The Cost of Education
Missouri ranks 40th for average teacher salary in the United States despite a top 20 fiscal condition.
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary Education, the U.S. average for teacher salary is $56,383 a year, while the Missouri average is $47,393. In the Columbia/Jefferson City area, that average salary is only about $37,072.
Salary offered to teachers can affect the industry in two ways. First, it can deter potentially talented teachers from the profession in favor of a more lucrative one.
“The options available to them are greater than they were even to students who were going through college in my generation. Individuals who could potentially become a teacher have other options to consider,” said Todd Fuller, of the Missouri State Teachers Association, “I think that there are a lot of individuals that would love to teacher first, but they also see the challenge that it’s going to be in terms of taking care of their family.”
Teachers can also be extra motivated to leave smaller school districts that cannot offer adequate salary.
“When you have a great teacher, sometimes they get snagged up by a surrounding district that pays more, simply because they can go to other districts and make more and do the same job,” said Perry Gorrell, superintendent of Cole County R-I Schools.
While the salary of teachers does play a role in how well students are educated, it’s only one small factor.
“Salary is not typically the primary indicator but it is certainly an indicator,” said Dr. Margaret Vandeven, Missouri commissioner of education. “It’s a licensed profession that requires our best and our brightest, and I think that salary is certainly a factor. Not the only factor but one.”
To see how teachers in individual school districts are being paid, follow the link below.
