Why do teachers get paid so little when athletes get so much?

Question

This absolutely drives me crazy! I don't understand why the people that take/took the time to teach people (including these athletes) get so little pay?! I believe that if people can get paid millions to be in a sport than the people that dedicate their lives to teaching our children should be paid greatly too. Don't get me wrong I love my sports and school sucked at times. However, I believe that school is very important. Sure, sports is too but why so little for the people that do so much more?

Answer 1

Dawn,

Athletes are paid by the marketplace. Teachers are also paid by the marketplace. The difference is that the athletes have massive commercial interests and huge profits backing them up.

There is no profit in education, and very few commercial interests look at the basic education level. (This is different at the collegiate level.)

-j.

Answer 2

It is a simple law of proportions. Actors are paid by what they bring into the box office. Good actors in good movies make good money. Athletes get paid to preform at a high level of excellence and to help fill stadium seats. Add that to advertising endorsements for products and a great athlete has a tremendous earning potential. Teachers do not have to be good at all to get paid, they simply have to show up. While I agree 100% about their role, the sad fact is that teaching, law enforcement and firefighting does not attract the best and the brightest. This is not an insult just a fact, students with sharp minds and determination tend to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, CPA's, CEO's, pilots and scientist. That is not to say educators police or firefighters are less Intelligent or motivated. These three lines of work make up the bulk of State, and City budgets and payrolls. Smaller schools, police departments and firehouses can pay more depending on their tax base. Belair Texas can pay much more than the city of Houston, because it is an affluent community with relatively small boundaries.

Answer 3

Yes but is sports you are only in the competitive field for a short time and then you have to scrape the rest of your life at doing something else. Few athletes can continue past late 30's let alone 40's and 50's. Also sports take a long toll on the body especially ones where you take a lot of hits like in football and boxing. Unjuries plague these athletes the rest of their lives...knees, shoulders ect. No amount of money can restore quality of life. Think about it when you see aging athletes or careers cut short. Teaching is something valuable and there are many non monetery rewards that last a life time. I would prefer to teach for what they are paid then be a professional athlete.

Answer 4

Answer this one. Why do Soldiers get paid so little and athletes so much. Soldiers stand between civilization as we know it and a new dark age. yet many of them are on government programs to feed their families. America just want to be distracted because our life sucks so incredibly bad. We work to much, get little off time, everyone is rude, the cost of living is too high, and most of us have bad credit. Soldiers and teachers serve as a reminder of what is wrong with the world. Athletes allow us to escape reality. So even though if teachers were to disappear the future of America would be finished and if the NBA shut down tommorrow there would be a few less millionares walking around, Pro Sports are more important to the American psyche. Think about it... we can't cure aids or cancer but we can cure baldness and fixed your erectial dysfunction.

Answer 5

A sports person's career can be much shorter than that of a Teacher, so the theory is they get paid more to make up for it, plus they get danger money cos one little injury can halt their career at any time.

Answer 6

Because unfortunately, no one wants to put a camera in your classroom and watch you teach. And if they did you would need millions of people to watch it and then you can sell the time and pay the teachers more. Its like every other business unfortunately...supply and demand

Answer 7

Athletes business, teacher is the way of living, money more important, living is not so important..

Answer 8

teachers get the summer off with pay they get x-mas and thanksgiving off also...it takes a lot of energy to be a professional athlete

Answer 9

well its different in sports. these guys get paid because they are also selling merchandise, tickets, all that stuff. plus they get endorsement deals.

Answer 10

athletes are idolized..teachers are nuts for putting up with that many kids..

Teachers want to make a differnce...Athletes are there to play...