Iowa teachers earn less than college-educated peers

Iowa public school teachers earn 16.3% less than their college-educated counterparts in other fields.

• That's according to a report from the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning group, which advocates for fair pay for low- and middle-income workers.

Why it matters: Teacher shortages are hitting schools in the Des Moines metro and across the country, and this pay gap can discourage college students from entering the profession, the report says.

The big picture: The national pay gap between teachers and similarly educated non-teachers grew to a record 23.5% in 2021.

• Inflation-adjusted weekly wages for teachers have remained essentially flat over the decades, increasing just $29 from 1996 to 2021, the institute found.
• College graduates in other professions saw wages increase $445 in the same period.

Zoom in: First-year teacher salaries for those with only a bachelor's degree start at $44,830 annually in the Des Moines school district.

Yes, but: The Iowa teacher pay gap is not the worst — Colorado's is 35.9%.