School Teacher Salary

"I love my job and I did not become a teacher just for the purpose of money. But I would love to know more about schools in Massachusetts where the salary of a school teacher ranges between US $70,000 and US $80,000. I have been teaching for 7 years and I haven't been able to make close to that amount. Although I'm provided with various other benefits like traveling expenses, electricity bill, etc. I'm satisfied with my profession, but would love to increase my earning prospects." ~ Bill, a high school teacher, Massachusetts.

"Recently, there was an intense debate with one of my acquaintances who stays in Texas about the income range of middle school teachers. Since we both stay in different states, the earning is bound to differ due to various factors. Some of the obvious reasons are the cost of living, commuting costs and many more similar factors. What one pays in California or New York may be more than that in Houston or Texas. My acquaintance wasn't able to understand that the salary varies for every state and city."~ Bob, middle school teacher, California

Reading the reviews of two school teachers must have given you an insight into the intricacies of the income of the school teacher. There are various dimensions of the income and besides monetary benefits, many teachers are more satisfied with the joy of working with students and helping them to make their life more enriching. For some, job satisfaction is the priority and for some, a balance of decent pay and love of work tops the priority list.

Average Salary
After you have answered the question, 'why I want to be a teacher', you can focus you research on the school teacher salaries. The income potential for those who have a work experience of less than a year is approximately between US $30,000 to US $41,000. For teachers having work experience of about one to four years, the salary ranges between US $33,000 to US $45,000. The school teacher average salary for those who have been working for near about 4-9 years is between US $40,000 to US $55,000. With further advancements in this career, the secondary teacher salary can increase up to US$ 75,000.

Of late, there have been various negotiations for demand of better pay packages. Since teachers, like every other profession, expect decent pay scales, we can see usual struggle between the teacher's unions and state governments. Generally, teacher salary negotiations are based on the premise of teacher's expectations, motivation and respect that helps them in bargaining good salary deals. Some other factors like the working environment and growth opportunities are very important for the professional success of teachers.

Some other parameters that affect the salary of school teachers is the job location and the type of school one is teaching. The cities where the cost of living is very high generally give higher salaries to their teachers. The income of a middle school teacher can increase to US $70,000 and besides the salary, various schools that are high on funds, provide remuneration and benefits of traveling allowance, health insurance, teacher's pensions and holidays. However, these benefits vary drastically for every state and as per the rules of the school.

Although, it is a fact that teachers can't become very rich due to their vocation, it is also equally true that they won't end up without any monetary benefits. The salary ranges of teachers are decent and with the increasing career opportunities in the teaching jobs, salaries are bound to be competent with the growing economic scenario. And besides the potential in the income, the rewards of being involved with the children and help them in their growth are satisfying. So if you wish to enter this field, then make a thorough research on the various aspects of the income of various cities and districts, and simultaneously ensure that you love what you are doing!