$$$ Teacher Salaries - A Wage Gap Comparison to Other College Graduate Occupations $$$

Scrabble tiles spelling the word "money" on top of dollar bills

Teacher salaries have a range of digits depending on the state, school district, or level of education. This is a highly debated topic that is typically given a negative connotation due to the amount of discussion that is pervasive amongst educators in the field. You will hear buzz words such as "underpaid" "not compensated" and "overworked" to describe the salary climate. In the collective scheme of all occupations to where a requirement is having a college degree, educators are presented with lower compensation. Key findings from the research show that the teacher pay penalty has grown since the mid-1990s and the wage penalty has significantly worsened over time. Studies have shown that there is additionally a larger wage gap for men in the teaching profession than women as compared to their college-educated, non-teaching peers. With further evaluation, other factors such as the state one lives and receives benefits may impact the percentage teachers are earning relative to their graduated demographic pool. Separate research suggests that additional factors to consider that affect the wage gap compared to other college graduates would include: the private and public sector in education, the grade being taught - elementary, middle, or high school -, and differences in racial ethnicity or gender. 

Given the evidence surrounding the disparity in the wage gap for teachers compared to other professions, this signals a call to action. My personal belief is that educators are not compensated nearly enough for the work that they do. Many other professionals work a 9 to 5 job and they are able to shut their laptops and commute home and compartmentalize their work life and home life. Educators do not have this luxury to do this as they work a 9 to 5 job, are lesson planning constantly before, during, and after school hours, are thinking about their student's needs, host clubs after school, are scheduling parent-teacher meetings twice a year which typically happens after school hours, scheduling IEP meetings which usually take place in the mornings before school begins, helping with PTA, saying yes to additional projects, and more. Knowing my personality, I am very aware that I easily become swept up in helping others and overworking myself by saying "yes" to requests which means I know that working will take place longer than a school day. I digress to say that educators consistently go above and beyond the scope of their positions to achieve excellence in their work. This is something that should be accounted for in regard to salaries. This should be even more of a reason that teachers should be compensated much more than they currently are. Not only do they have all of this planning, but they have a noble occupation and responsibility of building future generations on top of their shoulders. Without education, there would be no professional life. Would it not be more just to compensate teachers, who lay the groundwork for the foundation of society?