Any teachers out there?

Question

Im looking for advice from some teachers out there. I want to be a teacher, however Im nervous the pay will not be nearly "enough". I would like to teach high school and coach on the high school level. I've done research, and teachers in my area actually make more than most (around 40K)..which isn't bad to start. Just wondering if anyone can tell me if the pay is enough. Im also wondering how much a teachers salary will go after gaining a masters degree and experience..(from 40K)....

Answer 1

While I am not a teacher, my soon to be husband is. He started out making 46K with a Master's. This was in NY about 30 miles north of NYC. In 4 years he's going to be making 55K. Coaching gave him a few extra thousand. If you'd like to teach but also have more money you can work in the summer months. He has a degree in environmental science and a Master's in Ed... during the summers he works in the science field and makes a lot too.

When you're worried about being a teacher and making enough money you really have to think about the area you might want to be teaching in. My fiance's mother was a elementary gym teacher in Port Jefferson, NY.. (which is in Long Island) and she just retired out making over 100K (she had higher degrees) with a 55K bonus when she retired and pension. There are cases you can find like that depending on the area. If you're worried about income I'd recommend checking out more 'uppity' areas.. like the one his mother worked in. Working in an area that is expensive and living near by in an area that isn't as expensive is a REALLY good idea when teaching.. or really with any job.

Also, NYC public schools has offered me a high school science teacher position in the low 40's to start (right out of college... although I'm not taking it).

If you love learning then teach. Because if you want to make a lot of money in teaching you NEED to get higher degrees... even look into getting a Ph.D cause with that you could probably make about 100K in a lot of areas and be well off... so if you love learning and love teaching I'd go that route.

And good luck!!! You have to realize that teaching isn't a 9-5 job. You bring work home with you on the weekends, evenings and vacations and DO NOT get overtime. In other jobs if you need extra cash you can work a few extra shifts or extra hours and get paid more.. and a lot of times when you leave the office or leave the field you can leave the work behind... in teaching it isn't as simple. It's not always just a job... moreso a lifestyle. And remember that bad teachers who put no effort into what they do and great teachers who give their all pretty much get the same wages... which can be frustrating.

And to sum it up.. if 40K is starting with a Bachlor's..if you started with a Master's you'd probably get 46K... and with a Master's and 5 years I'd say at least 55K. I think the earning potential for a Master's will go to about 65K or a bit more and a Ph.D much more. I am basing this off what I've seen in NYS Public Schools in the suburbs of NYC.

Hope it helped.

Answer 2

I have taught for 7 year in So Cal and am now going to grad school. For a single person the salary was fine - my last year I was making $45,000 w/o a masters. You really have to shop around district to district and compare that with the cost of living. The highest salaried districts out here are actually places where it's cheap to live in places like Ontario. Not the most desirable places to live I'm afraid. You can always make more $ coaching and doing additional activities however as a teacher you will struggle economically. It's a shame teachers aren't paid what they're worth. I'm so sick of lip service from politicians - the bottom line is our paychecks show how much we're valued.

Answer 3

I am a teacher in Texas. If you are just starting out, 40K is great! Areas here pay between 35K and 40K to brand new teachers. Masters level teachers usually make around $1500 a year more than a bachelor's. That is before the district adds what they want. I have been working at Target for eight years, so depending upon your style of living, your teacher pay may or may not be enough.

Good Luck!!

Tator (Nada)

Answer 4

I have been teaching for 27 years and with a masters degree I make nearly $60,000. I make $1200 more a year for my master's. My husband has an associate's degree and makes close to $70,000. I haven't gotten a raise for 7 years. After year 15 in our district, you only get a cost of living, no raises. The reason is to give new hires more money up front. We teach year-round so you can't get a summer job. I am too exhausted at the end of the day to work a second job.

Don't do it if money is a real concern. You will be sorry. You have to do it because it is the only thing you want to do.

Answer 5

If you are worried about money, teaching may not be the career for you. I am going into my 19th year od education and I cannot tell you the 1,000's of dollars I have spent out of my own pocket to keep my classroom going.
No, the pay is never enough when you consider the important work that you are doing. Your job comes home with you and consumes a lot of time if you do it right.
The better question to ask is whether or not you really want to be a teacher considering all of the challenges that an educator faces... again, the pay will never be enough when you consider that you are also a counselor, mediator, behavior specialist, therapist, surrogate parent, manager,financial resource, supplier of goods, and educator..... to name a few of the hats that teachers wear.
The pay isn't great, but I get to help create the future every year and that as they say is priceless!

Answer 6

I'm a teacher in Canada and NO, teacher's don't get paid enough. Once you get into the profession, you will be amazed at how much you work and how much more there is to teaching than just lesson planning. I put in about 70+ hours a week, but of course only get paid for 40...there's no overtime in this profession.

I live fine with the pay, however money is still tight and I still have to budget. I think most people do though??? You will get paid more with your Master's degree...where I live you get paid on a pay grid/scale. Your pay goes up with the number of years of education and experience you have (of course there is a maxed out amount).

The only way you will survive in this profession is if you LOVE what you do. Don't go into teaching for the money or you will be miserable. Teaching is a lot of work with little pay, but it is very rewarding.

Answer 7

As a teacher in the United States, you will always be at the tax payers to pay more so your family can make a decent living. Obviously, the tax payers do not want to pay you any more than they have to. You will be expected to go back to school, gaining credits in order to keep your state license. This does not ever end. If you want to teach, plan on living life in a way that is not in the lime light. If I had to do it again, I would have gone into nursing or something similar. my sister received a two year nursing degree and is making twice the money that I am making. That sucks! Oh yeah...but we do get our summers off. It's a good thing because with all the cl assess we have to keep taking....if we had to do this in the normal school year, we would never make it home.

Answer 8

I have been teaching for 9 years and have my master's +37 credits and will be making $61K. When looking at salaries for jobs, you also need to keep in mind benefits - how much will be taken out for insurance, retirement, teacher union dues, etc - this can also factor in. One school district may offer $2k more, but you have to pay 10% of your retirement while another school district may pay 100% of your retirement.

Most districts offer $2k for a master's degree - experience depends upon the school district and if there is enough money in the budget for a step increase. One year there wasn't any money for a step increase in my district and we got a 2% cost of living raise only - keep that in mind also -

Answer 9

I love teaching- The pay is low , but I get three months off a year and work at a temporary agency on my breaks when I feel I need more money. The agency adds about $6000. a year to my salary as a teacher. You will get paid extra for coaching too. I think you should take a job you love over $$, because happiness is more important.

Answer 10

I have my masters and will be entering my 8th year teaching, and will finally break the $50,000 mark. My husband and I are both teachers, so making ends meet sometimes is hard, especially when compared to coworkers who spouses have a different profession. We also both coach and do extra-curricular activities. We do them more because we enjoy them than for the money. Heck, we'd make more per hour at McDonald's that we do for those extras.
Nevertheless, as I look to having a baby this school year, I am reminded of the things that are invaluable: weekends off (when there's no matches/games), holidays off, and summers off. In other words, we'll both get to see our kids grow up!