Courtesy of the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics
Teachers must have a thorough grounding in the subjects they teach so they can guide their students effectively through the material and respond knowledgeably to questions and comments. The basis of their knowledge comes from their prior education, as signified by the degrees and certifications they earn. In 1998, 38 percent of full-time public school teachers held academic degrees at the bachelor's or graduate level. Teachers with three or fewer years of teaching experience were more likely than more experienced teachers to hold academic degrees. In 1998, virtually 100 percent of public school teachers had earned a bachelor's degree; 45 percent had earned a master's degree; and at least 90 percent had earned regular or standard state certificates or advanced professional certificates. Many teachers also participate in professional development to increase their skills and knowledge. In 1998, the percentage of full-time public school teachers who participated in various development activities in the past 12 months ranged from 81 to 31 percent, depending on the type of activity.
While there is some evidence that the nation's teachers are educated and strive to increase their skills and learn new techniques through professional development activities, there is evidence that their salaries are not competitive with those of workers in other professions. Elementary and secondary teachers earned less in 1998 than workers in other professions with bachelor's degrees.
Teacher Salary Statistics
Attracting and retaining quality teachers are growing concerns among education officials and the public. This is especially true for beginning teachers as school districts compete with each other and other industries for additional teaching personnel to cope with growing enrollments and an aging work force of experienced teachers who are nearing retirement. Increased salaries potentially provide a means of attracting and retaining the increased numbers of quality young teachers who will be needed in the years ahead.
As a wave of younger teachers hired in the mid- 1970s has aged, a demographic shift in the age of teachers has occurred. For example, in 1975, 53 percent of all full-time teachers were younger than age 35; in 1993, the percentage of younger teachers fell to about 23 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of full-time teachers 45 years old or older increased from about 26 percent in 1975 to 43 percent in 1993. The annual median salaries (in constant 1998 dollars) of full-time teachers decreased between 1971 and 1981 by about $500-700 annually in each age group. Between 1981 and 1989, the salaries of teachers rose. For the oldest group of teachers, salaries rose by about $1,100 per year, on average, while for the middle and youngest age groups, salaries increase by smaller amounts.
Since 1989, the salaries of the oldest and youngest groups of teachers have remained about the same, while the salaries of the middle age group (between ages 35 and 44) have declined by about $400 per year, on average (in constant 1998 dollars).
The difference between the annual median salaries of bachelor's degree recipients and all teachers declined from about $5,000 in 1981 to $2,300 in 1998. This decline in the salary gap has been due mainly to increases in the relative size of the older teaching work force and in the salaries of teachers ages 45 or older.
Percentage distribution and annual median salaries (in constant 1998 dollars) of full-time elementary and secondary school teachers, by age: 1971-98
|
All Elementary and Secondary School Teachers by Age |
Annual Median Salaries in Constant 1998 Dollars (by Age) |
|
Year |
Under 35 |
35-44 |
45 or older |
Total
($) |
Under 35
($) |
35-44
($) |
Under 45
($) |
Bachelor Degree Recip'nts
($) |
|
1971 |
46.4 |
18.1 |
35.5 |
34,113 |
31,042 |
37,522 |
37,369 |
39,736 |
|
1973 |
47.7 |
20.6 |
31.7 |
34,138 |
31,102 |
38,690 |
37,758 |
39,740 |
|
1975 |
53.1 |
21.2 |
25.7 |
31,581 |
28,361 |
37,070 |
35,106 |
35,541 |
|
1977 |
49.9 |
24.4 |
25.8 |
32,003 |
28,781 |
36,113 |
37,135 |
37,030 |
|
1979 |
48.0 |
25.2 |
26.8 |
30,061 |
26,899 |
32,508 |
35,204 |
35,283 |
|
1981 |
39.7 |
30.4 |
30.0 |
28,576 |
24,681 |
31,169 |
31,099 |
33,584 |
|
1983 |
36.8 |
32.0 |
31.2 |
31,122 |
25,589 |
33,716 |
35,867 |
34,464 |
|
1985 |
29.7 |
37.3 |
33.0 |
33,188 |
26,453 |
34,660 |
38,026 |
35,954 |
|
1987 |
28.1 |
40.8 |
31.2 |
34,893 |
29,327 |
37,039 |
38,842 |
37,714 |
|
1989 |
25.8 |
39.5 |
34.6 |
34,668 |
27,543 |
35,860 |
40,341 |
36,923 |
|
1991 |
25.1 |
38.2 |
36.6 |
34,322 |
28,477 |
34,562 |
39,738 |
36,924 |
|
1993 |
22.7 |
34.3 |
43.0 |
34,947 |
29,249 |
33,716 |
41,103 |
36,585 |
|
1995 |
24.2 |
30.7 |
45.1 |
35,134 |
28,709 |
33,978 |
39,759 |
37,817 |
|
1997 |
27.3 |
25.8 |
46.9 |
32,295 |
27,121 |
31,273 |
38,406 |
36,740 |
|
1998 |
26.7 |
25.5 |
47.8 |
35,099 |
29,199 |
33,105 |
41,661 |
37,399 |
Includes full-time employed bachelor's degree recipients only.
NOTE: Median salaries refer to the previous calendar year; for example, salaries reported in 1971 refer to salaries earned in 1970. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was used to calculate constant dollars. Includes full-time public and private school teachers who taught grades 1-12. Details may not add to 100.0 due to rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, March Current Population Surveys
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