Updated at 10:17 a.m., Friday, March 30, 2007
State's average teacher salary ranks in nation's top tier
Associated Press
HONOLULU — The latest survey by a national teachers' union ranks Hawai'i 15th among the states in average teacher salaries — slightly above the national average.The average teacher salary in Hawai'i for the 2004-05 school year was $47,833, an increase of 5.2 percent from the previous year, according to the American Federation of Teachers.
Nationally, teacher pay averages $47,602, a 2.2 increase from the previous year but not enough to cover the cost of inflation, the union said.
Hawai'i ranked eighth in the nation for starting teacher salary, with an average of $35,816, a 5.5 percent increase.
Union president Edward J. McElroy, said the national averages are too low.
"Given the difficulty many districts have been attracting and keeping educators, the financial penalty deciding to become a teacher is unacceptable," McElroy said.
"If we're serious about placing the most qualified professionals in the classroom and keeping them there, then we need to make a significant investment in teacher salaries."
For the full report, including state-by-state teacher salary information, see Teacher salaries.
