TEACHERS WORK MORE hours with a lower average base pay than other working Americans with similar vocations, according to a national Rand survey released Tuesday.
Teachers who took part in the annual Rand State of the Teacher survey reported working an average of 53 hours per week. The average similar worker logged 44 hours a week, according to the nonprofit research organization.
The teacher data was compared with the 2024 American Life Panel companion survey, a national survey of working adults.
Teachers ranked managing student behavior, low salaries and administrative work outside of teaching as the top sources of stress in their jobs. Teachers who consider themselves underpaid said they would need a $16,000 annual pay increase to be adequately compensated, according to the survey.
“Although teacher well-being seems to have stabilized at pre-pandemic levels, our data raise questions about the sustainability of the profession for Black teachers and female teachers in particular.”
Sy Doan, Rand researcher
Black teachers who were surveyed reported working more hours and being paid less than their peers. They also were more likely to say they have considered leaving their jobs.
Female teachers overall report higher levels of stress and burnout, and lower pay than their male counterparts.
“This is Rand’s fourth consecutive year collecting data that raise concerns about high stress and low pay in the teacher workforce,” said Sy Doan, lead author of the report and a policy researcher at the organization. “Although teacher well-being seems to have stabilized at pre-pandemic levels, our data raise questions about the sustainability of the profession for Black teachers and female teachers in particular.”
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