The news is full of stories about the teaching shortage and the U.S. and the consequences of it. The COVID-19 pandemic put a strain on teachers who were either pushed into risking their health or forced to teach remotely, a huge adjustment. But since 2020, teaching shortage problems persist and one of the biggest reasons cited is the low pay. Most teachers are required to earn a Master’s degree, yet their average salaries are lower than other Master’s degree holders. Parents discourage their children from pursuing a teaching career, and teacher’s are likely to put in unpaid hours and spend their own money on their classrooms. That being said, some places in the U.S. pay much lower salaries than others. The team at PlaygroundEquipment.com mapped out states and cities with the highest and lowest salaries. These are the results for the cities with the lowest average teaching salaries:
- Enid, Oklahoma: $45,900
- Jackson, Missouri: $47,560
- Fayetteville, North Carolina: $47,590
- Hattiesburg, Missouri: $47,590
- Rocky Mount, North Carolina: $47,980