Iowa teachers were paid some of the lowest starting wages in the country, according to a new report based on data before the state passed legislation raising pay.
A new report from the National Education Association tracking starting teacher pay ranked Iowa near the bottom of states for 2023-2024 school year.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds made increasing teacher pay one of her priorities during her 2024 Condition of the State address. Legislation passed that year will raise starting wages to $50,000 for the 2025-2026 school year and required increases for experienced teachers. The bill, House File 2612, also overhauled the state’s Area Education Agencies
Before the state of Iowa raised educators’ starting salaries, a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll found over 75% of Iowa adults favored increasing starting wages for public school teachers to $50,000.
How did Iowa rank for teacher pay in 2023-2024?
Iowa ranked 46th out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia for starting teacher pay. The average starting salary for teachers across the U.S. was $46,526, putting Iowa below the national average for the 2023-2025 school year.
The average teacher starting salary in Iowa was $40,997 during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the National Education Association. This is an increase from the 2022-2023 school year, when new teachers in Iowa starting wages averaged $39,986.
How much are Iowa teachers’ starting salaries?
House File 2612 is gradually increasing starting pay for teachers in Iowa over two school years.
For the 2024-2025 school year, minimum starting teacher pay increased to $47,500 from $33,500. For the 2025-2026 school year, starting pay will increase to $50,000.
Some school districts in Iowa already paid starting teachers more than the state’s starting wage.
At the time legislation was passed, Reynolds said the increases would show teachers that “Iowa values education and those who dedicate their careers to students, and their pay should absolutely reflect it.”
What states have the lowest starting teacher pay?
Here are the top five states with the lowest salaries for starting teachers during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the National Education Association.
How much are salaries for Iowa teachers with 12 years of experience?
The law also increased salaries for teachers with at least 12 years of experience. For the 2024-2025 school year, the minimum salary increased to $60,000. That wage will increase again for the 2025-2026 school year to $62,000, according to the Des Moines Register.
The average teacher salary in Iowa was $62,399 during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the National Education Association. This average wage is better nationally, putting Iowa 32nd in the nation.
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa’s starting teacher pay among lowest in US. When will it go up?