Starting high school teacher salary...and how?

Question

What is the average salary for a starting high school teacher in the Maryland/Pennsylvania area? Also, how does one find a way to survive on such low income?

Answer 1

I make a little over 40,000 a year in PA.  

(High school and elementary teachers make the same amount- the salary increases for years  of service)

Answer 2

Both answers depend on the district that you live/teach in.  In Maryland, it is MUCH more expensive to live (housing rates are crazy).  The starting salary depends on which county you teach in, since schools are organized by county in MD.  Check the different county web sites for info.  The two I know right off the top of my head are Baltimore County (www.bcps.org) and Harford County (www.hcps.org).  I can tell you that first year teachers salaries in Harford County are somewhere around $40,000.

In Pennsylvania, it's a little bit different.  The schools are organized by district instead of state.  As such, there are A LOT more little districts in PA.  It's much cheaper to live for the most part, particularly compared to MD.  I also hear that it's much more difficult to get a job in PA.  The PA teachers unions tend to be hard liners and aren't afraid to strike, so they usually make more money than MD, while having a lower cost of living (striking is unheard of in MD.  The closest we come to it is a "work to the letter of the contract" strike).

If money is a major concern, try to get into PA.  That said, if your certification is outside of the big three (Math, Science, Special Education), then you should also try MD, as it is much easier to get a job.