A bachelor’s degree in education takes about four years. With the appropriate licenses and credentials, it enables graduates to teach in kindergarten through secondary levels. A master’s degree takes two additional years and is sufficient for teaching at community colleges. Salaries for teachers with either degree vary by field and gender.
Education Field
As of 2011, over 3.5 million teachers obtained bachelor’s degrees in education, according to Georgetown University. They received median earnings of $42,000 per year, with the 25th percentile earning a median annual $32,000 and the 75th percentile making a median $55,000 yearly, a difference of $23,000. About 77 percent of the graduates were female, although they earned a lower annual median of $40,000. Male teachers received a median $48,000 per year. About 44 percent of all B.A. holders continued on to receive a graduate degree to receive a 33 percent boost in salaries. This put the median annual earnings of those with master’s degrees at $55,860, with the 25th percentile making $42,560 and the 75th percentile receiving $73,150.
Elementary Education
The subject with the most bachelor’s degree holders was elementary education, with 1,169,732 teachers representing 33 percent of all education graduates. They earned a median $40,000 per year, with the 25th percentile making a median $31,000 annually, and the 75th percentile making $50,000 yearly. About 42 percent of elementary education undergrads obtained graduate degrees for a 36 percent boost in salaries. This made the median annual pay reach $54,400, with the 25th percentile at $42,160 and the 75th percentile at $68,000.
Highest B.A. Pay
The highest paying specific subject field was secondary teacher education, with a median yearly $46,000. The 25th percentile earned a median $36,000 per year, and the 75th percentile made a median $60,000 per year. The 49 percent who continued on to master’s degrees received earnings increases of 26 percent. This placed the median for the higher degree at $63,000 per year, with a range of $45,360 to $75,600.
Highest Master’s Pay
The highest paid teachers with master’s degrees were those in the teaching of science and computers. The higher degree granted a 49 percent boost in salaries to the 49 percent of undergraduates who chose to pursue it. Master’s holders made a median $64,070 annually, with the 25th percentile earning $50,660 and the 75th percentile making $86,420. Bachelor’s degrees in the same subject paid a median $43,000 annually, with a range of $34,000 to $58,000.
The career outlook for educators is promising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average teacher salary for high school teachers has increased by 10% since 2010. Other teaching levels, such as primary school, middle school and at the college level have shown salary increases of around 6% over the past few years.
As with other industries, median teacher salary numbers can be affected by multiple factors. One of the biggest factors is location. States like California, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut have some of the highest annual salaries, whereas South Dakota, Mississippi and Oklahoma represent some of the lowest annual salaries.
For example, according to niche.com, if you’re an experienced teacher (defined as a teacher with up to four years of experience) working in Washington, DC that holds a Bachelor’s degree, your average salary is around $71,000. If you’re an experienced teacher working in Mississippi that holds a Bachelor’s degree, the average annual salary is closer to $42,000.
Teaching at a private school versus a public school also has an impact on salary. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school teachers on average earn $10,000 to $15,000 more than a comparable private school teacher.
Factors impacting teacher salaries:
- Years of experience
- Professional development (advanced degrees and certifications)
- Type of school (public, private, charter, etc.)
- Level (primary, high school, higher education, etc.)
- Subject/areas of study
- Benefit packages
CAREER OUTLOOK & OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS IN THE US
Projections by the BLS estimate that the education field as a whole will grow 6-7% by 2026. Emerging technologies paving the way for better online and distance learning platforms and open-source based learning software like Sakai and Blackboard are a few of the reasons why projections look positive. Another key indicator is population growth in the United States. As the population continues to grow, so does the desire and need for teachers and educational support.
Between 2014 and 2024, the BLS projects nearly 1.9 million job openings for teachers of preschool through postsecondary school.
BLS PROJECTIONS ON JOB GROWTH BASED ON TEACHER OR ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL
Level
Projected Job Growth
Preschool Director
11%
Preschool Teacher
10%
Kindergarten/Elementary Teacher
7%
Middle School Teacher
8%
High School Teacher
8%
Elementary-High School Principal
8%
Post-Secondary Administrative Staff
10%
Post-Secondary Teacher
15%
AVERAGE TEACHER’S SALARY BY EDUCATION
Professional development, either by advanced degrees or certificates, have opened doors for teachers. They provide additional opportunities, both inside the classroom as teachers and outside the classroom as administrators. As noted above, the amount of jobs that are expected to open will be spread between preschool and collegiate positions.
Like all other professions, salary is an important criteria to consider for those contemplating a career in teaching; however, it’s also imperative to review what degrees are required to teach for each different level of education:
AVERAGE TEACHER’S SALARY WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE
According to niche.com, the national average salary for a teacher with a Bachelor’s degree is $56,383. This is for an experienced teacher in a public school. For those teachers just starting their careers in a public school, the national average salary is $36,141.
AVERAGE TEACHER’S SALARY WITH A MASTER’S DEGREE
For those looking to get additional training, a Master’s degree might be the right path. For example, Drexel’s online MS in Teaching, Learning and Curriculum: Teacher Certification Track prepares educators for a specific area of study. Per teacher.org, most teachers who have a Master’s Degree will see about a $7,000 increase yearly with a higher education degree.
AVERAGE TEACHER’S SALARY WITH A PHD OR EDD
Teachers looking to take on a larger leadership role within the teaching field can earn their Doctorate Degree in Education. Typically, educators with Doctorate Degrees are more likely to hold non-teaching positions so the pay varies greatly.
