Annual Report Shows ONCE AGAIN Maine is Behind on Pay Compared to Rest of New England
The National Education Association, each year, collects, maintains, and analyzes data on issues and trends affecting the nation’s public education systems, their employees, and students. This report, Rankings of the States 2022, and Estimates of School Statistics 2023, contains data primarily based on information from state departments of education. Significant highlights of the report, including salary data, are below. MEA encourages local associations to familiarize themselves with this data and use the information as you negotiate your contracts.
U.S.A.
National Teacher Salary Average
$66,745
*2021-22 school year
State Average Salaries
Top 3 Average:
- $91,907
New York - $89,538
Massachusetts - $88,508
California
Bottom 3 Average:
- $47,902
Mississippi - $50,315
West Virginia - $50,592
South Dakota
Maine
SCHOOLS BY THE NUMBERS
2022 FALL ENROLLMENT
173,907
.44% increase from 2020
2022 NUMBER OF TEACHERS
14,907
Down from 14,981 in 2021
2022 NUMBER OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS
204
SALARY BY THE NUMBERS
STARTING TEACHER PAY 21-22
$39,101
37th in the U.S.
AVERAGE TEACHER SALARY
$58,757
28th in the U.S.
TEACHER PAY GAP
76 cents
MINIMUM LIVING WAGE
$54,307
NEW ENGLAND
Maine has increased in estimated average teacher salary to $60,391 from $58,757 in 2021-2022, but it is still the lowest in New England.
ESTIMATED AVG. TEACHER SALARY ’22-’23
| STATE | SALARY |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $92,307 |
| Connecticut | $83,400 |
| Rhode Island | $79, 289 |
| New Hampshire | $64,169 |
| Vermont | $63,291 |
| Maine | $60,391 |
AVERAGE TEACHER SALARY ’21-’22
| STATE | SALARY |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $89,538 |
| Connecticut | $81,185 |
| Rhode Island | $76,852 |
| Vermont | $62,866 |
| New Hampshire | $62,783 |
| Maine | $58,757 |
Change in Teacher Starting Salary Compared to Inflation (CPI-U)
| School Year | National Avg. Starting Salary | Salary Change | Inflation Rate | Real Growth Salary | Salary if Matched Inflation | Avg. Start Less Inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’19-’20 | $41,182 | 2.6% | 0.6% | 1.9% | $41,236 | -54 |
| ’20-’21 | $41,814 | 1.5% | 5.4% | -3.9% | $43,459 | -1,645 |
| ’21-’22 | $42,845 | 2.5% | 9.1% | -6.6% | $47,396 | -4,552 |
Higher Ed Earnings
Average Higher Ed Faculty Start
$84,209
37th in the U.S.
Average Higher Ed ESP Earnings
$38,279
46th in the U.S.
Average Salary and Change in Salary for Faculty on 9/10 month Contracts Maine
2021-2022
| Public Four Year | Public Two Year | Private |
|---|---|---|
| $84,209 Rank-37th | $59,606 Rank-32nd | $92,618 Rank-17th |
New England Salary Average for Four Year Public Univ. Faculty
| STATE | SALARY |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $109,530 |
| Massachusetts | $102,048 |
| Rhode Island | $98,997 |
| New Hampshire | $95,237 |
| Vermont | $88,273 |
| Maine | $84,209 |
Support Staff in Maine Schools
75% of all Support Staff work in K-12 public schools with the remaining 25% at higher education institutions.
Support Staff Representation in Maine K-12 Schools
- 27.9% ed techs
- 24.5% clerical
- 16.5% transportation
- 15.5% food service
- 11.4% custodial
- 4.2% all others
Less than $25k per year
Earnings for 44% of all support staff in Maine working full time
Average K-12 ESP Earnings
$30,856
28th in the U.S.
Salary ranking for Maine Support Staff pay when factoring both K-12 and higher education support staff employees
39 of 51
*figure includes the District of Columbia
Earning Categories for Full-Time Workers
K-12 ESP Work Force in Maine, 2021-2022
| Earning Category | Percentage Workforce |
|---|---|
| Under $15,000 | 17.9% |
| $15K-$24,999 | 26.1% |
| $25K-$34,999 | 28.0% |
| $35k-$44,999 | 17.2% |
| $45,000+ | 10.8% |
The Power of the Union for Support Staff Pay
