Teacher or Garbage Man? (spring break, 2013, school)

[WithDisp]

A teacher with a masters degree makes less than a Garbage Man with a HS diploma in NYC after 5 years.
DSNY makes 70K base after 5 Years.

10 more years down the line the teacher salary gets better though.
After 15 years the teacher is up to 79K.

Which path would you have your kids pursue?
How did the salary system get so messed up in NYC?

[SobroGuy]

A salesman with not even a HS diploma can earn $500K+++, while Judges make $175K. The President of a college may earn $250K, while the Football Coach can earn $4 million. And on and on...

The salary system is not messed up just in NYC...it is dysfunctional across the country.

[mediumrare]

I ponder for how many years can a garbage man work for, since it is a physically taxing job? What is their average age of retirement? I'm guessing a lot younger than a teacher.

[sirtiger]

Originally Posted by WithDisp

Which path would you have your kids pursue?
How did the salary system get so messed up in NYC?

your logic is flawed. there is nothing messed up about this system. In fact it generous that teachers can collect pension with medical benefits for life with 20 yrs of service. Teacher's pension gets pretty generous at the 30 year mark. Its very plausible for a teacher to be retired in their mid 40s/early 50s

[SobroGuy]

They are unionized and you cannot fire them, at all, ever, at least here in NYC. There are guys on my route who are easily in their 50s and they can barely do the job....but nobody can touch them.

[FlaGuy07]

Teachers work less hours, so what is the hourly rate breakdown?

[Harlem resident]

Originally Posted by FlaGuy07

Teachers work less hours, so what is the hourly rate breakdown?

Teachers do not work fewer hours.

[likeminas]

Garbage men get paid a decent salary because is one the most dangerous jobs you can do.
The fatality rate for sanitation workers is higher than that of firemen and cops, just to give you a couple of examples.

America's most dangerous jobs - Sanitation workers (6) - CNNMoney

[FlaGuy07]

Originally Posted by Harlem resident

Teachers do not work fewer hours.

I thought most get a couple months off in the summer, week at thanksgiving, 2 weeks at Xmas, and one at spring break.

[sanman357]

Garbage doesn't talk back, or bring guns to school.