According to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Education, the average base salary for public school teachers during the 2011-12 school year was $53,100. But as CNSNews.com reported, the average American household earned just over $50,000 in all of 2011. Two married public schools teachers would have a combined household income 212 percent higher than the average median. But that’s not all:
According to the NCES, many public school teachers are paid additional money—over and above their base salaries—by the public school systems that employ them. For example, 41.8 percent are paid an average of $2,500 during the school year to work in extracurricular activities; 4.4 percent get an average of $1,400 during the school year in compensation based on their students’ performance; and 7.9 percent get an average of $2,100 during the school year from other school-system sources.
Also, 16.1 percent of public school teachers have a second job outside the school system that employs them as a teacher. These teachers earn an average of $4,800 during the school year from those outside jobs.
When all sources of teacher income are taken into account, according to the NCES, the average teacher income during the 2011-2012 school year was $55,100.
And that figure excludes retirement pensions.
With figures like that, maybe teachers should have a bake sale for taxpayers.