Attracting Teachers with Better Salaries.

• Position: Brief Article

To combat impending teacher shortages, many states have enacted legislation that raises salaries. While numerous factors influence whether potential teachers enter and stay within the profession, salaries remain a common way to attract them. New Jersey pays teachers the most at an average salary of $51,692. South Dakota ranks lowest with $28,386. When adjusting for cost of living, Michigan becomes the highest paying state followed closely by Pennsylvania, with Hawaii, despite paying teachers an average salary of more than $40,000, ranking last, Salaries increased 3.3 percent over the previous year.

Many states are beginning to see their salary rankings relative to other states rise after raising teacher salaries during previous sessions. North Carolina passed 11 states with an 11.3 percent salary increase over the previous year under the Excellent Schools Act enacted in 1997. Alabama, the District of Columbia and New Mexico reported salary increases exceeding 7 percent. In 2000, Alabama approved additional pay raises, pending...