Average teacher pay is higher than previous estimates

The Department of Public Instruction released the 2007 Highlights of the N.C. Public School Budget, one of my favorite DPI publications.

DPI estimates that the average (unadjusted) teacher salary is $46,410 a year. The latest NEA teacher salary report (under)estimated North Carolina’s nominal teacher salary to be $43,922 a year. My recent teacher pay ranking used the NEA figure, but I raised doubts about the accuracy of the estimate (See Note 7 of the report).

The DPI report also shows that teacher pay in North Carolina increased 100 percent since 1992-1993. The Consumer Price Index and state employee pay increased less than 50 percent during the same period.

UPDATE: Go Pitt!