A recent analysis of federal data reveals that the wage gap between public school teachers and other professionals reached its highest level since 1960. This disparity in pay is a significant factor contributing to the current teacher shortage across the country. One of the main reasons for this widening gap is inflation, which has significantly reduced the real income of teachers in 2022.
While the earnings of other college graduates have managed to keep up with inflation, public schools are not as flexible in raising salaries as the private sector. It is worth noting that teachers often receive better benefits, such as pensions, compared to workers in other industries. However, even when accounting for these benefits, teachers still earn approximately 17% less than their counterparts in other professions.