Washington Teacher Salaries

If you're thinking about becoming a teacher in Washington, you'll want to do your research. Besides making sure you're familiar with the educational requirements and certification regulations, diligent job seekers will also want to investigate Washington teacher salaries. The National Education Association reports an average annual salary of $53,653 for Washington educators, only slightly lower than the national average for teachers, but 11 percent higher than the mean annual earnings throughout the state.

Breaking the Washington teacher salary numbers down further, it's easy to see that annual compensation is affected by factors such as what grade level you teach, how long you've been teaching, and what degree you've earned. Kindergarten teachers made an average salary of $48,483 in 2010; by comparison, secondary school teachers earned $58,613. Washington teacher salaries for educators with a master's degree are around $6,800 higher than salaries for bachelor's degree holders. Experience also makes a difference: for teachers with a bachelor's degree, five additional years in the classroom can mean $2,255 more in annual income.*

Where you live within Washington state also has an effect on your mean salary. Average Washington teacher salaries for secondary school educators vary quite a bit from city to city:**

• Bellingham: $54,390
• Seattle: $59,470
• Spokane: $57,030
• Tacoma: $57,650
• Yakima: $54,280

Although base annual salaries for teachers vary widely, one thing teachers in Washington can count on is a competitive benefits package. Besides the reward of a long summer vacation, full-time teachers generally also receive medical and dental insurance, group life insurance, flexible spending accounts, tax-sheltered annuity programs, and other advantages.***

If the great Washington state teacher salaries and benefits have you tempted to enter the education industry, Teacher World is here to help you become a teacher in Washington. Find an education degree program today!

Sources:
Washington State Employment Security Department, unless otherwise indicated
* TeachWashington.org
** U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
*** Seattle Public Schools

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