New research concludes that teachers are better off now than they were in 2024, underscoring the work superintendents are doing to invest in their teaching staff. However, burnout is still an issue.
Over the past four years, teachers have been more likely to report experiencing poor well-being compared to similar working adults, according to a new report from the RAND Corporation. Among female teachers in particular, they’ve been consistently more likely to experience frequent job-related stress and burnout than male teachers and similar working adults.
The good news, though, is that teachers’ overall job satisfaction is on the rise. In 2025, the share of teachers who intend to leave their jobs fell to 16% compared to 22% in 2024. This is likely due to a number of key factors.
For instance, teachers are working less than they did years prior. The average teacher now works 49 hours a week, compared to 53 in 202 and 2023.
Educators are now earning four percent more than they were in 2024, raising the average base teaching salary to $73,000. Forty-six percent of teachers said that they were better off financially than their parents, compared to 61% of similar working adults.
Additional research
Read District Administration’s coverage of further research that reveals the state of the superintendency and the student experience:
Superintendent salaries are now being outpaced by inflation
The superintendency is getting younger and the gender pay gap is closing, but overall superintendent salaries aren’t keeping up with inflation.
That’s according to data released by AASA, The School Superintendents Association (AASA) as part of its annual Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study. In its 13th year, the study paints a nationwide picture of school district leadership compensation and benefits.
Students grade their schools a B for these reasons
If asked to grade their school on overall quality and their relationship with teachers, students would give their schools a B, according to new research.
For the first time since the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup first administered the survey in 2023, students’ evaluation of their school improved from a B-. Additionally, the share of students rating their schools a C or lower fell to 29%, down from 36% last year.
