Oregon Ranked 4th Worst State for Teachers in the U.S.

Monday, September 26, 2016

GoLocalPDX News Team

Oregon has been ranked as the fourth worst state in the country for teachers, according to a recent study done by WalletHub.

Oregon ranks 48th for job opportunity and competition, and 46th for academic work and environment.

"Most educators don’t pursue their profession for the money. Despite their critical role in shaping young minds, teachers across the U.S. are shortchanged every year. In fact, education jobs are some of the lowest-paying occupations that require a bachelor’s degree, and their salaries consistently fail to keep up with inflation," said WalletHub.

The Rankings

Oregon ranks 48th behind South Dakota and Mississippi at 46 and 47, while ranking ahead of Arizona and West Virginia at 49 and 50 respectively.

Hawaii is ranked as the worst state for teachers while New Jersey is ranked as the best state for teachers.

For the full rankings, see the map below.

Source: WalletHub

The Method

To identify the teacher-friendliest states in the country, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions, including "job opportunity and competition" and "academic and work environment."

WalletHub then evaluated the categories using 16 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 indicating the best conditions for living and working as a teacher.

They then calculated the overall scores for each state and the district using the weighted average across all metrics, which was then used to put together the final ranking.

Job Opportunity & Competition - Total Points: 70

Average Starting Salary for Teachers: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Median Annual Salary for Teachers: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Teachers’ Income Growth Potential: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Average Teacher Pensions: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Projected Teacher Demand: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Public-School Enrollment Growth (Fall 2015 vs. Fall 2014): Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
10-Year Change in Teacher Salaries: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)

Academic & Work Environment - Total Points: 30