Teacher salary at top private schools

[Anonymous]

We don't make very much. We couldnt afford to send our own kids to the schools where we teach, even with tuition remission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted talented teachers who are also certified. It is not impossible to get both all rolled up into one.

No, it is not impossible. Most teachers DS's private have at least master's degrees in some sort of educational field. Few are certified to teach in public schools. Having a certified teacher is no guarantee that a teacher is competent.

And having a Master's degree doesn't guarantee someone knows how to teach either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work at a big 3 school and NO teacher works from 7 am -11pm... maybe the older, single women for which school has become their life/escape or the English/history teachers when papers are due. But this is not the norm at all. I make about 60k, work 745-3ish, sometimes 5 and do probably 4 hrs of work on the weekend and get about 3+ months off per year. NOT BAD IMO. Could I live in DC and support a family on my salary, absolutely not, and that sucks. I am married to a big law partner and he works much harder than I... his job might be less physically tiring but his work his more mentally taxing and his job is much more stressful on a day to day basis. His work weighs on his mind when he is home 24/7 where as teaching is a joy most of the time.

Wow. I spend so much mental energy over all of my students when I'm not grading, planning or doing summer curriculum development. While teaching may be a "joy," it also weighs on my min close to 24/7 (and since I'm already working 9+ hour days during the week and 3-4 hours on the weekends, I'd count my teaching job as pretty stressful on a day to day basis. Rewarding as all get out, but pretty darn stressful. Especially with a little one at home and another on the way.

[Anonymous]

Guess what? The pay stinks but the kids are great. We love our jobs. The worst part? UNSUPPORTIVE PARENTS!! Parents who can't be bothered to help their children with homework. Parents who are like Velcro and send emails about every little thing. Parents who don't read class newsletters and then complain their kid didn't know about a test. For God's sake, if you care that much be there for your kid & advocate for your teachers.

[Anonymous]

My husband teaches at a private school. Next year will be his 14th year. He makes $46,000 a year. We will be able to send our son there for free (if we ever have one) but can send our girls to the sister school for free as well. The school used to give raises to teachers whenever they had a baby or got married, but since the economy tanked, they haven't been able to do that.

I am a public school teacher. I make $70,000 a year and will be starting my 13th year in the fall.

My husband is not certifed, I am. I have a "master's equivlency" (which means I have taken 30+ credits above my BS).

My husband works WAY HARDER THAN I DO. When a teacher is out, the school doesn't have subs, so they cover for each other. He does lunch duty a couple times a week (sometimes more if people are out) so on average, two times a week he goes all day without a break or a very small one and because of that is up until 1 or 2 in the morning grading and planning. They are in school from 8:30-3:30.

BUT he does it because he LOVES it. He is a very good teacher. He is at a Catholic school and would never teach public because he doesn't believe in much of what the public school system does (which creates very lively discussions between the two of us - like where our children will go one day...) The parents at his school are great, as are the President, headmaster, etc.

And, he is already done and won't go back until after Labor Day. I still have two weeks and go back August 20th.

It is nice that we are both off during Christmas, Spring Break, the summer, etc. It is a very family friendly schedule and, besides having a higher HHI, I wouldn't change a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband teaches at a private school. Next year will be his 14th year. He makes $46,000 a year. We will be able to send our son there for free (if we ever have one) but can send our girls to the sister school for free as well. The school used to give raises to teachers whenever they had a baby or got married, but since the economy tanked, they haven't been able to do that.

I am a public school teacher. I make $70,000 a year and will be starting my 13th year in the fall.

My husband is not certifed, I am. I have a "master's equivlency" (which means I have taken 30+ credits above my BS).

My husband works WAY HARDER THAN I DO. When a teacher is out, the school doesn't have subs, so they cover for each other. He does lunch duty a couple times a week (sometimes more if people are out) so on average, two times a week he goes all day without a break or a very small one and because of that is up until 1 or 2 in the morning grading and planning. They are in school from 8:30-3:30.

BUT he does it because he LOVES it. He is a very good teacher. He is at a Catholic school and would never teach public because he doesn't believe in much of what the public school system does (which creates very lively discussions between the two of us - like where our children will go one day...) The parents at his school are great, as are the President, headmaster, etc.

And, he is already done and won't go back until after Labor Day. I still have two weeks and go back August 20th.

It is nice that we are both off during Christmas, Spring Break, the summer, etc. It is a very family friendly schedule and, besides having a higher HHI, I wouldn't change a thing.

Wow, someone who's actually in a position to make a comparison. You don't get that very much on DCUM! Just a lot of unsupported opinions about what the poster *thinks* is going on "over there." Thanks, PP!

[Anonymous]

16:38- does your husband teach at heights? OnlY private I have heard of offering free tuition and previously doing raises when babies are born...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public schools usually pay much better, but at some private schools you have bright and creative teachers who are not licensed and could not teach in public schools if they wanted too without certain classes even though they are talented. Also, have heard men get paid more then women some places and sometimes science and math teachers do better, but don't know if that is true.

Teachers in public school should be paid well. I always thought Private school charging so much tuition should pay teachers well. Now, I realized if the teachers aren't any better, why bother to send kids to private school for such high tuition??!!

[Anonymous]

I work at a big name private. I make $72k and the benefits are terrible. I would be making $114k in my local public schools with benefits and retirement. My overall quality of life is much better. Although I still pay tuition , it's deeply discounted and I can send my kids to a far better school IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted talented teachers who are also certified. It is not impossible to get both all rolled up into one.

No, it is not impossible. Most teachers DS's private have at least master's degrees in some sort of educational field. Few are certified to teach in public schools. Having a certified teacher is no guarantee that a teacher is competent.

This is so, so true.

I’ve been teaching for over 25 years, with experience in both public and private. There are tremendous teachers in both settings, and it has absolutely nothing to do with certification. Some of the most ineffective teachers I’ve seen have been certified.

It’s not hard to get certified. Can you take a couple college courses and a few tests? Great, you’re certified! That’s has no bearing on your actual ability to teach.

[Anonymous]

Over the past 20 years, I've taught in public and private schools in DC, Boston, and a few other places (dh's job means we move a lot).

In general, private school teachers make less than public. In most cases, it is a lot less. I never understood how parents believing they were "paying for the best" could justify this. If you were buying a private jet to transport your family, would you want one built by engineers who are paid the highest in the industry, or would you prefer the jet built by engineers willing to accept a reduced salary/benefits, for whatever reason? Would you happily chirp that "The engineers who designed our jet are the best in the field, and they accepted a much lower salary because they just love what they do so much! They were so excited to work on designing OUR jet that they happily accepted the job even though it meant reduced circumstances for their own families and their retirement!" Would you REALLY be willing to assume this is even true? Why not pay slightly above industry standards and insist on full qualification, then pick and choose from the larger group of quality applicants your salary/benefits attracts, instead of...picking and choosing from the much smaller pool of applicants your tiny salary and reduced benefits (and dropped requirement for full qualification) attracts?

Sure, some teachers with wealthy spouses choose to work in private for the better experience, but that's a minority.

The truth is that privates are limited in who they can hire because of the low salaries. There are SOME teachers willing to accept much lower salaries/benefits just for the sake of better work experience, but that is not a majority.

Private schools don't require full certification in many cases because if they did, they would have an even tinier pool to draw from in selecting candidates actually willing to work there. It is a massive mistake to assume that the unqualified teachers working for lower salaries in private are all somehow better teachers: some are, but most aren't necessarily better, and in some cases are worse.

[Anonymous]

Poverty wages and there are some horrible teachers because they are not required to have a masters or be certified. Does having a masters and being certified make you a great teacher? It does not but at least you have been trained. Private schools pay more have worse teachers as PP said. It’s the admin who take all the money in private schools. My DD n-8 has 22 admin lol. Yes 22!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Poverty wages and there are some horrible teachers because they are not required to have a masters or be certified. Does having a masters and being certified make you a great teacher? It does not but at least you have been trained. Private schools pay more have worse teachers as PP said. It’s the admin who take all the money in private schools. My DD n-8 has 22 admin lol. Yes 22!

I work in a private school.

We are required to be certified. Everybody in my department has a masters and about half of us have two. We have one PhD in our dept and two working toward a PhD.

Most of us have over 15 years of experience and we go to professional development workshops throughout the summer (paid). That wasn’t available to me when I worked in public.

Our admin is the strongest I’ve ever worked with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poverty wages and there are some horrible teachers because they are not required to have a masters or be certified. Does having a masters and being certified make you a great teacher? It does not but at least you have been trained. Private schools pay more have worse teachers as PP said. It’s the admin who take all the money in private schools. My DD n-8 has 22 admin lol. Yes 22!

I work in a private school.

We are required to be certified. Everybody in my department has a masters and about half of us have two. We have one PhD in our dept and two working toward a PhD.

Most of us have over 15 years of experience and we go to professional development workshops throughout the summer (paid). That wasn’t available to me when I worked in public.

Our admin is the strongest I’ve ever worked with.

Would love to know what school this is!

[Anonymous]

The pta breakfasts + treats and end of year gifts are a lot better in private.