Features

Teacher pay jumps, beats out national advances

By Jessica Brice, The Associated Press
Wednesday July 17, 2002

State fell to16th when adjusted for cost of living  

 

SACRAMENTO — California teacher salaries jumped to the second highest in the nation but teachers still fare poorly because of the state’s high cost of living, according to a report released Tuesday. 

The American Federation of Teachers found the average California teacher makes around $52,480 a year compared to the nation’s average of $43,250. Only Connecticut teachers make more, with an average salary of $53,507. 

The nation’s lowest paid teachers are in South Dakota, the study found, with an average pay of $30,265. 

The national average inched up by about 3.4 percent over the previous year — the smallest increase in 40 years. California, on the other hand, saw increases of more than 10 percent — the highest increase in years. 

“We had been going along at 1 and 2 percent and sometimes zero growth for so long,” said Mary Bergan, president of the California Federation of Teachers, a union that represents more than 100,000 teachers and school employees in California. “In 1999 and 2000, after a long drought, we were able to get substantial salary increases in most of our districts.” 

Beginning teacher salaries also made advances, increasing 4.4 percent nationally and 9.6 percent in California from 1999 to 2001. The average beginning teacher in California makes $33,121, compared to the national average of $28,986. 

But the state’s high cost of living makes those numbers deceiving, teachers said. When the averages were adjusted to account for the cost of living, California fell to 16th place in the nation. 

Although California’s adjusted salaries were “still respectable,” Bergan said, teachers are bracing for tougher times as state budget problems will limit future gains teachers had hoped for. 

The federation also said teachers are being hurt by the rising cost of health care. The average teacher pays around 7 percent of his or her salary for health care. 

“The biggest battle we’re fighting right now is over health care costs,” Bergan said.By Jessica Brice  

The Associated Press 

 

SACRAMENTO — California teacher salaries jumped to the second highest in the nation but teachers still fare poorly because of the state’s high cost of living, according to a report released Tuesday. 

The American Federation of Teachers found the average California teacher makes around $52,480 a year compared to the nation’s average of $43,250. Only Connecticut teachers make more, with an average salary of $53,507. 

The nation’s lowest paid teachers are in South Dakota, the study found, with an average pay of $30,265. 

The national average inched up by about 3.4 percent over the previous year — the smallest increase in 40 years. California, on the other hand, saw increases of more than 10 percent — the highest increase in years. 

“We had been going along at 1 and 2 percent and sometimes zero growth for so long,” said Mary Bergan, president of the California Federation of Teachers, a union that represents more than 100,000 teachers and school employees in California. “In 1999 and 2000, after a long drought, we were able to get substantial salary increases in most of our districts.” 

Beginning teacher salaries also made advances, increasing 4.4 percent nationally and 9.6 percent in California from 1999 to 2001. The average beginning teacher in California makes $33,121, compared to the national average of $28,986. 

But the state’s high cost of living makes those numbers deceiving, teachers said. When the averages were adjusted to account for the cost of living, California fell to 16th place in the nation. 

Although California’s adjusted salaries were “still respectable,” Bergan said, teachers are bracing for tougher times as state budget problems will limit future gains teachers had hoped for. 

The federation also said teachers are being hurt by the rising cost of health care. The average teacher pays around 7 percent of his or her salary for health care. 

“The biggest battle we’re fighting right now is over health care costs,” Bergan said.