salary averages surprised me. I'm not saying that teachers make a ton of money or that they don't deserve the money they make; I'm just saying that I had always assumed they made less.
 
You believed that most likely because the salary narrative has generally been pushed by the teacher's unions, both locally and nationally.
 
I would be very content on a teacher's salary.

The way they complain you'd think they make minimum wage.

Although I do think its because of their place in education. Normally the more education credentials the more money you make. So in a sense the way many teachers have a masters degree and make bachelors degree type salaries does make sense. But Cmon, its a very good job there isn't much reason to complain.

The job stability and benefits are good. Good for them. But boy do they complain alot.
 
"Salaries" in the article title yet "compensation" used in the charts, with no indication of what else constitutes the compensation. Maybe including medical or pension too?
 
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OP.. this is norcal salary.

Their average of $85K is literally same as making $35-45K in my home state Mass.

My friend bought a house for 1 mil around outskirts of San Jose. It's a 3 bd 2 bath.... around where I live (Northern NJ), similar house/size/quality is about 450k.

[edit]
LOL, just looked his house up. It's 1.5 mil. Wow.
 
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Yea IDK. My wife is going to school to become a teacher. She'll be able to start subbing in Jan. and hopefully get start in her own class by Fall of next year. In our district, annually, she'll be making ~$40kk with no credential, or ~$43 w/credential. That's just barely above what she's making now as an Office Assistant at ~$39k. Of course, that's starting wages for teaching, IDK what she'll make as the years go by if wages for teachers actually go up. Somethings not right.

Edit: We live in the Central Valley.

Edit 2: Wife said her good friends who have been teaching in our district is actually making closer to ~$85k, but also pays for their own medical. So ~$75k. But they've been working with the district for 15-20 years each.
 
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OP.. this is norcal salary.

Their average of $85K is literally same as making $35-45K in my home state Mass.

My friend bought a house for 1 mil around outskirts of San Jose. It's a 3 bd 2 bath.... around where I live (Northern NJ), similar house/size/quality is about 450k.

[edit]
LOL, just looked his house up. It's 1.5 mil. Wow.
This pretty much. My mother, a teacher in NC, makes about 26k/year. She's been teaching for 24 years. About to retire in a couple more. Her 4 bedroom 2 bath, is about $120k. It's all relative to location.
 
Same here in Toronto Canada. I once worked with a guy on a project he start sweeping floor in Library at 16 then later on become IT help desk. He put in his 25yrs and retire comfortably in his 2 million dollar house in DT Toronto.

Also knew a teacher put in a few years then transfer to admin job, interview a few parents a day and make 6 digit.
 
OP.. this is norcal salary.

I don't know if it changes your point much, but the last table shows data from San Diego, and the Chaffey, the district with the highest pay is in Eastern LA County (if not San Bernardino County). For those of you who don't live in California, those two locations are in SoCal.
 
The article lists $80k-$120k, but I had always thought they made closer to $50k.

Nationally, I bet it is. Apparently the teachers union in California is INCREDIBLY strong. Yearly pay raises built into the state budget and can't really be changed, so I've heard.
 
It depends on where you work. In my area teachers start at $50k and can make upwards up to $65k. But that's with 15-20 years, and plenty of advanced credits. Just a half hour from my home in Ocean City teachers can make upwards of $120k, and this is with the same credits and time as the previous teaches I just described.

Both scenerios isn't a bad deal. They get weekends off. I've never know a teacher to stay past 5pm. They normally get out at 3:30pm. It's bull when they tell you that they do extra work at home. Some do, but many teachers don't do all of this work at their home. Plus, they get a total of 3 months off a year: Summer, Christmas, Spring Break, etc...
 
Here in Ontario, teacher's get paid very, very well. Pay scale is based on tenure. Starting pay is around $40k and goes up to $90k after 14 years. 7 hour work day most days. Maybe 8 if you have to grade papers. Plus you get a very generous benefits package, automatic 10-12 weeks vacation, and a full pension. My uncle is a retired school principal. Pretty sure he's making more not working than his son makes in the army.

This is why I get so mad whenever their union runs crying to the government about how hard done by they are. There are countless folks out there doing double the work for half the money, and they're the ones who ultimately shoulder the burden of those salaries through taxes.
 
"Salaries" in the article title yet "compensation" used in the charts, with no indication of what else constitutes the compensation. Maybe including medical or pension too?

Yeah and that varies based on longevity too. A lot of people get grandfathered into better benefits. For example, I work for a state organization that gives me a set percentage of my salary in a pension benefit. If I change positions in the organization, I'll keep getting the benefit. New employees, however, will only get 3/4 of that benefit as of last year's cuts.

Typically, around here, you can take a salary and add 30-60% to it and that gives you a reasonable total benefits dollar amount. The lower the salary, the higher the percentage required...so most are 30-40% in my organization.
 
Here in Ontario, teacher's get paid very, very well. Pay scale is based on tenure. Starting pay is around $40k and goes up to $90k after 14 years. 7 hour work day most days. Maybe 8 if you have to grade papers. Plus you get a very generous benefits package, automatic 10-12 weeks vacation, and a full pension. My uncle is a retired school principal. Pretty sure he's making more not working than his son makes in the army.

This is why I get so mad whenever their union runs crying to the government about how hard done by they are. There are countless folks out there doing double the work for half the money, and they're the ones who ultimately shoulder the burden of those salaries through taxes.

Well maybe those "poor" countless folks need to get together and they should express their wage. This is why unions get away with stuff like this because they are much better organized.

It's the same in North Jersey. IMO, $12k in yearly property taxes is absurd. Especially if you have no children. The home owners don't say sh*t, so they must like getting the shaft.
 
I lived in Poway for a decade, and while I know housing has gone up a lot since I left a decade ago, $90,000/yr is still well beyond making ends meet. Sure, if you want a large house in Rancho Bernardo you won't be able to afford it, but it's not like the San Diego isn't filled with commuters.
 
Perhaps I based my perceptions on some mischaracterizations in popular culture, but I had always thought that teachers did not make a whole lot of money.

But, recently I stumbled across an article that contained data on teacher salaries and the salary averages surprised me. I'm not saying that teachers make a ton of money or that they don't deserve the money they make; I'm just saying that I had always assumed they made less.

How much did you assume they made?
 
It's pretty impressive until you look to see where the news affiliate that wrote the article is based, San Diego. That's borderline minimum wage there.
 
so, 85K compensation ~ 15K health insurance 5K contribution to retirement. 5K vacation/PTO/holidays/breaks... 50K salary?

though this is "average" meaning they probably include the principal and vice principal who each make 500K into the average. I think the median is a better indicator, and likely is lower....
 
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