Teachers in Illinois Rank 3rd on Comfort Scale, So Where do Georgia Teachers Rank?

Reuters reported Monday that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanual was seeking a court injunction to force teachers from the City of Chicago Public Schools back to the classroom. In support of the legal action, Emanual claims that the strike is illegal because a deal has been struck and that a continuation of the strike endangers the public safety of the students. While there has been some debate on just what the strike was supposed to be about, wages were a part of the issue.

According to Reuters, teachers also had problems with the practice of closing down poorly performing schools and allowing charter schools to fill the void. This is a subject on the minds of voters here in Georgia at the moment with a referendum on the ballot on this issue in November.

When it comes to the salary dispute, however, it is difficult for people outside of Chicago to drum up much sympathy for a teacher salary scale in Chicago that is higher than the vast majority of teachers in the rest of the country. Although the cost of living in Illinois is higher than other parts of the country a “comfort scale,” according to Teacherportal.com, ranks Illinois 3^rd in the nation with an average salary of $64,507. Chicago is reportedly on the high end of that at $71,236 with some teachers earning three-figure salaries.

So how do Georgia’s teachers fare? According to Teacherportal.com, Georgia ranks 7^th on the comfort scale with the average salary at $52,000 - $12,000 less than Illinois. However, the cost of living in Georgia is not as high as Illinois. Teacherportal.com ranks Alabama at 20^th with an average salary of $47,803 and Florida 33^rd with an average salary of $45,732.

According to Teacherportal.com, the Peach state - at least in the surrounding states - is the place to be if teaching is your calling.