by Howard Stephenson
Utah teachers receive the 18th highest overall compensation in the nation after adjusting for work experience, cost of living, and benefits, according to an analysis conducted by the Taxpayers Association. A survey of various studies also demonstrates that salaries for Utah educators have increased faster than salaries for educators in nearly all other states. Additionally, wages for Utah educators relative to wages for Utah workers are similar to wages for educators in other states relative to workers in those states. These conclusions were reached based on data from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA), Utah Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA), the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total Adjusted Compensation – Utah rank: 18th, less than 1% below U.S. average
Total adjusted compensation for Utah educators ranks 18th highest in the nation and is nearly identical to the national average, primarily due to a generous benefits package that adds an additional 36.6% benefit on top of teacher salaries. Nationally, educators receive benefits that amount to an additional 25.7% of salaries, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Compensation was also adjusted for cost of living and teacher experience. Utah’s cost of living index is 1.9% below the U.S. average, and average teaching experience for Utah educators is 12.8% lower than the U.S. average.
Without adjustments, Utah teacher salaries are 35th highest in the nation and 14% below the national average, according to the AFT (2002). According to the NEA (2001), Utah’s unadjusted teacher salaries are 38th highest in the nation and 16% below the national average. This is not surprising considering Utah’s average annual pay for all non-farm workers – accountants, lawyers, construction workers, etc. — is 17% below the national average, according to the BLS, confirming Utah’s reputation as a low-wage state for workers in general.
Teacher Salaries Compared to the Private Sector – Utah rank: 26th, 4.7% above U.S. average
Utah educators on average earn 28% more than the average Utah private sector worker. This ratio is 4.7% higher than the equivalent ratio for the nation as a whole and places Utah at 26th highest, according to the AFT. Utah’s current ranking is a significant improvement over its 1992 ranking of 46th highest.
Teacher Salaries Compared to College-educated Workers — Utah rank: 35th, 2.7% below U.S. average
Utah educators earn 0.9% more than the average college-educated Utah worker, which is slightly lower than the 3.7% that average U.S. teachers earn compared to average college-educated American workers, according to ALEC. The variation between the states is very low so that a slight 5% increase in Utah’s ratio would increase Utah’s ranking to 26th.
Teacher Salaries Compared to Per-Capita Personal Income – Utah rank: 11th, 8.9% higher than U.S. average
Utah ranks 11th in average teacher salaries compared to per-capita personal income. However, per-capita comparisons of Utah with other states are generally misleading due to Utah’s unique demographics which are driven by families with high numbers of non-wage earning children.
Teacher Salary Increases Over Time – Utah rank: 4th
Compared to their counterparts in other states, Utah educators have experienced healthy increases in salaries over the past ten years. According to the NEA and the AFT, Utah’s percent increase in average teacher salaries from 1992 to 2002 was fourth highest in the nation. During this period, nominal average teacher wages increased 43.8% in Utah while increasing 29.7% nationwide.
Utah Compared to Surrounding States
The following table summarizes the national rankings of Utah and surrounding states with regards to total adjusted compensation, relative salaries, and percent salary growth. Utah ranked especially high in percent wage increase, and if this trend continues, Utah educators will continue to move up the national rankings.
Rankings of Average Teacher Compensation in the West
|
State
|
Total Adjusted Compensation |
Average Teacher Salary Compared to
|
Percent Wage Increase (92-02)
|
|
| Private Sector | College Educated | |||
| Utah |
18
|
26
|
35
|
4
|
| Arizona |
41
|
40
|
3
|
40
|
| California |
10
|
19
|
17
|
15
|
| Colorado |
43
|
50
|
40
|
42
|
| Idaho |
20
|
4
|
28
|
1
|
| Montana |
47
|
5
|
9
|
35
|
| Nevada |
9
|
11
|
47
|
45
|
| New Mexico |
42
|
18
|
20
|
7
|
| Oregon |
7
|
6
|
18
|
12
|
| Washington |
21
|
39
|
24
|
34
|
| Wyoming |
28
|
12
|
30
|
36
|
| Sources: NEA, AFT, BLS, U.S. Census Bureau, ALEC; additional calculations by Utah Taxpayers Association | ||||
Conclusion
By most measures, compensation for Utah educators is close to the national average, especially when benefits are included.