How Well Does Minnesota Take Care Of Its Teachers?

WalletHub recently completed a study to determine which of the United States of America takes the best care of its educators.

“Despite having one of the most crucial jobs in America – educating the next generation – teachers are often underpaid and underappreciated. The states that make a teaching career the most rewarding are those that compensate educators well, invest heavily in educational resources, pass laws that improve school-system quality, and provide supportive conditions that lead to low turnover," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. 

WalletHub compared the 50 states and District of Columbia using the categories "Opportunity and Competition" and "Academic & Work Environment," with the first category being given a higher weight.

Using those metrics, WalletHub determined New York to be the best state for teachers, followed by Washington, Virginia, Utah and Maryland. The five worst were Maine, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Nevada and Tennessee.

New York's high ranking is due in large part to their highest-in-the-country average annual salary for public school teachers at $82,571 (adjusted for the cost of living). New York also has the highest amount of funding per public school student at $31,839.

Minnesota finished in the upper-third of the states surveyed, ranking #16. The Land of 10,000 Lakes ranked 13th in the "Opportunity & Competition" category and 26th in the "Academic & Work Environment" category.