Teachers are responsible for the prospects of their students. A high school teacher has much greater responsibilities for guiding higher grade students. The salary may be attractive for few, if not for all.
It is said that a teacher comes before God. Teachers are those individuals who impart the best of their knowledge for the benefit of the individual. They are mentors who guide us. Today, the word ‘teacher’ is not restricted within the four walls of a classroom. The teaching field is seeing more and more individuals who want to share knowledge with others, and do their bit.
High School Teaching
High schools teachers have the responsibility of teaching students between ninth and twelfth grade. It makes them important mentors, because, during these years, students take courses they will need to prepare for college. A high school teacher is different from a secondary school teacher. That is because, a secondary school teacher will teach science on the whole, whereas, a high school teacher will have a specialization in it, maybe biology or chemistry. To become a high school teacher, you need to have a Bachelor’s degree and obtain state licensure. Most of the states have a system of education credit hours, and a potential teacher needs to earn those before certification.
Pay Scale
It is said that the older your students are, the more money a teacher will make. The average salary of a high school teacher is comparatively higher than that of middle school or elementary school teachers. The average annual salary is considered to be about approx. $45,000, with the overall range reported to be approx. $30,000 – $75,000 per year. $30,000 is an estimate for a starting salary and for those who have approximately a year or less than a year’s experience. It is obvious that teachers who have specialized in high demand subjects like maths, science, etc., get relatively higher salaries as compared to others. Also, the salary range varies by state and by school district.
On an average, a new teacher with a Bachelor’s degree would start with a salary of about approx. $30,000 for a nine month school year term. Again, this figure depends from state to state and school to school. The salary usually increases at a rate of about 2 – 3% a year. For a teacher who has a Master’s degree, the salary will be even higher, and can be expected to be around approx. $50,000 annually. The biggest advantage over here is that, you start on a big scale, and it gets better and bigger with increments.
State wise, the highest average salary in ascending order is Connecticut, California, New Jersey, Illinois, and Rhode Island. The range of the salaries of course incorporates both education and experience. It also depends on the school level and the specialization of the individual teacher.
Teachers also enjoy a few other benefits for the hard work they put in, like health and dental insurance, as well as generous pension plans, which is in addition to the above mentioned salaries. A teaching job includes few other additional perks like subsidized housing, continuing education credit. I think more than the monetary reward, a teacher’s honor lies when they see their students at the apex in this competitive world. They are a key instrument in changing their students’ lives with commitment, and their spirit is truly admirable.