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Report: Missouri, Kentucky teachers some of the country's most underpaid; Illinois near national average

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Teacher, salary, money, education, school

(WSIL) -- A new report by the National Education Association shows Missouri and Kentucky teachers are some of the most underpaid in the country. 

Missouri’s average starting teacher pay is just over $33,000, the second lowest in the U.S. Only Montana ranked lower at $32,000.

Illinois ranked 23rd in the country for average starting teacher pay at $41,000, which is just below the national average. Kentucky wasn't too far ahead of Missouri, ranking 44th with a starting salary of $37,000.

for the full report. 

The report found that the average teacher salary fails to keep up with inflation. 

The report says, "Despite continuing to nurture and educate students amid unprecedented pandemic conditions, teachers are shockingly bringing home $2,179 less per year, on average, than they did a decade ago (when adjusted for inflation)."

The Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) most recent analysis of these pay statistics shows that teachers on average make 19.2% less annually when compared to similarly educated workers. 

When it comes to spending money on individual students, Illinois ranks 12th with an average of $17,500 per student. Kentucky comes in 35th with $12,000 per student and Missouri is once again towards the bottom of the list at 46th, spending an average of $10,400 per student.