How pay for different jobs in education compare
Published in Slideshow World
People often ask educators what keeps them going despite the challenges of their sector. "More than anything else, it's the students," Exequiel Hernandez, an associate professor at The Wharton School, told Harvard Business Publishing. Driven to stimulate and inspire students toward various passions and careers, educators feel a deep sense of responsibility and respect for their students.
However, education workers can fall victim to the "passion tax," which puts their commitment to their students and teaching at odds with earning a living wage.
As of 2022, teachers earn 26.4% less than other college-educated workers, the lowest in six decades, according to the Economic Policy Institute. A 2019 Hill-HarrisX survey revealed that voters across the political spectrum agree teachers are not paid enough for their work, which includes many unpaid hours spent planning, grading, and communicating with parents—not to mention paying out-of-pocket for school supplies.
With record-breaking declines in college enrollment, large-scale school worker strikes, teacher shortages, and the setbacks caused by remote learning during the pandemic, education workers are at a crossroads.
Finding a way to earn more in education isn't straightforward, with tasks for other roles in the field differing greatly.
Numerade used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industry research, and news articles to examine annual median pay for 14 jobs in the education industry and efforts to improve pay. It shows a disparate pay scale across the field, from $30,900 for teacher assistants to $80,800 for professors.
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