The United States may be the world's wealthiest economy, but you wouldn't know it from teacher pay. Research from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reveals that the average new U.S. teacher makes $44,000, peaking over the course of a career at around $67,000 in current dollars. That's far behind at least six other countries: Luxembourg ($79,000 for new teachers, up to $137,000 for a seasoned high school teacher), Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Korea and Austria. Interestingly, Finland — known both for high academic achievement and strong teacher retention — starts new elementary teachers at $37,000, and pays veteran high school teachers only about $49,000.
Teacher pay does vary widely within the U.S., of course, based on factors such as location and tenure. But the widening pay gap between teachers and workers in other fields is cause for concern among schools that struggle to attract and retain top-quality educators, especially in areas with high housing costs.
Education Week (06/06/17)
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