Four recent reports released by the National Education Association (NEA) shed light on the state of educator pay and school funding in New Hampshire and other parts of the United States. Despite some improvements in educator salaries, the state still struggles with significant funding issues, notably ranking 50th nationwide in terms of state public education funding as a percentage of revenue receipts.
The reports include NEA’s “Rankings and Estimates,” known since the 1960s as an authoritative source for teacher salaries and per-student expenditure data. Other reports include the “Teacher Salary Benchmark Report,” the “Education Support Professional Earnings Report,” and the “Higher Education Faculty Salary Analysis.” These publications reveal insights into starting teacher salaries, school support staff earnings, and faculty pay on both state and national levels.
NEA-New Hampshire President Megan Tuttle addressed these concerns, stating, “Granite Staters overwhelmingly support our community public schools, which are attended by nearly 90% of students and 95% of students with a disability. New Hampshire educators are the backbone of our schools. They have committed their careers and lives to help their students build bright futures, but many face futures that are less than bright due to being undervalued and underpaid.”
According to the data, New Hampshire ranks 8th in total public school revenue receipts per student, amounting to $24,235, reflecting a 6.64% increase from the previous year. Yet, the state’s revenue as a portion of total revenue receipts per student remains at just 28.8%, placing it last in the nation.
The 2023-2024 average public school teacher salary saw a 4.68% rise to $67,170 but still lags behind New Hampshire’s living wage of $88,074. The average starting teacher salary increased by 2.4% to $42,588, which falls short of the 3% inflation rate increase.
Education Support Professionals in New Hampshire’s K-12 education earn an average of $32,762 a year, representing a 5.09% increase from the previous year, but still below the living wage. Over 77% of school districts offer starting salaries under $50,000, and nearly 34% of full-time education support professionals earn less than $25,000.
Megan Tuttle emphasized the vital role of educators and the need for better compensation, stating, “We are on the right track, but we must send a message to our legislators that they need to do more for New Hampshire educators and students.”
Founded in 1854, NEA-New Hampshire is the state’s largest public employee union, comprising over 17,000 members. The organization has been at the forefront of advocating for public school employees and promoting lifelong learning.
