Teachers are some of the hardest working people on the planet. They have to deal with children of all ages and all the drama, stress, exhaustion that comes with it. They prepare basically year-round, spend countless hours grading papers and exams, and have to develop personalized approaches for each one of their students. Also, they are underpaid — quite drastically in some parts of the United States.
Even in private schools, where up to 80% of teachers have advanced college degrees, teacher salaries are lacking to the rest of the professional world.
Whether its kindergarten or high school, these educators are preparing the next generation for life. Yet teaching remains one of the lowest-paying professions for college graduates.
Here are some of the 10 worst cities for teacher salaries:
Sierra Vista-Douglas, Arizona
- Teacher Pay — $49,610
- Number of teachers — 840
- Adults with high school diploma — 86.6%
Tucson, Arizona
- Teacher Pay — $47,610
- Number of teachers — 7,100
- Adults with high school diploma — 88.0%
Enid, Oklahoma
- Teacher Pay — $42,750
- Number of teachers — 600
- Adults with high school diploma — 90.1%
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida
- Teacher Pay — $48,940
- Number of teachers — $48,940
- Adults with high school diploma — 91.9%
Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Teacher Pay — $46,170
- Number of teachers — 8,510
- Adults with high school diploma — 89.4%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida
- Teacher Pay — $48,240
- Number of teachers — 43,860
- Adults with high school diploma — 84.8%
Prescott, Arizona
- Teacher Pay — $42,860
- Number of teachers — 1,090
- Adults with high school diploma — 92.2%
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Teacher Pay — $47,120
- Number of teachers — 12,380
- Adults with high school diploma — 88.4%
Lawton, Oklahoma
- Teacher Pay — $39,510
- Number of teachers — 1,000
- Adults with high school diploma — 88.7%
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida
- Teacher Pay — $39,790
- Number of teachers — 4,180
- Adults with high school diploma — 89.9%
There are a few states that offer teachers much higher salaries, but even with wages nearing triple digits (none of them reaching the $100,000 mark), the higher cost of living makes it just as difficult to remain financially secure. Almost 74% of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt their career success, but it could be low salaries that are affecting people’s ability to take care of their teeth. Massachusetts, California, and New York all offer teacher salaries in the $80,000s — but all three states are some of the most expensive places to live. And considering it can take up to 12 months to sell a property, relocating may be a slow and costly process.
