How Much Money Do Teachers Make In Utah

Mrs. Sparks, a teacher at Arrowhead Elementary, welcomes students and briefs them on mask use on the first day back in class for Washington County School District Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.

As Utah teachers navigate the start of classes through mask-wearing, sanitizing and other COVID-19 safety measures, some parents may be thinking teachers aren't paid nearly enough for all they do.

A recent ranking from business.org, a Salt Lake City-based small business service, backs up this idea. Business.org recently ranked the 10 best and 10 worst states for teacher salaries and found Utah has the fourth-worst teacher salary in the nation at no. 48, beat only by the District of Columbia at no. 49, Colorado at no. 50 and Virginia at no. 51.

In contrast, New York has the best average teacher salary in the nation, with California at no. 2, Pennsylvania at no. 3 and Vermont at no. 4.

The ranking was made by comparing a state's average teacher salary to its average income. Data came from the National Education Center's 2018-2019 school year data and the United States Census Bureau's annual American Community Survey.

The average Utah teacher salary, according to the ranking, is $50,342, which is -20.1% less than Utah's average salary. The average earnings of full-time, year-round workers in Utah is $63,026.

Utah's average teacher salary has changed by -6.1% since 2010 and by -0.7% since 2018, the rankings also show.

Comparatively, New York's average teacher salary is $85,889, which is 11.5% more than the average New York salary. The average earnings of full-time, year-round workers is $77,058.

New York's average teacher salary has changed by 2.6% since 2010 and by -0.1% since 2018, according to the rankings.

However, business.org notes that New York's higher pay doesn't necessarily mean it's the best state for teachers to work in, as other factors like health and safety procedures, benefits and classroom size can impact the overall happiness and well-being of an educator.

For the full rankings, see business.org/hr/employees/best-us-states-for-teachers.

Kaitlyn Bancroft reports on faith, health, education, crime and under-served communities for The Spectrum & Daily News, a USA TODAY Network newsroom in St. George, Utah. You can reach her at KBancroft@thespectrum.com, or follow her on Twitter @katbancroft.