
Teacher Pay Should Increase By Thousands Says New Poll of NY Residents
If you think teachers are underpaid in New York, you aren't alone.
A new poll finds a majority of New Yorkers say educators should be paid thousands more than they already are.
A report from New York Teach found educators in Central New York earn an average salary of $53,000 while those in Rochester earn about $2,000 more, which is on par with the profession's average salary in the state.
While that may seem like decent pay, New Yorkers feel the numbers could be a lot greater.
Read More: New York Ranks among Best States for Teacher Pay
Test Prep Insight polled over 3,000 individuals on first responder pay and what they think they really deserve.
When asked what the starting salary should be, respondents overwhelmingly said it should start at roughly $60,000.
The rationalization for the inflated number was that teachers help prepare the next generation for the workforce while supporting their emotional and social development.
About 40% of respondents said the prior reason was why teachers are an important profession, while 26% put the latter as their #1 answer.
Over 50% also said increasing teacher pay would attract and retain better qualified educators. About 30% said raising salaries would also improve the quality of education students receive.
These respondents were asked where they would like to see the money for these pay raises to come from, and their answers were varied.
About 38% said pay raises should come from federal funds while 32% said state budgets should allocate more money for teachers. About 28% said pay raises can be achieved if schools reduce administrative overhead while a meager 2% said they would be open to paying higher property taxes to support teachers.
How Did the Rest of America React to This Question?
While New Yorkers offered a generous number for teachers, it was actually quite low compared to what Americans as a whole felt about the issue.
On average, Americans say teachers should earn $17,344 per year - which is way more than New York's proposal of roughly $5,000 more.
Americans also felt the reason why teachers get shafted in the pay department is that political decisions have harmed them, with 38% blaming that reason for low pay.
You can check out this interactive map to see how each state independently voted.
Created by Test-Prep-Insight • Viewlarger version

50 Iconic New York State Attractions
Gallery Credit: Michael Karolyi
Study Names Top Colleges in Upstate New York for 2025 Academic Year
Gallery Credit: Dan Bahl
7 Perfect Winter Getaway Towns in Upstate New York
Gallery Credit: Traci Taylor
More From WIBX 950




![Policelli: Accusations Over Kaitlyn Conley Defense False [Video]](http://townsquare.media/site/41/files/2018/01/KaitlynConleyIMG_4239.jpg?w=980&q=75)



