Can I really afford to do this? gettyA new report from the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teacher union, shows that teacher pay is failing to keep up with inflation.The average public teacher salary has from $71,985 in 2023-24 to roughly $74,495 in 2024–25. But adjusted for inflation, teacher salaries have fallen by 5% over the last decade. The report finds that 35% of school districts have an average starting salary of at least $50,000. Fifteen states are above that line, up from thirteen last year. But the report also shows some large gaps. 31% of school districts now have a maximum salary of at least $96,000, while 7% of districts have a top salary below $60,000. The report also finds that teachers in states that allow collective bargaining earn, on average, roughly $16,000 more than teachers in states that do not allow collective bargaining-- about a 24% benefit. The Economic Policy Institute reported last year that 2024 marked a record high in the “teacher pay penalty,” the difference between teacher pay and the income for other similarly-educated college graduates. EPI found that inflation-adjusted pay for teachers had climbed a bit from 1979 through 1996, but has stayed stagnant or dropped ever since, while wages for other college graduates has steadily risen. In 2024, EPI computed that average weekly wages for teachers were $1,447, but for other graduates were around $2,361.EPI found those penalties varied by state, with lesser penalties for Rhode Island, Wyoming and New Jersey and much larger penalties for Colorado, Alabama, and Arizona.Likewise, NEA found that salary growth has varied widely by state. Nevada, the District of Columbia and Delaware showed large salary growth, while Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and New Mexico showed less than 2% growth between 2023-24 and 2024-25. MORE FOR YOUNEA’s state-by-state pay data provides more depth and detail. Florida ranks 50th in the nation for average teacher salary, but 19th for starting salary. However, EPI figures that a minimum living wage in Florida is $63,853, and the average teacher salary is $56,663. California is tops in the nation for average teacher salary at $103,552; EPI sets a living wage in the state at $73,311. Arizona is 31st in the nation with an average teacher salary of $64,291 but has a minimum living wage of $71,277.As data-rich as the report is, there is always a more granular level to consider. Minimum living wages are computed for “the most affordable metro area,” which means the most expensive metro areas and the most affordable rural areas provide other options. But the overall picture continues to be of a profession that struggles to provide financial incentives that might attract and retain highly trained people. With constant discussion for over a decade of trouble recruiting and retaining teachers, many studies (of varying degrees of scientific rigor) have been conducted. Certain factors remain consistent for those leaving the profession, including lack of support (both instructional and with student behavior) and the pay gap. We have no way of knowing how many people could have been good teachers but looked at the profession and decided to take another path, particularly when considering the cost of a college degree. The NEA report shows there is still work to do with teacher pay in this country, while providing plenty of data for those looking to get a clearer state-by-state picture.