According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, "median annual wages of kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers ranged from $47,100 to $51,180 in May 2008; the lowest 10 percent earned $30,970 to $34,280; the top 10 percent earned $75,190 to $80,970."
According to the American Federation of Teachers, beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $33,227 in the 2005-2006 school year.
Ultimately, a teacher's salary depends on a number of factors:
- where they are teaching (cities, states and countries)
- what level they are teaching (primary, middle, senior or tertiary)
- level of experience and how many years they have been teaching
- their area of specialty
- number and types of qualifications
- set wage rises within an industry, and within the country
Salaries vary by state, city and district. If that was not enough, within a state, a city and a district, every teacher earns a salary based on years of teaching experience and education level, or other incentives offered by the state, city or department for which that teacher works.
More input from Answers.com contributors:- I have a masters degree and I am a first year teacher. I make $66,000 a year, before taxes. Some of my colleagues have been teaching for 15 years and make well over $100,000 a year. It definitely depends on where you live. These are figures for Long Island, New York.
- I have the equivalent of a doctoral degree, have been teaching for 15 years and only make $61,000 per year, before taxes.
- In Oklahoma some teachers at public schools are starting at 28,000 per year.