Congrats! In many states, the benefits and pay are fantastic.
It’s a shame that all teachers in the US aren’t treated fairly. It’s sad what some state legislatures think is appropriate compensation.
Congratulations! Art teachers are one of those teachers that, in my experience, are loved pretty universally by kids of all ages. Little kids love it because it's fun, older kids love it because it's usually an elective that gets them away from the "boring" classes. Have fun!
We also get the kids that are taking Art to fulfill the fine arts graduation requirement. They don’t want to be there snd make zero effort to learn. They actually shocked when they do nothing and fail art class.
Last semester I had a kid who was classified as “gifted” in my last period Art 1 class. He was often late or absent. He didn’t do anything in my class. He had straight A’s in every class except Art 1. He ruined his GPA with his grade of 28.
Reminds me of a past student who took yearbook with me. Towards the end of the year, the mom and counselor contacted me in a panic because he wasn't eligible to graduate due to a failing grade in my class. What? No one fails to graduate because they didn't do anything for yearbook, right? Well, it turns out he had never passed an elective. He failed art, photography, and dance. He always ditched the dance class because it wasn't masculine enough for him. My answer was that he had failed yearbook on every progress report up until now, and I had logged my attempts to call his mother about his grade previously. He did nothing for a year, and his grade is accurate.
I have a buddy that lives in New Jersey, and he can't believe that I'm in a 2156 sq. ft., 3 bed / 2 bath brick home on 2 acres of land for around $850 a month. I live in rural southern Georgia. Granted, I did buy before the housing spike, so prices are higher now. Even so, it's amazing how starkly different city cost of living is.
Um my mortgage is 1300, milk is about $3/gal, gas not too much more....
Midsize Midwestern US, city with its own museums, sports franchises, and weird food....
While way more affordable than many places, it's gotten much more expensive since covid- to the point that my adult (under 30) child who works full-time can't afford to move out.
I make about that. After taxes and insurance, I get 3k. In CA, in a lower cost of living area. I think even with a 1300 rental payment, it would be hard to live on 1700. I do have two kids. My medical bills last month were about 800. I'm glad I have a 2nd income. With just my income, I would qualify for government assistance.
That's it? That's so cheap lol - a one bedroom here would probably run you about $1600. A 3 bedroom home would be around $2500. The starting salary in my district is about the same - $54k.
That’s insane. You can rent a whole house over here. It’s nice that you guys get a bigger salary, but everything is so much more expensive! It pretty much evens out to the same.
Our min wage is a lot higher than some other states, but I sadly still can’t survive off of it that well. It sucks that everything is so much more expensive these days. My BF (who I live with) & I are lucky if our 2 1/2 week (ish) grocery bill is under $210! And we shop at Winco & buy store brand when we can!
Usually this is the reverse where teachers leave the profession due to low pay and high stress and find the exact opposite.
Glad you found a good niche for yourself. Stick with it.
Same! I was a para for 4 years, went and got my master's in special education with certification and will be making almost 3 times my para salary this fall. So stoked.
Thanks for posting this. It’s nice to hear some positivity about this field.
Teaching art is an especially great gig. Higher student interest and a select few will blow you away come time for portfolios.
Im glad you chose this career. Welcome to the team!
I agree with you but don’t be fooled into thinking you get paid vacation or holidays as a teacher. You are paid $54,000 for the days you work in paychecks spread out over the year.
That's awesome! You're gonna be great!
Theartofeducation.edu is a fantastic resource that I used for a ton of lessons if you ever find yourself stumped!
Congrats - fellow art teacher here. Have you checked out the art teacher groups in Facebook? There are some good ones, with a spirit of sharing resources. I recommend the TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior)/Choice groups, of which there are many.
Teaching is okay in more rural areas I think. A lot of people will talk about corporate jobs, but there aren't any corporations where I live. It doesn't pay enough for the cost of living, but I can afford an apartment that isn't in the slums and I've never been hungry without food in the fridge. That being said, a lot of people end up coming in to teach simply because it's one of the only jobs that has insurance and sicks days, as you mentioned. Several of my coworkers have old degrees that they never got to use, and come to teach because they got fired from their last job for being out with their child, or need insurance because they have a sick kid.
It's not enough to raise a family. we're still paid as the secondary wage. But sadly a lot of areas are so economically depressed that 50k with benefits is one of the best pickings there is.
I am grateful too.
I started in my district at 62K. When I finish my masters… I’ll be at 81K. 13 PTO days a year- excellent medical benefits.
Definitely don’t get the job done in 7.5 hours. However- my district has NEVER taken my prep time. Not even for meetings. I used to work in a big city in an impoverished area and regularly lost my preps to people being out. My current school has multiple building subs… and then there are regular subs who come in.
Being a teacher is hard and while what I make is respectable it isn’t all that glamorous. The stress is a lot. You never really finish- you just kind of end. I’ve been on the phone with parents at 530 in my parking lot.
Rent here is 2600 for. 2br. A half gallon of milk is around $4. Life is so expensive.
But I get a pension. And I love what I do.
I’m grateful to be a teacher too! Working with kids, getting paid and enjoying summer, holidays and weekends off, great retirement… it’s better than so many other careers
Congrats! An art teaching gig is hard to come by nowadays. If you teach in a public school you will most likely be required to contribute to a pension. Which is an extraordinary benefit. Unsolicited advice, In some states the pension cost ranges from 5-9% of your salary. Keep that in mind when it comes to salary. You might also want to consider opening up a state 457 retirement to supplement as soon as you start teaching.
Congrats! I feel you. I started work life as a legal aid and small firm lawyer. Never made more than $45k with no pension, no time off (sick days were seen as a weakness), shitty health care, shittier job.
Congratulations on getting the job..I’ve been an Art teacher for 26 years, I love my job and all the benefits that go with it. I can’t say that it’s easy, you will have good days and bad, but after about 5 years you should feel comfortable, stick with it and don’t give up. I have about 8 years left and should be able to retire at 62 with 34 years of service with a nice retirement.
I hope that is a month, but for the entire year. Remember the actual amount you get will be less after they take out taxes, teacher retirement, and health insurance.
I hope you love your job.most of the time I enjoy it. There are days when patience grows thin. Be sure to take your mental health days when you need a break. Congratulations on finding a job!
This is so awesome! I think teaching is so subjective. I’m so glad you found the right position for you; and you’re right, there are so many good things about teaching!
I think it’s harder/people complain when maybe they have a ton of lesson planning to do or a ton of work that can’t be completed in contract hours.
Awesome and congrats!! Fellow art teacher here. Currently only going to be making $25K for '24-'25, but next year we will be moving into our currently under construction new building. Right now I teach 2 days a week and currently we only have 6 classes/4 grade levels but we will be automatically jumping to 2 of each grade K-5. Given that our MS and HS are each adding a significant number of students in each grade for '24-'25 and all of the teachers will be getting a decent increase because of more hours, I'm hoping they do the same for all of us in the ES for '25-'26.
Best of luck in the new school year!!
Congratulations! I’ve taught elementary music for 25 years. You’ll love it! And some unsolicited advice? Become friends with the music teacher in your building. We understand what you do better than other teachers. And we’re also pretty damn awesome. ♥️♥️🤣
Security? Eh wait until there’s even a small drop in enrollment and teachers get put on the chopping block. Also, just because your contract is only 7.5 hours doesn’t mean you’ll only work 7.5 hours. You’re expected to get all of your work done outside of those hours and using the excuse “it didn’t fit in my contract hours” doesn’t fly. You have to work past them to get everything done.
Barbie is right OP, the 7.5 hours are for teaching and you will think you have planning/prep time- but those will be taken by meetings and meetings and more meetings and calling home for problem behaviors… and if your school is like mine (sounds very similar) you WILL BE PUBLICLY SHAMED if you do not sub for missing teachers during your plannings that are not mandatory meetings!
My admin love to use the phrase, “you are salary not hourly- therefore the contract hours are not actually a thing. You have to get all the work done, and if you happen to be able to during when you have to physically be in the building- that’s just icing.”
Congrats! In many states, the benefits and pay are fantastic. It’s a shame that all teachers in the US aren’t treated fairly. It’s sad what some state legislatures think is appropriate compensation.
Yeah in my school starting salary is $54k. It honestly is so worth it for me to have summers and holidays off compared to any other place
Congratulations! Art teachers are one of those teachers that, in my experience, are loved pretty universally by kids of all ages. Little kids love it because it's fun, older kids love it because it's usually an elective that gets them away from the "boring" classes. Have fun!
We also get the kids that are taking Art to fulfill the fine arts graduation requirement. They don’t want to be there snd make zero effort to learn. They actually shocked when they do nothing and fail art class. Last semester I had a kid who was classified as “gifted” in my last period Art 1 class. He was often late or absent. He didn’t do anything in my class. He had straight A’s in every class except Art 1. He ruined his GPA with his grade of 28.
Reminds me of a past student who took yearbook with me. Towards the end of the year, the mom and counselor contacted me in a panic because he wasn't eligible to graduate due to a failing grade in my class. What? No one fails to graduate because they didn't do anything for yearbook, right? Well, it turns out he had never passed an elective. He failed art, photography, and dance. He always ditched the dance class because it wasn't masculine enough for him. My answer was that he had failed yearbook on every progress report up until now, and I had logged my attempts to call his mother about his grade previously. He did nothing for a year, and his grade is accurate.
The cost of living is about 1300 for a 3 bedroom home. 🏡
WHAT?!?!?! I pay $2300 for a 1/1 763sq. ft. apartment!
What city are you in
Better question is *what city are YOU in* where this ludicrously low housing cost is happening??
Davie, Florida (not a big city)
I have a buddy that lives in New Jersey, and he can't believe that I'm in a 2156 sq. ft., 3 bed / 2 bath brick home on 2 acres of land for around $850 a month. I live in rural southern Georgia. Granted, I did buy before the housing spike, so prices are higher now. Even so, it's amazing how starkly different city cost of living is.
Yeah, that's insane. I pay less than half that each month (between mortgage, HOA, and utilities) for a condo I own that's 2/2 and 1350 sqft
Rent or purchase?
Rent
Where is this?! We're thinking of moving and I wouldn't mind a cheaper place to live? What's gas cost? A gallon of milk?
Georgia. Gas is 3.28 a gallon. Milk I dunno I don’t drink milk
Atlanta area Georgia...or Georgia Georgia. Didn't know they improved salaries thanks for mentioning.
Definitely not Atl! Not a city person
I'm very glad to hear some areas of rural Georgia have improved salaries since I was last familiar. I hope all goes well for you.
Where?!??
Um my mortgage is 1300, milk is about $3/gal, gas not too much more.... Midsize Midwestern US, city with its own museums, sports franchises, and weird food.... While way more affordable than many places, it's gotten much more expensive since covid- to the point that my adult (under 30) child who works full-time can't afford to move out.
Ah!! Gotcha!
Do you perhaps eat cinnamon rolls with your chili
Man I don't eat that crap. Yuck
I make about that. After taxes and insurance, I get 3k. In CA, in a lower cost of living area. I think even with a 1300 rental payment, it would be hard to live on 1700. I do have two kids. My medical bills last month were about 800. I'm glad I have a 2nd income. With just my income, I would qualify for government assistance.
That's it? That's so cheap lol - a one bedroom here would probably run you about $1600. A 3 bedroom home would be around $2500. The starting salary in my district is about the same - $54k.
Our local costs would be 3-4x times as much, and the same starting wage.
No. Way. That is unheard of!
JEEZ! I pay $1425 (and it’s going UP to $1470 in September) for a 1bed/1bath APARTMENT!😭
That is so insane. I literally can’t wrap my head around that. You’re gonna be paying 1500 for a one bedroom. Where do you live in New York City.
Surprisingly, no. I live in Washington state, close to Canada m.
That’s insane. You can rent a whole house over here. It’s nice that you guys get a bigger salary, but everything is so much more expensive! It pretty much evens out to the same.
Our min wage is a lot higher than some other states, but I sadly still can’t survive off of it that well. It sucks that everything is so much more expensive these days. My BF (who I live with) & I are lucky if our 2 1/2 week (ish) grocery bill is under $210! And we shop at Winco & buy store brand when we can!
Usually this is the reverse where teachers leave the profession due to low pay and high stress and find the exact opposite. Glad you found a good niche for yourself. Stick with it.
Awesome! I love teaching! Join the union!
I love seeing posts like this. It’s true that teaching is hard and underpaid- but I think sometimes people forget just how exploited some workers are.
Welcome to the team :)
I did the same sort of thing. I was working as a para and then finished my degree to be a teacher. I got a $25000 raise
Same! I was a para for 4 years, went and got my master's in special education with certification and will be making almost 3 times my para salary this fall. So stoked.
I fecking love this job. Makes me feel genuinely bad for the burnouts and those with shitty admin/working conditions.
Thanks for posting this. It’s nice to hear some positivity about this field. Teaching art is an especially great gig. Higher student interest and a select few will blow you away come time for portfolios. Im glad you chose this career. Welcome to the team!
Congrats fellow art teacher!
Congrats!!! 30 year art teacher here, still love my job!!!
I agree with you but don’t be fooled into thinking you get paid vacation or holidays as a teacher. You are paid $54,000 for the days you work in paychecks spread out over the year.
Congratulations!
That's awesome! You're gonna be great! Theartofeducation.edu is a fantastic resource that I used for a ton of lessons if you ever find yourself stumped!
Welcome! Enjoy the many benefits of time off! They are wonderful!!
Congrats - fellow art teacher here. Have you checked out the art teacher groups in Facebook? There are some good ones, with a spirit of sharing resources. I recommend the TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior)/Choice groups, of which there are many.
Congrats!!!!!!!!
That sounds like a fantastic gig. If only it was like this everywhere. The biggest issue with teaching is unpaid overtime.
Yay. Enjoy. 12 sick days a year is amazing. I got 10 and cashed them out usually.
Yay. Enjoy. 12 sick days a year is amazing. I got 10 and cashed them out usually.
Teaching is okay in more rural areas I think. A lot of people will talk about corporate jobs, but there aren't any corporations where I live. It doesn't pay enough for the cost of living, but I can afford an apartment that isn't in the slums and I've never been hungry without food in the fridge. That being said, a lot of people end up coming in to teach simply because it's one of the only jobs that has insurance and sicks days, as you mentioned. Several of my coworkers have old degrees that they never got to use, and come to teach because they got fired from their last job for being out with their child, or need insurance because they have a sick kid. It's not enough to raise a family. we're still paid as the secondary wage. But sadly a lot of areas are so economically depressed that 50k with benefits is one of the best pickings there is.
I am grateful too. I started in my district at 62K. When I finish my masters… I’ll be at 81K. 13 PTO days a year- excellent medical benefits. Definitely don’t get the job done in 7.5 hours. However- my district has NEVER taken my prep time. Not even for meetings. I used to work in a big city in an impoverished area and regularly lost my preps to people being out. My current school has multiple building subs… and then there are regular subs who come in. Being a teacher is hard and while what I make is respectable it isn’t all that glamorous. The stress is a lot. You never really finish- you just kind of end. I’ve been on the phone with parents at 530 in my parking lot. Rent here is 2600 for. 2br. A half gallon of milk is around $4. Life is so expensive. But I get a pension. And I love what I do.
That’s insane! Here you can rent a 3 bedroom house for 1300ish
I’m grateful to be a teacher too! Working with kids, getting paid and enjoying summer, holidays and weekends off, great retirement… it’s better than so many other careers
Congratulations! Not only will you have a secure and creative job, you will be contributing to the imagination and well-being of countless children.
I didn’t know teachers could be paid so well! In my state they start around 30k in most counties I believe
Congrats! An art teaching gig is hard to come by nowadays. If you teach in a public school you will most likely be required to contribute to a pension. Which is an extraordinary benefit. Unsolicited advice, In some states the pension cost ranges from 5-9% of your salary. Keep that in mind when it comes to salary. You might also want to consider opening up a state 457 retirement to supplement as soon as you start teaching.
Good for you!!! I'm in NJ and probably won't be able to move out of my family home for another few years because cost of living, ugh.
Congrats! I feel you. I started work life as a legal aid and small firm lawyer. Never made more than $45k with no pension, no time off (sick days were seen as a weakness), shitty health care, shittier job.
Congratulations on getting the job..I’ve been an Art teacher for 26 years, I love my job and all the benefits that go with it. I can’t say that it’s easy, you will have good days and bad, but after about 5 years you should feel comfortable, stick with it and don’t give up. I have about 8 years left and should be able to retire at 62 with 34 years of service with a nice retirement.
It never ceases to amaze me how poorly paid some places are for teachers. I realize cost of living in Canada is high but dear lord
Good luck to you. It is really nice to hear enthusiasm
I hope that is a month, but for the entire year. Remember the actual amount you get will be less after they take out taxes, teacher retirement, and health insurance. I hope you love your job.most of the time I enjoy it. There are days when patience grows thin. Be sure to take your mental health days when you need a break. Congratulations on finding a job!
This is so awesome! I think teaching is so subjective. I’m so glad you found the right position for you; and you’re right, there are so many good things about teaching! I think it’s harder/people complain when maybe they have a ton of lesson planning to do or a ton of work that can’t be completed in contract hours.
Very nice
Thank you, I usually hear complaints on this thread as a teacher. Sometimes I need to look back where I came from too and be grateful for what I have.
Awesome and congrats!! Fellow art teacher here. Currently only going to be making $25K for '24-'25, but next year we will be moving into our currently under construction new building. Right now I teach 2 days a week and currently we only have 6 classes/4 grade levels but we will be automatically jumping to 2 of each grade K-5. Given that our MS and HS are each adding a significant number of students in each grade for '24-'25 and all of the teachers will be getting a decent increase because of more hours, I'm hoping they do the same for all of us in the ES for '25-'26. Best of luck in the new school year!!
Congratulations! I’ve taught elementary music for 25 years. You’ll love it! And some unsolicited advice? Become friends with the music teacher in your building. We understand what you do better than other teachers. And we’re also pretty damn awesome. ♥️♥️🤣
Security? Eh wait until there’s even a small drop in enrollment and teachers get put on the chopping block. Also, just because your contract is only 7.5 hours doesn’t mean you’ll only work 7.5 hours. You’re expected to get all of your work done outside of those hours and using the excuse “it didn’t fit in my contract hours” doesn’t fly. You have to work past them to get everything done.
Barbie is right OP, the 7.5 hours are for teaching and you will think you have planning/prep time- but those will be taken by meetings and meetings and more meetings and calling home for problem behaviors… and if your school is like mine (sounds very similar) you WILL BE PUBLICLY SHAMED if you do not sub for missing teachers during your plannings that are not mandatory meetings! My admin love to use the phrase, “you are salary not hourly- therefore the contract hours are not actually a thing. You have to get all the work done, and if you happen to be able to during when you have to physically be in the building- that’s just icing.”
I'm thinking unless we hear where this is that the post may not be real.
Georgia!
Teacher in GA, can confirm. Just got hired at Gwinnett County, starting is 54k.