EDUCATION WATCH BLOG
March 12, 2014
Oklahoma teachers saw a 0.2 percent pay increase between 2002-2003 and 2012-2013 when adjusted for inflation, according to a National Education Association report released Wednesday.
Although small, that growth was good enough to place Oklahoma 17th nationally because average teacher salaries across the nation declined by 3.2 percent when adjusted for inflation over the decade, according to the report. Still, teacher pay in Oklahoma remained among the lowest in the U.S.
Wyoming teachers have seen the most growth, with a 15.2 percent increase to $56,775 in 2012-2013. A total of 34 states saw inflation-adjusted salaries shrink. Coming in last for growth was North Carolina, with a 15 percent reduction to $47,344.
Oklahoma, where teachers averaged $44,377 in 2012-2013, ranked 49th nationally in terms of overall pay, followed by Mississippi at $41,814 and South Dakota at $39,018. New York teachers led the nation with an average salary of $75,279
Here’s how states stack up:
| Area | Average Salary, 2012-13 | 10-year Salary Change, Inflation-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $56,103 | -3.2% |
| New York | $75,279 | 11.9% |
| Massachusetts | $72,334 | 10.0% |
| District of Columbia | $70,906 | 10.1% |
| Connecticut | $69,397 | -1.2% |
| California | $69,324 | -1.9% |
| New Jersey | $68,797 | 0.9% |
| Alaska | $65,468 | 3.8% |
| Maryland | $64,248 | 1.9% |
| Rhode Island | $63,474 | -2.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $62,994 | -3.4% |
| Michigan | $61,560 | -8.8% |
| Delaware | $59,679 | -5.1% |
| Illinois | $59,113 | -9.5% |
| Oregon | $57,612 | -4.4% |
| Wyoming | $56,775 | 15.2% |
| Ohio | $56,307 | -2.5% |
| Minnesota | $56,268 | -0.9% |
| Nevada | $55,957 | 4.3% |
| New Hampshire | $55,599 | 4.5% |
| Hawaii | $54,300 | -3.8% |
| Wisconsin | $53,797 | -0.9% |
| Georgia | $52,880 | -8.5% |
| Vermont | $52,526 | -0.3% |
| Washington | $52,234 | -8.5% |
| Louisiana | $51,381 | 8.9% |
| Iowa | $50,946 | 2.8% |
| Kentucky | $50,203 | 1.7% |
| Indiana | $50,065 | -12.3% |
| Arizona | $49,885 | 3.9% |
| Colorado | $49,844 | -8.0% |
| Idaho | $49,734 | -1.3% |
| Utah | $49,393 | 1.7% |
| Nebraska | $48,997 | 1.9% |
| Montana | $48,855 | 7.7% |
| Texas | $48,819 | -3.8% |
| Virginia | $48,670 | -5.0% |
| Maine | $48,430 | -0.9% |
| South Carolina | $48,375 | -5.6% |
| Alabama | $47,949 | -1.2% |
| Tennessee | $47,563 | -4.4% |
| Missouri | $47,517 | -0.7% |
| Kansas | $47,464 | -1.1% |
| North Dakota | $47,344 | 10.1% |
| Arkansas | $46,631 | -3.7% |
| Florida | $46,598 | -8.9% |
| North Carolina | $45,737 | -15.0% |
| New Mexico | $45,453 | -3.1% |
| West Virginia | $45,453 | -6.9% |
| Oklahoma | $44,373 | 0.2% |
| Mississippi | $41,814 | -6.2% |
| South Dakota | $39,018 | -5.2% |
Nate Robson can be reached at nrobson@oklahomawatch.org
Follow @OKWnate
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