Strong demand for students with science, technology, engineering and math skills is not translating into higher pay for Minnesota teachers who specialize in those fields.
A Star Tribune review of average salary data for metro educators shows teachers in math, science and technology are not the highest paid, despite what officials say is a crucial lack of science-savvy teachers and intense competition from jobs in these fields promising more — sometimes a lot more — money.
The average salaries of STEM teachers with less than 16 years of experience ranged from less than $40,000 to more than $55,000, with the Bloomington Public School District paying the highest average salary at $57,582, according to an analysis of the most recent state education data available for teachers in the seven-county metro area.
School officials say teacher salaries ebb and flow with demand. Right now, STEM skills are coveted.
"A decade ago we had shortages in special education, industrial technology and foreign languages. But now we have shortages in STEM teachers, physical education and social studies teachers," said Gary Amoroso, executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators.
The challenges become more pronounced when factoring in school budget shortfalls, a broader teacher shortage in all fields and intense competition from better-paying industries for people with STEM skills. "We have a teacher shortage, and that is a concern for all of us," Amoroso said.
'Worsening situation'
There are no quick and easy solutions. In Minnesota, school district administrators negotiate salaries with local unions, which is why there can be wide teacher pay discrepancies across the state.
Doug Mead first started teaching physics in 1999 and soon realized he was earning less than what he was making five years earlier working at a private lab — despite having earned a master's degree and having more experience.