U.S. teachers earned only 77% of what other college graduates earned in 2021, even after adjusting for the work year¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2028: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? In 2021 U.S. teachers earned only 77% of what other college graduates earned after adjusting for differences in the work year, and in 36 states mid-career teachers heading a family of four qualified for means-tested benefits. → Darling-Hammond 2023

Evidence¶

Darling-Hammond 2023¶

Darling-Hammond, L., DiNapoli, M., Jr., & Kini, T. (2023). The federal role in ending teacher shortages. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/649.892

q2 · i? · review · r2

Descriptive wage comparison in the 'Condition of Teaching' section, citing OECD and Census data including Table 1 median earnings by occupation and age. The report links low pay to recruitment and retention problems.

"Unlike teachers in many European and Asian countries, whose salaries are, on average, comparable to those of other college graduates, U.S. teachers in 2021 earned only 77% of what other college graduates earned, even after adjusting for differences in the work year."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

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• Beginning teachers nationally earn about 20% less than other college graduates, a wage gap widening to 30% by mid-career — related
• Public school teachers earned about 20% less in weekly wages than nonteacher college graduates in 2019 — related
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