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Digest of Education Statistics
2006 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 71. Average base salary for full-time teachers in public elementary and secondary schools, by highest degree earned and years of full-time teaching: Selected years, 1990–91 through 2003–04 
Years of full-time
teaching experience
Number of
full-time teachers
Salary (current dollars) Salary (constant 2005–06 dollars)3 
Highest degree earned Highest degree earned
All teachers1  Bachelor's degree Master's degree Education specialist2  Doctor's degree All teachers1  Bachelor's degree Master's degree Education specialist2  Doctor's degree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1990–91                                            
Total 2,336,750 (20,958) $31,331 (97.1) $27,736 (102.8) $34,955 (125.3) $37,231 (390.5) $40,065 (816.6) $46,556 (144.3) $41,215 (152.8) $51,941 (186.2) $55,323 (580.3) $59,534 (1,213.4)
1 year or less 94,000 (3,014) 22,209 (200.3) 21,512 (207.0) 26,435 (863.3) 26,630 (982.1) (†) 33,000 (297.7) 31,965 (307.5) 39,281 (1,282.8) 39,570 (1,459.3) (†)
2 years 86,900 (2,963) 22,119 (162.3) 21,648 (147.4) 25,064 (505.1) (†) (†) 32,868 (241.2) 32,168 (219.0) 37,244 (750.5) (†) (†)
3 years 80,340 (2,542) 23,010 (177.3) 22,444 (174.2) 25,960 (694.6) (†) (†) 34,192 (263.4) 33,350 (258.8) 38,575 (1,032.2) (†) (†)
4 years 79,610 (3,271) 23,961 (236.4) 23,150 (245.7) 26,340 (526.0) 29,162 (1,489.3) (†) 35,605 (351.3) 34,400 (365.1) 39,139 (781.7) 43,332 (2,213.0) (†)
5 years 83,540 (3,238) 25,084 (201.5) 24,070 (240.5) 27,217 (436.4) 29,870 (2,194.7) (†) 37,274 (299.5) 35,766 (357.3) 40,443 (648.4) 44,384 (3,261.2) (†)
6 to 9 years 316,210 (6,805) 26,502 (108.5) 25,013 (135.3) 28,796 (237.4) 30,209 (761.1) (†) 39,381 (161.3) 37,167 (201.1) 42,788 (352.8) 44,888 (1,130.9) (†)
10 to 14 years 408,300 (7,843) 29,622 (160.9) 27,319 (171.9) 31,760 (299.5) 33,638 (592.0) 37,904 (1,942.7) 44,017 (239.1) 40,595 (255.4) 47,193 (445.0) 49,984 (879.7) 56,323 (2,886.7)
15 to 19 years 444,930 (7,580) 33,587 (209.0) 30,821 (252.8) 35,243 (248.4) 37,798 (841.9) 40,337 (1,548.3) 49,908 (310.6) 45,798 (375.6) 52,369 (369.1) 56,165 (1,251.0) 59,938 (2,300.7)
20 to 24 years 392,330 (8,038) 36,956 (202.4) 34,054 (274.3) 38,455 (242.6) 39,522 (838.4) 43,736 (1,391.4) 54,914 (300.8) 50,602 (407.7) 57,142 (360.5) 58,727 (1,245.8) 64,989 (2,067.5)
25 to 29 years 219,140 (6,214) 38,104 (305.4) 34,775 (409.2) 39,826 (369.6) 42,462 (1,257.0) 43,112 (2,179.4) 56,620 (453.7) 51,673 (608.0) 59,179 (549.3) 63,095 (1,867.9) 64,062 (3,238.4)
30 to 34 years 100,460 (4,766) 38,528 (379.6) 35,035 (450.8) 40,659 (489.4) 40,905 (1,596.1) (†) 57,250 (564.0) 52,060 (669.9) 60,416 (727.3) 60,782 (2,371.7) (†)
35 years or more 30,980 (2,515) 39,154 (888.3) 34,116 (1,258.3) 41,734 (1,115.7) (†) (†) 58,180 (1,320.0) 50,694 (1,869.7) 62,015 (1,657.9) (†) (†)
1993–94                                            
Total 2,329,730 (21,660) $34,189 (90.5) $30,152 (97.4) $38,479 (154.4) $40,680 (419.2) $41,650 (1,328.9) $46,529 (123.1) $41,036 (132.5) $52,367 (210.2) $55,363 (570.5) $56,683 (1,808.5)
1 year or less 105,540 (2,970) 23,637 (140.0) 23,024 (164.0) 26,956 (444.1) 28,470 (1,340.3) (†) 32,168 (190.5) 31,334 (223.1) 36,685 (604.4) 38,746 (1,824.0) (†)
2 years 95,880 (3,534) 24,401 (179.6) 23,688 (149.7) 27,202 (421.8) 25,185 (1,178.0) (†) 33,209 (244.4) 32,238 (203.7) 37,020 (574.1) 34,276 (1,603.2) (†)
3 years 87,840 (3,416) 25,305 (205.9) 24,286 (198.8) 29,981 (658.1) 28,731 (1,004.2) (†) 34,438 (280.2) 33,051 (270.5) 40,803 (895.7) 39,101 (1,366.6) (†)
4 years 98,760 (3,615) 26,320 (242.8) 25,164 (213.7) 30,200 (643.1) (†) (†) 35,820 (330.4) 34,247 (290.8) 41,100 (875.2) (†) (†)
5 years 90,470 (2,813) 27,136 (215.9) 25,845 (174.9) 30,106 (555.5) 30,639 (671.5) (†) 36,930 (293.9) 35,174 (238.1) 40,973 (756.0) 41,698 (913.9) (†)
6 to 9 years 306,960 (6,059) 29,167 (136.2) 27,122 (135.8) 32,241 (289.0) 34,341 (1,051.8) 32,167 (2,297.6) 39,694 (185.4) 36,911 (184.9) 43,879 (393.3) 46,735 (1,431.4) 43,777 (3,126.9)
10 to 14 years 362,360 (6,222) 32,289 (134.4) 29,751 (208.3) 34,733 (225.8) 37,316 (726.9) 39,625 (1,321.5) 43,943 (182.9) 40,489 (283.5) 47,269 (307.3) 50,785 (989.2) 53,927 (1,798.5)
15 to 19 years 372,480 (6,008) 36,107 (182.5) 33,267 (236.8) 38,355 (256.3) 38,647 (575.0) 40,310 (1,248.3) 49,139 (248.4) 45,274 (322.2) 52,199 (348.9) 52,596 (782.6) 54,859 (1,698.9)
20 to 24 years 407,660 (7,928) 39,620 (211.5) 36,536 (267.0) 41,358 (287.5) 43,563 (808.7) 46,126 (2,596.1) 53,921 (287.9) 49,724 (363.4) 56,285 (391.3) 59,287 (1,100.6) 62,775 (3,533.1)
25 to 29 years 264,520 (6,324) 42,833 (258.1) 38,802 (348.8) 45,011 (385.3) 45,977 (867.7) 53,684 (2,007.3) 58,293 (351.2) 52,807 (474.6) 61,257 (524.3) 62,571 (1,180.8) 73,060 (2,731.8)
30 to 34 years 105,460 (3,940) 43,558 (387.0) 39,502 (628.2) 45,434 (417.2) 49,519 (1,687.8) (†) 59,279 (526.7) 53,759 (855.0) 61,833 (567.7) 67,392 (2,297.0) (†)
35 years or more 31,790 (1,965) 42,799 (1,082.4) 37,379 (1,228.7) 46,016 (1,643.0) 45,004 (2,085.9) (†) 58,247 (1,473.1) 50,870 (1,672.2) 62,625 (2,236.0) 61,248 (2,838.8) (†)
1999–2000                                            
Total 2,742,210 (20,301) $39,891 (118.2) $35,306 (116.1) $44,704 (173.7) $47,987 (439.5) $48,176 (1418.1) $46,889 (139.0) $41,499 (136.4) $52,547 (204.2) $56,406 (516.5) $56,628 (1,666.9)
1 year or less 172,710 (5,492) 29,284 (165.6) 28,114 (149.8) 34,007 (446.1) 33,356 (1,009.0) (†) 34,421 (194.7) 33,046 (176.1) 39,973 (524.4) 39,208 (1,186.0) (†)
2 years 161,220 (5,678) 29,672 (179.2) 28,797 (165.0) 33,026 (404.2) (†) (†) 34,878 (210.6) 33,849 (194.0) 38,820 (475.1) (†) (†)
3 years 145,290 (4,630) 30,687 (169.2) 29,652 (198.8) 34,358 (369.6) 34,543 (1,340.6) (†) 36,071 (198.9) 34,854 (233.6) 40,386 (434.5) 40,603 (1,575.8) (†)
4 years 133,840 (5,657) 32,382 (257.9) 30,806 (232.5) 35,868 (665.4) 37,125 (1,354.4) (†) 38,063 (303.2) 36,210 (273.3) 42,160 (782.1) 43,638 (1,592.0) (†)
5 years 120,490 (4,300) 32,443 (253.3) 31,039 (287.1) 34,884 (392.2) 35,804 (1,915.2) (†) 38,135 (297.8) 36,484 (337.4) 41,004 (461.0) 42,086 (2,251.3) (†)
6 to 9 years 385,840 (8,205) 34,963 (167.2) 32,635 (190.5) 37,796 (240.2) 40,173 (836.2) 41,257 (2,301.6) 41,097 (196.6) 38,360 (223.9) 44,427 (282.3) 47,221 (982.9) (†)
10 to 14 years 382,730 (6,298) 39,337 (257.1) 36,160 (386.1) 42,069 (334.5) 44,836 (987.8) 36,501 (2,312.8) 46,238 (302.2) 42,504 (453.8) 49,449 (393.2) 52,702 (1,161.1) 42,905 (2,718.5)
15 to 19 years 321,740 (8,067) 43,397 (224.8) 40,275 (318.1) 45,927 (356.5) 47,266 (916.3) 34,891 (872.2) 51,010 (264.3) 47,341 (373.9) 53,985 (419.0) 55,558 (1,077.0) 41,012 (1,025.2)
20 to 24 years 351,730 (6,993) 45,651 (263.8) 41,259 (278.7) 48,483 (383.2) 49,001 (1,054.8) 33,426 (1,318.8) 53,659 (310.1) 48,497 (327.6) 56,988 (450.4) 57,597 (1,239.8) 39,290 (1,550.2)
25 to 29 years 329,170 (7,167) 48,540 (276.2) 44,752 (333.0) 50,166 (398.5) 54,234 (968.0) 38,152 (2,437.3) 57,055 (324.6) 52,604 (391.5) 58,967 (468.5) 63,749 (1,137.8) 44,845 (2,864.9)
30 to 34 years 185,470 (5,488) 52,155 (345.9) 47,265 (634.0) 54,244 (440.8) 55,994 (1,126.0) (†) 61,304 (406.6) 55,557 (745.2) 63,761 (518.2) 65,817 (1,323.5) (†)
35 years or more 51,990 (3,006) 50,619 (672.9) 46,690 (1,359.3) 52,272 (923.3) 56,204 (2,797.3) (†) 59,499 (791.0) 54,881 (1,597.8) 61,442 (1,085.3) 66,065 (3,288.0) (†)
2003–04                                            
Total 2,948,230 (28,203) $44,358 (244.8) $39,196 (299.7) $49,437 (202.0) $52,938 (458.1) $53,745 (1,294.5) $47,433 (261.7) $41,913 (320.5) $52,864 (216.0) $56,607 (489.9) $57,471 (1,384.3)
1 year or less 177,920 (17,391) 33,163 (381.3) 31,819 (341.9) 38,604 (731.8) 44,279 (5,029.7) 37,319 (1,690.3) 35,462 (407.7) 34,025 (365.6) 41,280 (782.6) 47,349 (5,378.4) 39,906 (1,807.5)
2 years 153,950 (17,695) 34,057 (284.2) 32,724 (333.9) 37,944 (645.9) 33,959 (1,299.0) (†) 36,417 (303.9) 34,993 (357.1) 40,574 (690.6) 36,313 (1,389.1) (†)
3 years 168,140 (9,009) 35,232 (349.1) 33,420 (282.3) 40,228 (682.6) 40,343 (3,172.5) (†) 37,674 (373.3) 35,737 (301.8) 43,017 (730.0) 43,139 (3,392.4) (†)
4 years 159,490 (6,723) 36,263 (265.4) 34,560 (279.1) 40,284 (529.5) 38,529 (1,798.6) (†) 38,777 (283.8) 36,956 (298.5) 43,076 (566.2) 41,200 (1,923.2) (†)
5 years 153,180 (6,194) 37,369 (403.1) 34,950 (324.5) 40,835 (762.7) 42,810 (1,956.8) (†) 39,960 (431.0) 37,373 (347.0) 43,666 (815.6) 45,778 (2,092.5) (†)
6 to 9 years 498,590 (13,859) 40,344 (200.5) 37,075 (208.9) 43,703 (299.6) 45,809 (1,308.4) 44,267 (2,320.6) 43,141 (214.4) 39,645 (223.4) 46,733 (320.3) 48,985 (1,399.1) 47,336 (2,481.4)
10 to 14 years 433,530 (14,595) 44,333 (257.0) 39,734 (267.4) 47,898 (392.8) 50,003 (956.2) 55,035 (3,584.3) 47,406 (274.8) 42,488 (286.0) 51,218 (420.0) 53,469 (1,022.5) 58,850 (3,832.7)
15 to 19 years 343,970 (9,606) 49,200 (356.1) 44,307 (481.7) 52,286 (469.1) 56,255 (1,349.4) 58,353 (3,442.6) 52,611 (380.8) 47,378 (515.1) 55,910 (501.6) 60,154 (1,442.9) 62,398 (3,681.2)
20 to 24 years 285,980 (8,434) 50,808 (362.3) 46,387 (374.5) 53,981 (582.7) 54,900 (998.6) 53,579 (3,530.9) 54,330 (387.4) 49,602 (400.4) 57,723 (623.1) 58,706 (1,067.9) 57,293 (3,775.6)
25 to 29 years 283,460 (11,809) 52,793 (280.7) 48,646 (487.9) 55,000 (411.3) 55,868 (975.3) 65,213 (3,524.3) 56,453 (300.2) 52,018 (521.7) 58,813 (439.9) 59,740 (1,042.9) 69,733 (3,768.7)
30 to 34 years 223,710 (11,435) 56,279 (427.6) 51,315 (606.2) 58,071 (565.8) 62,449 (1,389.0) 60,825 (2,663.7) 60,180 (457.3) 54,872 (648.2) 62,097 (605.0) 66,779 (1,485.2) 65,042 (2,848.4)
35 years or more 66,310 (3,427) 58,224 (754.6) 55,360 (1,296.4) 59,149 (978.2) 61,259 (2,224.2) (†) 62,260 (806.9) 59,197 (1,386.3) 63,249 (1,046.0) 65,505 (2,378.4) (†)
† Not applicable.
‡ Reporting standards not met.
1 Includes teachers with levels of education below the bachelor's degree (not shown separately).
2 Includes certificate of advanced graduate studies.
3 Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis.
NOTE: This table includes regular full-time teachers only; it excludes other staff even when they have full-time teaching duties (regular part-time teachers, itinerant teachers, long-term substitutes, administrators, library media specialists, other profes­sional staff, and support staff). Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Standard errors appear in parentheses.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), "Public Teacher Questionnaire," 1990–91, 1993–94, 1999–2000, and 2003–04; and "Charter Teacher Questionnaire," 1999–2000. (This table was prepared September 2006.)

2006 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest