Teachers' pay: Is it enough? | battlecreekenquirer.com | The Enquirer

Teachers' pay: Is it enough? | battlecreekenquirer.com | The Enquirer

Teachers' pay: Is it enough?

Michigan ranks high, but some say still falls short

ANNIE MARTIN • THE ENQUIRER • SEPTEMBER 5, 2010

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Michigan teachers are among the highest paid in the nation, but state and local union leaders say pay isn't keeping pace with the cost of living.

Michigan has the 11th-highest average teacher pay in the nation, according to the National Education Association. The average Michigan teacher is paid $56,096, though salaries vary significantly throughout the state.

California boasts the highest teacher pay at $65,808 and South Dakota has the lowest at $36,674.

Though Michigan's average teacher salary is higher than most, the state is losing ground, said Doug Pratt, director of public affairs for the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teachers union.

In most local districts, first-year teachers earn in the low to mid