Which States Have the Lowest Teacher Salaries?

03 Dec - Posted at 14:01h in Financial Planning

With average teacher salaries decreasing in the past decade, it can be tough to make a living as an educator in America. Nowhere is that more apparent than in these states with the lowest teacher salaries in the country. Click here to see read part one: Which States Have the Best Salaries for Teachers.

In part two of our series surrounding teacher salaries, we'll look at the bottom five states in the country in terms of teacher salaries.

Five States with the Lowest Teacher Salaries:

5. New Hampshire

The fifth lowest state for teacher salary is the “Granite State” New Hampshire. New Hampshire may have been the ninth state to join the union, but it's #47 when it comes to teacher salaries. With an average teacher salary of $58k, it's almost 20% lower than the average state income. Teacher salaries in New Hampshire have declined by 3.3% since 2010. This does not necessarily mean that you should not be a teacher in New Hampshire. There are districts that pay teachers upwards of $70k per year. But on average, teacher salaries are quite low in New Hampshire.

4. Utah

Utah's average teacher salary is $50k. Teacher salaries are more than 20% lower than the state average for full-time workers. Teacher salaries in Utah have declined by almost 6.5% since 2010. The skiing in Utah might be fantastic, but the average teacher salary is not as desirable.

3. Washington, D.C.

Although it is not a “state,” the District of Columbia has had a tough road when it comes to education. The D.C. public school system is one of the highest-cost and lowest-performing school systems in the country. So it's no wonder that the average teacher salary lands it at 49th in the nation.

Although D.C. teachers may make an average of $78k annually, when you consider that the cost of living there is 56% higher than the national average, and the average salary in D.C. is almost $100k, it does not sound as appealing. D.C. is the only entry in the bottom five that has shown an increase in teacher salary since 2010—a 4% increase in fact.

2. Colorado

Colorado is beautiful. Gorgeous mountains and lush forests abound in the “Centennial State.” What's not so beautiful is the $53k per year that teachers are paid on average. That's over 23% less than the statewide average salary. Like Utah, Colorado is also known for its fantastic skiing—although it's likely just a coincidence that both states are in the bottom five in terms of teacher salary!

1. Virginia

Virginia might be the “birthplace of a nation,” but it won't be the birthplace of a boom in teacher hiring any time soon. With an average teacher salary of $52k, Virginia has had trouble keeping teachers in the state.

Virginia teachers went on strike in 2019 over low wages. At 28% less than the state average, who can blame them. You should know, however, that there are a handful of teaching districts in Virginia that pay their teachers upwards of $75k annually.

Let Appreciation Financial Help You Make Up The Difference

At Appreciation Financial, we're passionate about educating the educators. In terms of financial planning and retirement, we want to help you make the most of your money. Give one of our qualified financial representatives a call today and let us help you plan for the future.

Image used under creative commons license - commercial use (10/30/2020) Sharon McCutcheon (Unsplash)