Failing Grade: Montana Teachers Face Nation’s Lowest Starting Pay

There are two types of people with jobs. Some people are working for their paycheck, and some people are doing what they love to do. Broadcasting has always been something I have wanted to do since I was a child. I enjoy coming into the studio and listening to music all day with my audience. Maybe that is why I have been doing it for 25 years now... Let me just say I didn't get into it for the money. Broadcasting is not the most lucrative career available.

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Teachers in Montana must feel the same way. For many educators in Montana, they are probably doing what they love to do. Because, like me, they are definitely not in it for the pay.

Montana ranks at the bottom for average teacher starting salary. While also ranking near the bottom for average teacher salary and average higher education faculty salary.

According to the National Education Association website

• Adjusted for inflation, on average, teachers are making 5% less than they did 10 years ago.

• The national average beginning teacher salary was $44,530.  At 3.9%, the increase in the average starting salary was the largest in the 14 years that NEA has been tracking teacher salary benchmarks. However, when adjusted for inflation, the starting teacher salaries are now $4,273 below the 2008-2009 levels.

Montana ranks 51st in the nation for "Starting Salary" for teachers. That means teachers fresh out of school are going to keep living that starving college kid lifestyle until later in their careers.

The average starting pay for Montana teachers is $34,476/ year. 

This is creating a problem for Montana recruiting quality educators to the state. With the starting salary being so low, and the regular average teacher salary also being ranked near the bottom, why would teachers want to work in Montana?

Let's hope our education system can figure out a way to get teachers the pay they deserve and the politicians can hold a "bake sale" to pay for their trips to the Capitol.