Florida teachers are second lowest paid in America: NEA

TAMPA, Fla. - Teachers in Florida have one of the lowest average salaries of any state in the nation, according to the National Education Association.

The report, which includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia, shows that only West Virginia, with an average teacher salary of $52,870, ranks lower than the Sunshine State.

The NEA states that the average teacher salary in Florida is $53,098, making it 50th in the nation for pay. It is also less than Florida's minimum living wage, which is $58,970, according to the report.

It noted that the average starting teacher salary in Florida is $47,178, which is 16th in the country. According to NEA, the average higher education faculty salary in Florida is $102,927, which is 15th in America.

In contrast, the average teacher in California makes $95,160, according to NEA, which is more than any other state. The NEA states that the average higher education faculty salary in California is $129,096, which is also the highest in the nation.

READ: Report: Florida has highest number of teacher vacancies; state officials disagree

Teachers in New York make the second-highest amount of money with an average salary of $92,696 and Massachusetts came in third for teacher pay with the average teacher making $92,307, according to NEA.

In South Dakota, teachers make an average of $53,153, making it 49th in the country for teacher pay, and Mississippi is ranked 48th with the average teacher making $53,354, according to NEA.

The NEA states that salaries have lagged behind inflation over the past decade with teachers making 6.3% less than they did ten years ago when adjusted for inflation.

However, according to NEA, the average public school teacher made approximately $69,544 during the 2022-23 school year. This is a 4.1% increase from the previous year, and it is expected to rise by 3.1% in the 2023-24 school year.

Click here to see a full list of teacher salaries by state.

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