Minnesota Teacher Salaries

Ask any teacher why they chose a career in education, and they're likely to cite any number of reasons, from job security to the rewards of sharing knowledge with young people. Salaries might not be the number-one reason on the list, but educators are often well compensated beyond their base earnings with benefits such as pensions and insurance.

In Minnesota, teacher salaries averaged $53,069 in 2009-10, according to the National Education Association. That's a little below the national average salary for teachers, but thanks to a strong collective bargaining unit, Minnesota teachers enjoy benefits ranging from paid sick leave to cafeteria plan credits to health and life insurance. *

Of course, benefits vary quite a bit from district to district, and so do Minnesota teaching salaries. Other factors that affect a teacher's salary include how long you've been teaching, what type of certification you hold, and what grade level you teach. The median salary for middle school teachers in Minnesota, for example, is $42,718, while the median salary for secondary school teachers is $47,973. Special education teachers at the secondary level earn $54,301. **

Minnesota teacher salaries also show a lot of geographic variation. Generally speaking, in areas where the cost of living is greater, earnings are a bit higher for teachers and other public employees. Below is a sampling of average secondary school teacher salaries in five major Minnesota cities: ***

• Duluth: $48,570
• Grand Forks: $43,890
• Minneapolis/St. Paul: $50,970
• Rochester: $45,870
• St. Cloud: $50,490

If these Minnesota teacher salaries and benefits are making you eager to pursue an education career, start here on Teacher World with our list of accredited bachelor's degrees and master's degrees.

Sources:
* Saint Paul Public Schools
** Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
*** U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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