The largest teacher union in the nation released its annual report Tuesday on educator pay. The data ranks West Virginia as 49th in the country.
The National Education Association’s 2022 review of teacher salaries in the United States shows that the average teacher salary in West Virginia is about $50,200 a year. Nationally, the average salary is about $65,200.
The report details that the “minimum living wage” for West Virginia educators is around $50,400 – about a $200 difference from the average annual salary.
Minimum living wage is defined by NEA as “income needed for a family of one adult and one child to have a modest but adequate standard of living in the most affordable metro area.” This data is based on 2020 dollars and was provided by the Economic Policy Institute.
For new teachers in West Virginia, the average starting salary is $37,900, which puts West Virginia 40th in the nation, according to the data.
In contrast, the NEA’s data ranks West Virginia 25th in the nation for student spending. West Virginia spends about $13,000 per year, per student.
From a higher education standpoint, NEA’s data show that West Virginia ranks 48th in the nation for faculty salaries, which averages about $75,500 a year in the state. Nationally, it’s closer to $91,900.
The report details the average salary for public school teachers nationally increased last year by nearly 2 percent.
However, when adjusted for inflation, salaries have declined by almost 4 percent over the past decade.