However, this data comes with an important caveat: It has not been adjusted to account for differences in the cost of living, which can vary greatly from zip code to zip code and could reasonably explain at least some of the pay gap.
- The effect of inflation on teacher salaries
NEA researchers used state Department of Education projections (or, when necessary, came up with their own projections) to estimate average teacher salaries for 2026, then compared those estimates to salaries in 2017. At first glance, salaries appear to have increased over the decade (in current dollars). But after adjusting for inflation, researchers estimate that teachers’ real incomes actually have refused by almost 5%.
“Dedicated educators show up every day in classrooms across this country to inspire, support and encourage their students, but many are struggling to stay in the profession they love,” NEA President Becky Pringle said in a news release. “They deserve a salary that reflects their experience, the strong support they need to succeed, and the respect that honors the essential role they play in shaping this nation’s future.”
Of the 11 states that have seen an increase in inflation-adjusted teacher pay since 2017, one stands out and dwarfs the others. In Washington, teacher salaries increased by 36%. Because? Because the state supreme court notify the stateincluding imposing a fine of $100,000 a day, which needed to do more to fund and support its public schools.
- $48,112 — The average salary of new teachers.
In 2024-25, the national average salary for new teachers increased by 3.4%, according to the NEA report, but “after accounting for inflation, real salary growth was less than 1%.”
States with the highest average starting salaries: District of Columbia ($64,640), Washington ($60,658), California ($59,424), New Jersey ($58,727), and Utah ($57,849).
States with the lowest starting salaries: Montana ($36,682), Nebraska ($39,561), Missouri ($40,682), Oklahoma ($41,294), and Kentucky ($41,901).
Although, once again, this data has not been adjusted for regional differences in the cost of living.
- $36,360 — Average K-12 Public School Support Staff Salary
These are the people who keep the country’s public schools running without directly participating in instruction: custodians, cafeteria workers, paraeducators, bus drivers, and security personnel.
That $36,360 average salary for support staff in 2024-25 is an increase of $1,400 from the previous year, although, again, the long-term, inflation-adjusted view tells a different story. Compared to 2016 salaries, researchers estimate that public school support staff have seen a salary drop of $2,344.
- The effect of collective bargaining
According to the new report, “states with collective bargaining laws have higher average starting and maximum wages than states without them.” How much higher? Starting salaries are $366 higher, on average, while top salaries are $15,105 higher.
The data also suggests a pay increase for school support staff, who earn 13% more in states that allow collective bargaining. According to the NEA, the vast majority of school districts (more than 80%) are located in states with some type of collective bargaining law, and only seven states expressly prohibited Negotiation for teachers.
Although there is clearly a correlation, or a connection, between salary and collective bargaining, there is not enough detailed data to establish a direct causal link between the two.
One exception is also worth noting: While South Carolina does not have a collective bargaining law, state lawmakers agreed to an 11% pay increase for beginning teachers last year.
- Student Enrollment Is Slowly Declining
There has been a lot of talk in recent years about a national “enrollment cliff” mood as fewer and fewer Americans choose to have children at the time of the Great Recession. The new reports offer additional evidence from the cliff.
At the start of the 2024-25 school year, public schools enrolled nearly 49 million students. That’s a 0.3% drop from the previous drop. But viewed from a broader perspective, enrollment has fallen approximately 3.6% since 2016.
What’s more, as part of the NEA’s new release, researchers estimate that enrollment fell another 1% just between last year and the current school year.
- Schools enrolled an average of 15.1 students per teacher.
This student-teacher ratio remained stable between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, although state-by-state averages revealed considerable variation. Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, for example, averaged about 22 students per teacher, while Vermont, New York, and the District of Columbia averaged between 10 and 11 students per teacher.
- How school finance really works
President Donald Trump continues his efforts dismantle the US Department of Education in the name of “returning education to the states,” however, this new tranche of data shows how small the federal footprint already is. Federal dollars, largely focused on helping schools mitigate the effects of student poverty and paying for special education services, accounted for 7.8% of schools’ total revenue during the last school year.
Where do schools really get their money?
Data shows that by 2025, 47% of public school funding came from state governments and about 45% from local governments, including local property taxes. NEA researchers also estimate that the federal share of school funding fell to 7.3% this year.
That federal share has declined in part due to the ending of federal COVID-19 relief to public schools. Some states spent those dollars more quickly than others.
Of the states where federal support is still estimated to account for 10% or more of school funding, most are controlled by Republicans: Kentucky (17.5%), Alaska (16.5), New Mexico (14.1), Louisiana (14.1), Arkansas (13), South Dakota (12.4), West Virginia (11.9), Mississippi (11.8), Montana (11.4), South Carolina (10.8), Tennessee (10.6), Alabama (10.3), Arizona (10.3) and Florida (10.2).
