The Case for More Gen Z Teachers

To be sure, teaching salaries could be higher. The average starting salary for the class of 2024 was $65,677 and the average entry-level teaching salary is $46,526. Yet, teaching still has so much to offer college graduates. Entry-level teaching salaries exceed $50,000 in 13 states. Plus, these jobs typically include generous health care coverage and retirement benefits and can promise long-term career security. 

Importantly, teaching aligns with what Gen Z workers say they want from a job. Three-quarters of Gen Z workers rank purpose above a paycheck. Indeed, surveys show that today’s graduates value job security, purpose, and the chance to contribute to their communities. Teaching offers all three. Yet the message many young people hear is the opposite. They are told that teaching is low-status, financially risky, and only worth pursuing as a lifelong sacrifice.

That message is reinforced by outdated systems that make it harder than necessary to enter the profession. Aspiring teachers are often required to complete costly master’s degrees and unpaid student-teaching placements before earning a full paycheck.