Educator

Pay scales for educators vary depending upon the grade level taught and the institution at which they teach. At the K-12 level, teachers can earn from $21,000 to $80,000, depending on years of experience and the school district in which they teach. At two-year colleges, starting salaries average about $35,000, but the upper salary limit is about the same as for K-12. Four-year colleges and universities typically offer starting salaries of about $40,000, and can rise to more than $100,000 for full professors whose research and publications have earned them renown in their fields.

Educators typically are free of teaching duties during the summer months, but those who work at the college level are expected to conduct research and publish even when classes are not in session. College-level teachers are also often eligible for sabbaticals, during which teaching duties are not required, but they are expected to use this time for a research project. A love of teaching and learning is needed for educators at all levels, but each student age group makes different demands on the teacher.