Why Washington State Is One of The Best In the US For Teachers

You're hard pressed to find someone that doesn't appreciate teachers.  Many of us who are no longer in school can look back on those days and easily cite educators that had a huge impact on us at that age.  Students today do the same.  I've seen that appreciation first hand from students to their teachers and others in the education system.

World Teacher's Day (created in 1994) is October 5th.  Our friends at Wallethub.com took it upon themselves to find out where are the best places in the U.S. for those that accept that calling.  Most teachers will tell you that the reward of positively impact a child's life is huge.  I've seen that impact on teachers as well.  Around the country, the monetary aspect of teaching varies wildly.  How well does Washington State take care of its teachers?

The Evergreen State Is Far From The Worst State

Wallethub included the District of Columbia in its rankings so coming in dead last at 51 is the state that sits well above Canada geographically.  Maine is the nation's worst for teachers, followed by the state that might be the farthest from it, Hawaii.  Another state in our region is in the bottom 5 as Nevada takes 48th.  New Hampshire and Tennessee round out the bottom of the barrel of states to teach as a profession.

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Washington State Rocks For Teachers

Overall, Washington ranks second in Wallethub.com's rankings.  They place Washington 4th for opportunity & competition and 9th for academic and work environment.  California is tops for opportunity and competition while Maryland holds the brass ring for academic and work environment.  Where Washington really exceeds is in the salary category.

Teachers in Washington State Rank #2 in Salary

Over the last decade, teacher salaries have increased roughly 68% (the best in the nation) according to Wallethub's research.  The state now has the second-highest average annual salary, after adjusting for the cost of living, at $75,573, and the third-highest average starting salary, at $48,433.

Washington also has the fourth-lowest wait time for tenure, with teachers only needing to work three years.  Another area Washington State ranked in the top ten was accommodations for female teachers with children of their own.  The state is seventh best for teachers that are working moms.

You can see the full study, and Wallethub's methodology, by clicking here