The Latest from VEA

National Education Association (NEA) releases four reports detailing the state of pay for teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) in Virginia and around the country

Newly released National Education Association (NEA) reports reveal some incremental progress in educator pay in Virginia, but significant issues remain, including low wages, high vacancy rates, and persistent underfunding of schools. The reports underscore that despite recent increases, Virginia’s educators and support professionals remain substantially undervalued, jeopardizing the state’s ability to attract and retain quality staff.

The data released today include “Rankings and Estimates,” a report NEA has produced since the 1960s that is widely cited as an authoritative source on average teacher salaries and per-student expenditures; NEA’s “Teacher Salary Benchmark Report,” which provides information from over 12,000 school districts on starting teacher salaries and salaries at other points of the teaching career continuum; the “Education Support Professional Earnings Report,” offering a pay breakdown for school support staff, also known as education support professionals, working in K-12 public schools and higher education; and NEA’s “Higher Education Faculty Salary Analysis,” examining full-time faculty and graduate assistant salaries. Additionally, NEA released financial snapshots for four demographics: teachers at the preK-12 level, higher education faculty, and support staff at both the preK-12 and higher education levels.

VIRGINIA-SPECIFIC FINDINGS:

Teachers in Virginia are the backbone of our state’s democracy, despite being one of the most under appreciated and underpaid professions. We are seeing a shortage of educators, jeopardizing our children’s future. The data shows that while gains have been made in Virginia, pre-kindergarten to higher education teachers are still not making enough to support themselves. In fact, actual teacher pay for many has gone down when adjusted for inflation. While it might look like teachers are getting support, they are actually losing money, which has a direct impact on student learning.

Data highlights and trends:

• Average teacher salaries in Virginia increased 5.1% to $66,327 in 2023–2024, equating to an inflation-adjusted gain of $1,138 from the prior year.
• The average Virginia public school teacher estimated salary in the current year, 2024–2025, increased 3% from the previous year to $68,292, resulting in teachers making $108 more than in 2023-2024 when adjusted for inflation.
• Despite these increases, Virginia’s average teacher pay still falls $5,885 below the national average of $74,177. Virginia falls further behind the national average this year compared to the previous year.
• Inflation-adjusted average teacher pay in Virginia has declined over $3,000 compared to pre-pandemic levels and is on track to decrease by more than $1,000 during Governor Youngkin’s tenure.
• Average pay for Virginia K-12 school support staff was $34,490 in the 2023-2024 school year, about $500 below the national average.
• Over 35% of all full-time K-12 education support professionals earn less than $25,000 annually.
• In the current school year, Virginia’s estimated average expenditure per student (including state, local, and federal amounts) is $16,879, which is around $500 below the national average. The states with similar expenditures, including Nebraska, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, have much lower average incomes than Virginia.

Virginia began this school year facing a crisis with over 3,200 unfilled teaching positions, a more than fourfold increase compared with pre-pandemic levels. Virginia’s persistent salary gap is a key factor fueling this educator shortage, where teachers earn approximately $5,900 less than the national average. When compared to similarly educated professionals in other fields, Virginia teachers receive only 68 cents for every dollar earned by their peers, marking the third-worst pay gap nationwide.

Governor Youngkin frequently cites “historic investments” in education. However, a closer look reveals these increases often occurred not because of, but despite his administration’s proposals. Initially modest funding proposals from Governor Youngkin had to be significantly boosted by the General Assembly, reflecting the administration’s reluctance rather than its initiative or commitment. Even with recent budgetary increases, Virginia’s school funding and educator salaries remain well below national benchmarks, highlighting a disconnect between the Governor’s rhetoric and the actual investment needed to address long-standing issues. In inflation-adjusted terms, Virginia is now spending just 14% more per student in state aid than it was in 2008, despite growing significantly wealthier since that time.

“We recognize recent gains, but the reality remains stark: Virginia’s educators are still losing economic ground, and our schools face serious staffing shortages,” said Carol Bauer, president of the Virginia Education Association. “True historic investment means decisively closing salary gaps, adequately funding schools, and ensuring every classroom has a qualified teacher. Virginia must commit to real, sustained investments to attract and retain educators, rather than relying on incremental gains that barely keep pace with inflation.” 

VEA continues to advocate alongside General Assembly leadership committed to reaching the national average teacher salary by the 2027-2028 school year, emphasizing the urgency of electing state leaders who will follow through on this essential goal.