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Professional Pay

Competitive pay is crucial for attracting and retaining qualified educators for our students, throughout their academic journeys.
Jocelyn

NEA and its affiliates advocate for improved salaries for all educators—K-12 teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, and specialized instructional support personnel—to reflect a simple fact: they deserve it.

Educators have long had increasing day-to-day demands and responsibilities, from bus duty to coaching, counseling to leading additional classes, and buying basic supplies for their classes. Yet they are not paid for their expertise, expenses, and time. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that teachers earn 19 percent less than comparable professionals, while the Learning Policy Institute reports that the wage gaps widens to 30 percent by mid-career.

Inadequate educator pay comes at a high cost for schools and children, who must deal with the ramifications of high turnover and teacher shortages. Our students in high-poverty schools see the greatest turnover.

Now is the time to join us in helping our affiliates and members fight for the compensation they deserve.

Educator Pay in Your State

photo of Betty Collins
Our students deserve fully funded classrooms. Our teachers and support staff need to be able to afford to do the jobs they love. Now isn’t the time to rest.
Quote by: Betty Collins, eighth grade teacher, Oklahoma
Girl with megaphone in a group of people

Let’s invest in our future.

The safety and well-being of students and educators cannot be compromised as they return to in-person instruction. Congress should increase education funding to assist with reopening needs.
National Education Association

Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.