NH Ranked 50th Worst State for Teachers

Teaching can be a profoundly rewarding career, considering the critical role educators play in shaping young minds. But many teachers find themselves overworked and underpaid. Education jobs are among the lowest-paying occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree, (and often a master's) and teacher salaries consistently fail to keep up with inflation.

This combination of job pressures, low pay and lack of mobility forces many teachers to quit soon after they start. According to the National Education Association, about a fifth of all public-school teachers leave their positions within three years. Nearly half last fewer than five. Many teachers, especially novices, transfer to other schools or abandon the profession altogether “as the result of feeling overwhelmed, ineffective, and unsupported,” according to ASCD, a national nonprofit focused on improving education community.

To help America’s educators find the best opportunities and teaching environments, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 23 key indicators of teacher-friendliness. NH ranked 50th overall and scored 35.47 points out of a possible 100.

Under opportunity and competition, NH scored 51st, or dead last. This area looks at average starting salary, tenure, certification and public-school growth. The state fared a little better in the academic and work environment 13, which included student-teacher ratio, commute time and safety.

See the full survey at https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-teachers/7159/