The national average for teacher pay is about $66K.  Here are four ways you can increase that.

With the right strategies and a little determination, it’s possible for teachers to increase their income and create new career opportunities.  The National Center for Education Statistics reports the national average for teacher pay in the United States was $66,397 in 2022.  Whether you’re looking to leave the classroom entirely or stay right where you are for the rest of your career, you have several options that will make you more money. 

If you’re interested in reading more about saving Life-Changing Money on a Teacher’s Salary, check out our recent post!

#1: Make More Money By Accumulating Post-Graduate Units

• What is it worth to advance one column? $1,500 per year 
• What is it worth to “max out” your units?  $6,000 per year
• Total salary increase over 20 years: $120,000

Most public school districts and some private schools utilize a “step and column” system for salary advancement.  Initially created to reward teachers for loyalty to one employer, the system provides incentives for continuing your education.  The more post-graduate units you have, the more money you get.  Every year.

It really pays to get those added units early in your teaching career.  But even if you’re a veteran teacher, it still makes sense.  Check out your teacher’s lounge or ask a veteran teacher where they “got their units”.  

Besides making more money, an added benefit is that you’ll be learning (hopefully) how to be a better teacher.  And being a better teacher makes the job more fun.  One summer, my wife and I took a class on unit design and we came out of it with renewed excitement for the school year.  And, of course, we got units and a raise!

#2: Make More Money By Getting An Advanced Degree

• What is this worth per year?  $1,200 
• Total salary increase over 20 years: $24,000

For many of us, the last thing we want to do after college is head right back into a graduate program while simultaneously working full-time as a teacher.  I didn’t get my master’s until year 14 and I wish I had done it sooner.

For salaries, lots of districts build the master’s degree into the salary schedule – like the one above.  Other districts offer a separate stipend for advanced degrees – as you see in the image below.  

Yes, the focus of this article is on how to maximize income.  But there are many benefits to getting an advanced degree.

Reasons for teachers to get an advanced degree:

1. Improve your teaching practice 
2. Advancement opportunities
3. Personal networking
4. Potential to work in higher education
5. Increased ability to change careers (career autonomy!)
6. Personal development and growth

#3: Make More Money By Switching to a Higher-Paying District or School

• What is this worth per year? $7,000 (varies) 
• Total salary increase over 20 years: $140,000

Go from a private school to a public school.

According to a Washington Post article on teacher salaries, teachers in private schools earn an average of 30% less money than their public school counterparts.  That amounts to an average difference of $15,200 per year.

One note: every school is different, but there are often advantages to working in a private school. This article is money-focused.  But we do realize there are certainly other considerations when selecting a place of employment.

 

What about teacher pay at charter schools?

According to this article on public school versus charter school pay scales, public school teachers make 10-15% more than charter school teachers.

 

Leave a lower-paying public school district and move to a higher-paying district.

Everyone knows that teacher salaries vary widely from state to state.  But what about from district to district within the same metropolitan area?  If you’re a teacher, we’re guessing you can name at least one nearby district that pays more than yours.  But how much more? 

A sampling of pay disparity from district to district within metro areas.

           St. Louis, MO Metro Area

               District “A” starting salary $40K, top salary $88K

               District “B” starting salary $41K, top salary $94K

          Denver, CO Metro Area

               District “A” starting salary $43K, top salary $95K

               District “B” starting salary $47K, top salary $102K

          San Francisco, CA Metro Area

               District “A” starting salary $65K, top salary $113K

               District “B” starting salary $77K, top salary $135K

          Charlotte, NC Metro Area

               *Teacher pay in North Carolina is done with a uniform statewide salary scale. Districts then offer supplements that average $3K-$5K.

#4: Make More Money By Becoming a School Administrator

• What is this worth per year? $28,000 
• Total salary increase over 20 years: $560,000

Nobody will call you into the office to offer you a promotion to assistant principal.  In our line of work, teachers promote themselves.  If you feel ready to jump into a leadership position, becoming an administrator provides one of the biggest salary boosts in education.

Salary.com puts the average salary for Assistant Principal at $94,300 — a raise of roughly $28,000 a year.

That’s life-changing money.

The job comes with a downside: your work year is 25-30 days longer than that of a teacher.  Entry-level admin positions (such as Assistant Principal) carry the burden of handling school-wide discipline — an unpleasant duty that can consume entire days and make you feel like your job is a mix of social worker and detective.  We provide more on becoming a school administrator in our post on Career Options for Teachers.

Educators have more control than we might think over salary. Don’t put that increase off another year.

As a teacher, you have more control than you might think over your yearly salary. The cumulative totals for these four options represent significant money.So often, teachers put off salary advancement because of the short-term time or money committment. I’ve definitely been guilty of that over the years. Don’t allow the day-to-day grind to cause you to lose sight of your bigger financial goals.