National ranking of teacher pay spells bad news for Florida educators. Here's what to know
The report ranked average teacher pay and starting teacher pay across the country, and compared both to what's considered a livable wage in each state.
Katherine KokalFlorida has officially dropped to 50th in a ranking of average teacher pay across the country, according to a report published in April by the National Education Association.
Only West Virginia ranks below Florida's average educator salary of $53,098. The report included all states and Washington, D.C., and ranked both average starting teacher salary and average teacher salary using data reported directly by school districts.
Despite recent pushes by Gov. Ron DeSantis to allocate more money for better teacher pay, Florida remains low on the list compared with other states.
Florida was ranked slightly higher in teacher pay last year at 48th in the nation.
The report comes as the Florida legislature has approved modest increases in the amount of money it gives schools based on the number of students who attend. At $12,488 per student, Florida's per-student allocation ranks 42nd in the country, according to the report from NEA.
New York, which ranks first in funding per student, spends $30,867, more than double Florida's amount. Neighboring Georgia spends $14,083 per student, the report found.
The Florida Education Association, the statewide federation of teachers unions, has called on lawmakers to increase funding by $2.5 billion a year to address teacher pay, hire more mental health specialists and address students' post-pandemic academic needs.
More on teacher pay:Some Palm Beach County teachers get second jobs to pay bills. Now they're in for a 7% raise
"Once again, despite a thriving economy, Florida is failing to prioritize the needs of students by not fairly compensating teachers and staff," said Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association.
Spar blamed a mentality in the Legislature "that teachers in Florida should just shut up and be quiet."
"They’re not going to do that," Spar said. "They’re walking away from the profession or they're saying, 'Our public schools matter too much for us not to stand up and speak out.' "
Here's what to know about teacher pay and the report.
What is starting teacher pay in Florida?
Florida fared far better in the ranking of average salaries for starting teachers.
At $47,178, Florida's average starting teacher pay ranks 16th in the country. The place with the top salary for starting teachers is Washington, D.C., with an average of $63,373.
Average salaries are far below minimum livable wage in Florida
The report shows that both starting teacher pay and average teacher pay come in far below what's considered a livable wage in Florida, which is $58,970 per year.
The report defined a livable wage as the "income needed for family of one adult and one child to have a modest but adequate standard of living in the most affordable metro area in 2023 dollars, as defined by the Economic Policy Institute."
How much do teachers in Palm Beach County make?
The starting salary for teachers in Palm Beach County is $51,500, according to 2023 figures from the school district.
Teachers can be paid up to $77,233 if they have 25 years of experience.
All teachers with more than one year of experience currently get a supplement to their salary worth up to $10,000 due to a referendum passed by voters in 2018 and again in 2022.
Top 5 states for teacher pay
Here are the top five states and districts for average teacher pay:
- California — $95,160
- New York — $92,696
- Massachusetts — $92,307
- Washington state — $86,804
- Washington D.C. — $84,882
Bottom 5 states for teacher pay
Here are the bottom five states for average teacher pay:
- 47. Missouri — $53,999
- 48. Mississippi — $53,354
- 49. South Dakota — $53,153
- 50. Florida — $53,098
- 51. West Virginia — $52,870
How did NEA get this teacher pay data?
All but four state and district departments of education provided NEA with estimated teacher pay data for the current school year in February.
Connecticut, District of Columbia, Montana and Rhode Island salary averages were estimated from data from the 2022-23 school year.
The national average salary was weighted by the number of teachers in each state.
How was this report funded?
The report compiled data from each state and was conducted by the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the U.S. that represents public school employees.
The NEA gets funding from its dues-paying members and investments. The association has about 3 million members, according to its website.
Although it is a nonpartisan organization, the NEA has endorsed or provided support for every Democratic presidential nominee from Jimmy Carter to Joe Biden.
Fast facts from NEA teacher pay study
- Even with record-level increases in some states, average teacher pay has failed to keep up with inflation over the past decade. Adjusted for inflation, on average, teachers are making 5% less than they did 10 years ago, according to the report.
- About 77% of U.S. school districts pay a starting salary below $50,000, while teacher salaries top out over $100,000 in 16.6% of districts. About 28% of school districts start teachers at less than $40,000 per year, the report says.
- Teachers earn 26% more, on average, in states with collective bargaining. Education support professionals covered by unions earn 16% more, the report found.
Katherine Kokal is a journalist covering education at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at kkokal@pbpost.com. Help support our work:Subscribe today!