The penalty is severest among the most experienced teachers, the research by the think tank found, with senior teachers ages 45 to 54 earning 18 percent less than others in their age group who work in comparable professions.
Public school teachers in 2006 earned, on average, 15 percent less than workers in other professions that require similar education and skills, including accountants, reporters, nurses, and computer programmers, a report from the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute concludes.
That “teacher penalty” cuts across all 50 states, the study found, although the size varies. The gap exceeds 25 percent in 15 states and has expanded by 10.8 percent since 1996.
The penalty is severest among the most experienced teachers, the research by the think tank found, with senior teachers ages 45 to 54 earning 18 percent less than others in their age group who work in comparable professions.
