are teacher salaries too high in Canada? (home, public schools)
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Here is what teachers in Canada make, this table is for a teacher with 8 years experience, a B.A. and a 2-yr teaching degree:
Province Salary Year
British Columbia (Vancouver) $73,972 2011
Alberta (Calgary) $87,954 2011
Saskatchewan $72,435 2010
Manitoba (Winnipeg) $76,547
Ontario (Toronto) $83,865 2011
Quebec (Montreal) $52,435
New Brunswick $72,536 2011
P.E.I. $64,608 2011
Newfoundland $69,994
These salaries are a lot higher than the average $40- $42,000 salary of a teacher in the U.S., yet people in the U.S. complain about overpaid teachers.
Just a guess but it might be compensation for the higher taxes we have to pay here in Canada, things like universal healthcare and many other social programs dont come free.
Might also be a bit skewed because it was for cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto you gave rather than the provinces as a whole. It makes sense for teachers in those cities to get paid more because the cost of living is much higher than it is in the US. Especially housing and food, so quality of life isn't that much higher. Also, in the end, you get what you pay for and I'm not sure I'd want to chintz out on the future of the country, the next generation, just to be better off today.
Yeah but they only work 10 months of the year with large Christmas breaks and every holiday off. So for the Ontario teacher salary of ~ $84 K a year for 10 months, that's $8,400 a month, which if it was 12 month salary would be over $100,000.
And the numbers I listed are for 8 years experience, whereas many teachers might teach for 15 or 20 years. They must be making over $100,000.
I just think it's strange that in the U.S. the high cost of teacher salaries is always coming up --- and here in Canada, where it really IS high, no one says a word.
Canadians are just too complacent. All the public servants make huge salaries and have huge pensions, and that's part of why Canadians are taxed to death.
They are not making too much. Teaching is very stressful and requires working both at school and at home (going over homework and hundreds of tests). Plus, you can't really get much in terms of promotions. Take out the economic incentive and all the smart people are going to look to other fields for work.
I love how supposedly american teachers are over paid, yet by virtually every measure public schools in the states suck. How about citing another country, one who's infrastructure isn't crumbling.
Also you mentioned people that are teacher for 8 years, I know in newfoundland you pretty much peak out at that point. So someone working for 30 years will not make significantly more.
Anyhow I do agree that some teachers may be over paid for the actual amount of work they do, however there are equally, teachers who are severly underpaid for their expertise. The problem is school structures aren't set up to compare and contrast teachers. The teacher is expected to get kids to pass a test that it is it.
I'm strong believer that alternative educational systems will be far more important in the coming generations.
I have friends that are teachers, and the biggest struggle they have is finding a job. There does seem to much uneven distribution of teachers in certain fields.
They are not making too much. Teaching is very stressful and requires working both at school and at home (going over homework and hundreds of tests). Plus, you can't really get much in terms of promotions. Take out the economic incentive and all the smart people are going to look to other fields for work.
this argument hardly stands.
where exactly will these smart people go to get $85K a year working for 10 months? And did you think teachers are the only ones who had to work after 5pm?
Try to work for a private company with a 2 year degree and 8 years of experience (someone about 30 years old) and make $85K a year, including the banks in Toronto, and I wish you good luck.
If the stats are factual, it goes without saying teachers are overpaid. The stress level is not comparable to many private sector jobs - you never get fired, recession proof, flexible hours (you don't teach 8 hours a day), strong union. Teachers are important, but to pay them $85k a year on average with 2 month vacation, that's ridiculous. I have 8 years of experience exactly, with a master's degree, and don't make that much, or half the vacation. Look for other fields to work, where?
On the contrary, I would love to be paid $75k instead of $85k, and keep the two month vacation. Anyone with me?
. It makes sense for teachers in those cities to get paid more because the cost of living is much higher than it is in the US. Especially housing and food, so quality of life isn't that much higher.
Following your logic, shouldn't all Canadians make higher income than those in comparable US cities?
For the same job and experience level in the private sector,
Is income in Vancouver higher than in Seattle?
Is income in Toronto high than in Chicago/Houston?
Is income in Montreal higher than in Philadelphia/Boston?
Alberta teachers making $87,954 is ridiculous considering the amount of time off they get. It is essentially a PT job.
I went to school in Calgary and my daughter does now. Their schedule is unbelievable as for the amount of days off compared to what we had. They don't go three weeks without a day off.
Off today Nov 1st.....wasn't a holiday just a few years ago. BTW my sister is a teacher, trust me nothing but free time on her hands.
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