Michigan teachers are losing ground when it comes to their salaries compared to other states and professions, according to a recent report from Michigan State University’s Education Policy Collaborative.
The authors of the report are targeting lawmakers as schools across Michigan are anxiously waiting for state lawmakers to finalize an education budget.
The report found the state ranks 44th nationally in average starting teacher pay, down five spots since the 2021-22 school year. New teachers in Michigan earn approximately $41,600 annually, almost $4,900 below the national average.
The report’s authors say Michigan’s slipping competitive edge is making it harder to hire and retain teachers in the state.
The report, Teacher Compensation in Michigan: Recent Trends and Public Opinion, 2025 Update, released this month by Michigan State University’s Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC), highlights how the wage gap between teachers and comparably educated professionals in other fields is growing wider. Michigan teachers now earn nearly 23% less than other workers with similar levels of education and experience.
“Given trends in the broader labor market, we projected that the gap, known as the ‘teacher wage penalty,’ was likely to widen unless the state raised teacher pay,” authors of the report wrote.
Experienced teachers fare slightly better, but Michigan’s overall average salary ranking has also fallen from 16th to 19th nationally, now sitting at $69,100, roughly $3,000 less than the U.S. average.
“Low pay makes it harder to recruit and retain high-quality educators,” said Jason Burns, the lead author of the report. “Without stronger compensation, Michigan risks prolonging its current teacher shortages, which will negatively impact student achievement.”
Data from the spring round of the State of the State survey found that residents believe new teachers should earn around $54,600, roughly $13,000 more than current starting salaries. Additionally, they support raising average teacher salaries by $2,400 per year, for a preferred average salary of approximately $71,400.
Along with broader pay increases for all teachers, the public supports policies that would target Michigan’s teacher shortages, such as incentives for teachers who work in hard-to-staff schools and subjects.
When asked about financing these increases, Michiganders polled favored allocating more state funding to education. To fund teacher salary increases, nearly three-quarters support increased state investment in K-12 education, while fewer than one in five would support cutting existing educational programs or increasing class sizes.
“The public has outlined a clear roadmap, and state leaders should take note,” report co-author, Madeline Mavrogordato, said in a statement. “ As Michigan policymakers debate the upcoming state budget, findings from our report suggest there is a real opportunity to strengthen the educator workforce and ultimately improve educational outcomes by increasing K-12 funding for teacher salary increases.”
About Post Author
