How Much Do You Think CPS Teachers Make?
By WBEZ Staff
How Much Do You Think CPS Teachers Make?
By WBEZ StaffAs the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools continue bargaining over a contract to avoid a teacher strike, salaries (and what counts as take home pay) are at the center of discussions. How much money are we talking about?
Quiz yourself and see what others guessed:
What do you think the yearly starting salary of a CPS teacher is?
“[I’m a] social worker, so they make about 20 percent more than [I] do. I’d say like $50,000, which I would kill for — so jealous.” - Patrick Gehrlich
“I have no idea what they make. [My teachers] always told me they weren’t satisfied with their wage.” - Mario Carbajal
“I’ve heard throughout the years that teachers don’t get paid what they should get paid, so I guessed $35,000.” - Troya Belk
“I know they start at much more than they used to. And I know that if you stay in for a while — I have friends that have been in for 30 years, they’re making close to $80,000. So it’s pretty profitable.” - Christine Scibetta
CORRECT ANSWER: $51,000
What do you think the average yearly salary of a CPS teacher is?
“I would say [they] make at least $50,000. I mean if they’ve been teaching at least three years they should be making in that range.” - Barbara Harvey
“I heard on the news that the average salary is $75,000. I would say that’s not too bad.” - Elizabeth Motyka
CORRECT ANSWER: $73,000
Do you think CPS teachers make enough?
“I don’t think that they need a raise. Knowing the average salary, I feel like they’re being compensated.” - John Czapkowicz
“Teachers teach history, they teach art, they teach all these different things that makes a person well-rounded. If everything just becomes about money [and] we don’t value teaching, then what happens is there are no values, none of what’s expressed in our humanity is appreciated.” - Kirk Stevens
“It’s so much money out here that’s being spent on frivolous, not important things. I think the teachers should get a raise, I think they should get paid what they deserve to be paid. Teaching is a hard job; it’s an important job. - Troya Belk
“With the way the kids are now and the graduation rates, 100 grand wouldn’t be enough I think.” - Christine Scibetta