The average teacher in the U.S. earned a little more than $72,000 last year—a 3.8 percent increase over the previous year, according to NEA’s annual educator pay reports. That’s the good news. The bad news? Adjusted for inflation, the average teacher actually makes less today than she did 10 years ago. Too-low pay is a seri-ous problem, hindering efforts to attract and retain educators. What can you do to help change the equation? Use your voice at the bargaining table, and elect lawmakers who respect educators and unions.
Teacher Salaries
National Average Teacher Salary:
(2023 – 2024) $72,030
(2022 – 2023) $69,381
National Average Starting Teacher Salary:
(2023 – 2024) $46,526
(2022 – 2023) $44,458 But, when adjusted for inflation, average and starting salaries are below 2008 – 2009 levels.
The Collective Bargaining Difference:
24% MORE Teachers earn 24 percent more on average in states with collective bargaining than in those where it is prohibited.
School Support Staff Earnings
National Average Earnings for Education Support Professionals (ESPs)
Higher Education:
(2023 – 2024) $45,662
K-12:
(2022 – 2023) $34,954
The number of ESPs who make less than $25,000:
34.5%
Overall, due to inflation, ESPs make on average 9 percent less than they did 10 years ago.
The Collective Bargaining Difference:
7% MORE
ESPs earn 7 percent more on average in states with collective bargaining than in states where it is prohibited.
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U.S. states with the highest and lowest average teacher salaries:
Highest:
California ($101,084)
New York ($96,615)
Massachusetts ($92,076)
Lowest:
Mississippi ($53,704)
Florida ($54,875)
Missouri ($55,132)
U.S states and territories with the highest and lowest starting teacher salaries:
Highest:
District of Columbia ($63,373)
California ($58,409)
Washington ($57,912)
Lowest:
Montana ($35,674)
Nebraska ($38,811)
Missouri ($38,871)
20.7% — The percentage of school districts with teacher salaries that top $100,000.
96%—The percentage of school districts with teacher salaries over $100K that are in states with collective bargaining laws.
800—The number of districts with starting salaries of at least $60,000—a 66.2% increase from the prior year.
How Flexible Seating Can Boost Engagement
When the physical education teacher at Colleen Metzler’s Vermont school said there were exercise balls that could be used as classroom seating, Metzler took full advantage of the opportunity—and replaced all of the seating in her fourth-grade classroom.
“I got rid of all of my chairs and only had exercise balls,” she says. “And it was chaos. Because I was in my first year as a classroom teacher, and I had exercise balls that I had no idea how to manage!”
Metzler jumped headfirst into the world of flexible seating and learned a lot from that first experience. Now, her classroom has office chairs, wobble chairs—and the exercise balls that began her journey.
“As the year went on, I slowly started adding regular chairs as another option,” she says.
While flexible seating may have become more popular in schools, it may not be for everyone. But some elementary school teachers have noticed that it increases student engagement and reduces behavioral issues.
Metzler said having these options can make her fourth graders feel more mature, and thus they take things more seriously. “I’m trusting that we can have these different seats in our classroom and that we can take care of them, and we can still attend to our learning. They take that very seriously,” she says. “It builds confidence.”
Flexible seating can include anything from a wide variety of classroom chairs to the way chairs and desks are arranged to the types of desks, such as standing or sitting desks.
Metzler’s advice to teachers who are exploring flexible seating? First test how much movement you can tolerate in the classroom before getting distracted or compromising your lessons. “We want students to move, and we want them to get their energy out,” she says. “We also don’t want to become so distracted that that’s the only thing we can see when we’re teaching.”
Support for “Bell-to-Bell” Cellphone Bans is Growing
Nationwide, more school districts have adopted restrictions on student cellphone use, often mandated by new state laws. The laws often apply only during instructional time, but some districts are extending these policies to the entire school day—so-called “bell-to-bell” bans. A Pew Research Center survey found that public support for both types of bans is on the rise.
74%
44%
Support for class ban in 2025 (68% in 2024)
Support for all-day ban in 2025 (36% in 2024)
How Are Educators Using Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom?
Only 32 percent of teachers report using artificial intelligence (AI) at least weekly, while 28 percent use it infrequently, and 40 percent don’t use it at all, according to a recent Gallup survey. For those who use AI monthly, the most common uses include:
Preparing lessons (37%)
Creating worksheets (33%)
Modifying materials to meet students’ needs (28%)
Doing administrative work (28%)
Making assessments (25%)
Less common applications include grading (16%), providing one-on-one instruction (14%), and analyzing student data (12%).
Source: Gallup
Fewer Teachers Planning on Leaving Their Jobs
Burnout and low pay affect educators across the nation, pushing many of them to leave the profession or at least seriously consider doing so. Teacher retention has always been a challenge, but the factors and conditions that have driven so many out of the classroom were worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2025, there may be signs of progress. According to a new survey by the RAND Corporation, teachers overall are less likely to leave their jobs. However, Black and Hispanic educators are more likely to report an intent to leave compared with their white counterparts.
“Managing behavior takes a real toll—physically, mentally, and emotionally. We give so much to our students and their families. If schools are serious about implementing restorative justice, they need to understand that it’s not just students being affected—these challenges are hurting the adults, too.”
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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.
