The school year is in full swing in Georgia, and while students may already be counting down the days until next summer break, teachers know there is a long way to go.
There are more than 120,000 educators across the Peach State who have chosen to make education their priority.
But is Georgia a good place to work as a teacher?
According to a new report from WalletHub, Georgia ranks as one of the top states for teachers anywhere in the United States.
"Education remains one of the lowest-paying occupations requiring a bachelor's degree, and teacher salaries have not kept pace with inflation. Adjusted for inflation, on average, teachers are making 5% less than they did 10 years ago," according to the report. "Compensation and working conditions vary
widely across the country, with some states offering far stronger support for educators than others."
Georgia ranked No. 6 for teachers
The analysis measured 24 factors from teacher-friendliness to growth potential to pupil-teacher ratios and public school spending.
"The states that make a teaching career the most rewarding are those that compensate educators well, invest heavily in educational resources, pass laws that improve school-system resources, pass laws that improve school-system quality, and provide supportive conditions that lead to low turnover," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report.
Here are the top ten states:
- Washington
- New York
- Virginia
- Illinois
- Utah
- Georgia
- Maryland
- New Jersey
- California
- Connecticut
Georgia was the only Southern state to break the top ten, with the next closest, Kentucky, coming in 15th overall.
Other southeastern states like Florida, Mississippi and Alabama came in 17th, 21st and 22nd, respectively. South Carolina was ranked 24th, Tennessee came in 27th and Louisiana was ranked 37th.
Report factors included starting salary, income growth potential, teacher pensions, length of time before tenure, digital learning plans, state guidance, teaching evaluation requirements, commute time and working mom-friendliness, among other metrics.
What is the average Georgia teaching salary?
According to the National Education Association, the state of Georgia is in the middle of the pack for teacher salaries.
A teacher makes on average in Georgia $71,524 per year, with first-year teachers making about $48,000 a year. Both values rank Georgia 21st nationally.
For the full report, visit nea.org/resource-library/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Georgia ranked among best U.S. states for teachers. Here's why
