The salary earned by a Pennsylvania certified teacher is generally better than the national average when experience and education level is taken into account. However, salary issues have caused contention in recent years between teachers’ unions and public watchdog groups. Through the first half of 2012, Pennsylvania public schools endured two separate strikes affecting 600 teachers in isolated school districts. Those interested in becoming a teacher in Pennsylvania should be aware of the volatility of this issue.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released salary information that indicated the salary levels of elementary, middle school, and secondary teachers across Pennsylvania. As of May 2010, all three earned average salaries between $53,000 per year and $59,000 per year. Substitute teachers earn a prorated salary based on the salaries paid to full-time teachers by a district. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) reported that substitutes in Pennsylvania earned daily wages ranging from $70 to $155 during the 2010-2011 school year.
Earning a teaching certification in Pennsylvania results in better salaries than the national average for all common positions, except that of preschool teachers. The following salary statistics from the BLS provide a salary snapshot of Pennsylvania teachers from May 2011.
| Occupation | Annual mean wage in Pennsylvania | Annual mean wage in U.S. |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $88,550 | $86,620 |
| Physics Teachers Postsecondary | $93,930 | $86,730 |
| Psychology Teachers Postsecondary | $79,380 | $74,890 |
| Education Teachers Postsecondary | $72,500 | $65,050 |
| English Language and Literature Teachers Postsecondary | $73,640 | $68,760 |
| Preschool Teachers Except Special Education | $27,920 | $30,150 |
| Kindergarten Teachers Except Special Education | $55,510 | $52,350 |
| Elementary School Teachers Except Special Education | $55,590 | $55,270 |
| Middle School Teachers Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $61,030 | $55,780 |
| Secondary School Teachers Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $58,550 | $56,760 |
| Special Education Teachers Preschool Kindergarten and Elementary School | $60,440 | $56,460 |
| Special Education Teachers Middle School | $64,710 | $58,420 |
| Special Education Teachers Secondary School | $61,560 | $59,080 |
An individual completing their teaching requirements in Pennsylvania will earn a salary based on the salary schedule enforced by their school district. In Pennsylvania, teachers from the Philadelphia metro area make significantly more than the national average.
| City | Annual mean wage |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $53,640 |
| Philadelphia PA Metropolitan Division | $56,470 |
| Pittsburgh PA | $54,530 |
Resources
- Pennsylvania School Boards Association – Salary Schedule Terms
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Annual earnings estimates for education, training and library positions in Pennsylvania