Teacher pay penalty still looms large: Trends in Teacher Wages and Compensation Through 2022

Cities that want to high-quality education systems need to address the immense disparity in compensation between teachers' and other workers with similar educational credentials. This study examines working conditions for educators and finds that teachers in 31 states earn 20 percent less than similar college-educated workers, that teachers have been hit especially hard by recent cost of living increases, and that their benefits have not increased sufficiently to offset their stagnant wages. It recommends that state and local governments boost teacher pay and facilitate collective bargaining for teachers.