Will being a teacher ever earn me a sustainable salary?

I agree with everything the first reply you got says. Teaching is a profession you should go into only if you have a passion for it. As he said you will not get rich but will be able to sustain yourself in a moderate lifestyle. To make extra money I taught summer school when the opportunity presented itself. What he said about an advanced degree is true. You will get more money for that in most school districts and if you have a Masters degree you can teach a course at a community college at night or weekends if you choose to and they have the opportunity open in your areas of interest. It is the best, most noble and most important profession, but only for those who have a passion for it cause teaching students any level, any subject area needs teachers with a passion to teach and make a difference. Good luck

Hi Camille!

As a university professor with a wife who worked in high schools her entire career, I will tell you that you won't get rich. However, the salary is livable and you can definitely get by. But you don't go into academia for the money. You go into it for the passion for helping students become better people who have the skills and knowledge to move to the next level. You are arming them for a successful life. Do it for the love!

After I left industry as a programmer, I would get calls from people I used to work with. They wanted to get into academia until I explained that I took a 75% pay cut and had never worked harder in my career. But I loved every second of it!

To make more money, get a graduate degree. You will make more money for every step (additional years of teaching.)

Best of luck!

Jeff

I would add, though, that while teachers are not "rich," their salaries make them solidly middle class. It is definitely possible to make a living on a teacher's salary. Moreover, the salary gets higher if you take additional classes and if you teach for more years. I would not worry about not being able to make ends meet as a teacher. That being said, you won't necessarily be as rich as you be if you went into finance or something like that.

Hope that helps!

Hi Camille! Unfortunately, education is not a lucrative career. However, you can also do part time jobs like tutoring or teaching college courses to supplement your salary.