Tennessee Teacher Salaries

Educators who are looking for more bang for their buck might want to consider teaching in Tennessee. While Tennessee teacher salaries averaged $46,290 in 2009-10—below the national average—Tennessee's cost of living was the lowest in the nation during the third quarter of 2010. ⁽¹⁾. Not only that, teachers in Tennessee earned nearly $9,000 more than the average wage for all occupations in the state. ⁽²⁾ Tennessee definitely values its educators.

Besides the obvious Tennessee teacher salary numbers, there are numerous other advantages to joining the teaching profession. The primary rewards, of course, are intangible: it's immeasurably satisfying to have a prominent role in educating tomorrow's generation. A bit more tangible are the generous benefits that usually come with school employment: long vacations, health and dental insurance, retirement benefit plans, and more. ⁽³⁾

Tennessee teacher salaries and benefits do vary quite a bit, though; the average numbers can only give you a general idea of what teachers earn. Factors affecting teacher compensation include what grade level you teach, how much experience you have, and whether you hold an advanced degree. Elementary school teachers in Tennessee, for instance, earned an average of $46,283 in 2010, while middle school teachers earned $45,017. ⁽²⁾

If you're looking for higher Tennessee teacher salaries, you might want to hop on the last train to Clarksville—or maybe take the Chattanooga choo-choo—as there is also some variation in teacher earnings between metropolitan areas. Here are average secondary school salaries for the five largest cities in Tennessee: ⁽⁴⁾

• Chattanooga: $47,850
• Clarksville: $54,680
• Knoxville: $47,200
• Memphis: $47,970
• Nashville: $45,490

If you want to make a good salary and enjoy the many benefits of being a teacher in Tennessee, find the right teacher training for you on Teacher World!

Sources:
(1) Missouri Economic Research and Information Center
(2) Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
(3) Nashville Public Schools
(4) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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