How much does your school district pay teachers? Average salaries span $40K in SW Ohio

Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read
1
Teachers at New Miami Local schools make, on average, $51,345 per year, according to state data. The district is among the state's 20 lowest-paying school systems.
Teachers at New Miami Local schools make, on average, $51,345 per year, according to state data. The district is among the state's 20 lowest-paying school systems.

Local and national school leaders are concerned about a persistent teacher shortage spurred by mid-career resignations and an ever-dwindling pool of teaching candidates. Experts on a quest to mend the problem often scapegoat low pay, among other challenges for educators.

USA TODAY: American classrooms need more educators. Can virtual teachers step in to bridge the gap?

But in Cincinnati, the average pay for a public school teacher is well above the living wage.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's living wage calculator defines a living wage as "what one full-time worker must earn on an hourly basis to help cover the cost of their family’s minimum basic needs where they live while still being self-sufficient." In Hamilton County, the living wage for a single adult with no children is $18.86 per hour. For a two-adult household with two kids, if both parents work, the living wage is $25.59 per hour.

Cincinnati Public Schools' teachers make, on average, more than $77,000 per year, according to state data. That converts to $37.30 an hour if teachers worked 40-hour weeks every week of the year. Of course, teachers don't work every week of the year, and have the opportunity to make additional funds over the summer by teaching summer school or working other jobs.

Not every district in the region boasts high teacher pay. Teachers in southwest Ohio make between $51,000 and $90,000 per year on average, state data shows. Where a particular teacher falls on that scale depends on how long they've been in the profession, how many degrees they have and which district they work for.

More: 94% of Ohio’s teachers are white. Could that change any time soon?

Mason City Schools and Indian Hill Exempted Village School District are in the state's top 10 highest-paying school systems. New Miami Local Schools is among the state's 20 lowest-paying districts.

The table below shows average teacher salaries for all public school districts in Ohio's Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Southwest Ohio: How much is your school district paying its teachers?