Professional Pay
.jpg)
HIGHLIGHTS
Too many educators have been denied competitive, professional pay for too long. Attracting and retaining qualified school staff -- K-12 teachers, higher education faculty, and education support professionals (ESPs) -- requires salaries that are competitive with those in comparable professions.
Low teacher pay comes at a high cost for schools and kids, who lose good teachers to better-paying professions. Some 20 percent of new public school teachers leave the profession by the end of the first year, and almost half leave within five years.
Through its nationwide salary initiative, NEA is advocating for:
- a $40,000 starting salary for all pre-K-12 teachers
- raises that exceed the cost of living in at least 50 percent of NEA higher education locals
- a minimum starting salary of $28,000 for all education support professionals
NEA will continually work with its state affiliates to maintain competitive starting, mid-career, and top salaries that reflect a simple fact --educators are worth it, especially in light of the changing demands and responsibilities of their jobs.
Take Action
Support Tax Relief for Educator Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Tell Congress to make the deduction permanent, increase it to $500, and expand it to cover professional development expenses.Video
Why Money Matters
Lack of professional pay shortchanges our schools.
RELATED ARTICLES
SHARE AND DISCUSS
Professional Pay
Educators across the country tell stories of how lost funding and low salaries have left them struggling to make ends meet. What’s your salary story?
