When I began teaching in Maine in 2012, my starting salary was $32,000. I soon found that this barely covered my rent, gas, groceries, and student loan payments. Like many other teachers, I picked up extra part-time jobs, coached after school, and worked through the summer to get by.
First day officially teaching!
My crew on their last day of 7th grade.
My 8th graders on a class trip to Washington DC!
Even though my salary was limited, I spent hundreds of dollars on my classroom. I built a library to help my middle school students enjoy reading, brought in snacks, and bought supplies. It was challenging, but I look back on those years fondly. The lessons my students and I learned together shaped my career and continue to guide me.
Those early days in my classroom continue to inform my work today, especially as I reflect on what first‑year educators face. In 2026, an educator entering their first year of teaching would need to earn $45,500 to have the same purchasing power as my salary in 2012. Yet 57% of districts still offer less, making the path even tougher for those beginning their careers in Maine’s classrooms. Educators make so many sacrifices, but our financial stability should not be one of them.
You may have seen that the MEA Salary Guide looks different this year. Rather than only listing the minimum and maximum salaries for each district, we took a closer look at the data. Our goal was to give a clearer and more useful picture of educator pay across Maine, showing trends, gaps, and what teachers actually experience. Local leaders can still find full wage scales in the MEA Contracts Database. We hope this new format gives you better insight and helps tell the bigger story behind the numbers.
Spring at MEA started off well when President Hargrove, Executive Director Rachelle Bristol, and I visited Oxford Hills to celebrate Read Across Maine. We had a great day sharing books by Maine authors with students from elementary to high school. The first graders gave President Hargrove rave reviews, sending thank-you notes saying he was “the best reader ever!”
If you missed this year’s Read Across Maine contest, there’s still time to join one of my favorite annual traditions: the “My Hero Works at School” essay contest. In June, we’ll celebrate two students and their school heroes at a Portland Sea Dogs game with President Hargrove.
March was also Youth Art Month, including celebrations at MEA Headquarters. We were happy to recognize talented young artists and the teachers who support their creativity. Their artwork is now on display at MEA Headquarters until November. If you have students who love art, encourage them to enter our “What I Love About School” cover contest. One student’s artwork will be chosen for the summer issue of The Maine Educator.
MEA is here to support you. We will keep fighting for better salaries and school funding, both at legislative hearings and local school boards. But we are stronger when more people join us to speak up for the funding and working conditions we all deserve. Find out how you can help advocate for your school budgets and learn more about getting involved in our legislative work.
Even on hard days, I hope you find small moments of joy that make our work meaningful. Maybe it’s the excitement from a read-aloud that inspires a love of reading, the pride on a student artist’s face when they see their work displayed, or the daily growth you help create in your classroom.
Samantha Burdick
MEA Director of Communications
