The Average New York State Teachers’ Salary is Shocking

There's not enough money to pay our teachers what they're worth, but statistics show that New York educators are already getting paid a pretty penny.

If there's one thing we all agree on, it's that our teachers deserve way more money than they make. Having to deal with a roomful of precocious children in an outdated environment with limited supplies and resources is not an easy job. In fact, it's downright exhausting.

New York State Teachers Average Salary Among Best in America

While teachers have a reputation for being overworked and underpaid, statistics show that New York State teachers are among the best paid in the country. A survey from the National Education Association released last month shows that educators in New York rank second in the nation when it comes to their annual salary.

In fact, teachers in New York make over $30,000 more per year than the national average. Here in the Hudson Valley, that number is actually much higher in several school districts.

How Much Do New York Teachers Make?

According to the NEA, teachers in New York pull in an average salary of $92,696, making them the second-highest-paid educators in the country after California. To put this in perspective, according to Indeed.com the average police officer in New York State earns $66,133.

In the Hudson Valley, 15 school districts pay a salary much higher than the state average. You can scroll down to see exactly what teachers in each Hudson Valley school district make.

Digging deeper into the numbers, New York is number one in the nation when it comes to per-student spending. Statistics show that the state pays out $30,867 in salary for every enrolled student.

However, it's not all good news for New York teachers. Like most other professions, starting pay falls below the minimum living wage. While the average beginning salary for a New York teacher is just under $50,000, the average adult and child need $70,000 a year to maintain a "modest but adequate" standard of living in most metropolitan areas.

Luckily, contracted pay increases quickly allow new teachers to reach that threshold after a few years of employment. Here in the Hudson Valley, even the lowest-paying school district pays teachers a salary far above the standard of living, as you can see below.