What is the salary of a Visual Arts teacher?

What is it like to be a teacher? What is the starting salary?

• I am in my first semester of college, with an undecided major. I was planning on getting a degree in sonography to become an ultrasound technician, but I'm not sure if that something I would really enjoy, and I have to take a ton of science classes in order to get that degree and I really do not like science at all. In all honesty, all I want to be is a stay at home mother and my fiance has already agreed to that but I do want a back up degree and will probably want to start working when my child is in middle school or before. I was thinking of being a teacher because I think I would be good at it and I would have all the school breaks off with my child still.. I am just not very satisfied with their salary. An ultrasound technician makes a much higher salary than a teacher does. Im wondering what the starting off salary is, and would like to hear how hard it is, or isn't,(from a teacher) to live comfortably with that salary and with children?

• Answer:

  Pay depends on the area and the school. Starting salaries range anywhere from $25,000 (usually private schools) to $45,000+. In some areas, private schools do pay better, but in many areas they pay less. While private schools charge tuition, they are also responsible for purchasing everything for their school and get not federal funding. Your starting salary and average salary will depend on where you live. For example, in my area starting salary at the public school is around $43,000 and $26,000 at the private schools. In other areas, it can be as low at $30,000 in the public schools. Schools in may area also give much more generous raises from year to year than some other areas (such as the area where starting teacher salary is around $30,000. My state also gives a very generous pension. With two incomes, you can live quite well. With one income you will not be struggling, but you may not be able to afford yearly vacations, a brand new car, a big house, etc. Keep in mind that while you are home with your child for breaks and summers, you will most likely be working from home planning lessons, curriculum, revising, etc. At night, you may also be up late grading papers and planning lessons. People say teachers barely work, but they are always working!