Comments on: The Quick 10: The 10 Best-Paying Jobs in America

By: Mariah

Mariah — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:51:00 +0000

I am a teacher and I don’t think we should get paid as much as doctors, but yes, a little bit more.We are underpaid and that is a fact. It is a hard profession these days, especially if you work in a public school. As a teacher I also spend money every month buying supplies and materials for my class. I love what I do, and believe me I could be doing something else making more money. I feel I make a difference doing what I do and the emotional rewards sometimes cannot compare the money, but wouldn’t it be great to be more appreciated and make a little more???…yes,yes,yes.

By: Craig

Craig — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:15:48 +0000

Paid pennies?!?! I get paid less than a normal teacher and I would not consider myself getting paid pennies! Thats almost an insult! If all teachers are this greedy then that makes me worried for the kids they teach

Oh and why don’t you read Susan’s post, because I agree with it. What material would teachers have to use in the first place were it not discovered by others? Face it, intelligence is more genetics than being taught and also has a lot to do with that individual’s determination to succeed. An idiot can have the best teacher in the world and still be an idiot. There are many people out there that are self-taught as well! Teachers are not Gods, they are normal hard working individuals just like the rest of us.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:27:04 +0000

The only problem with the list is that it doesn’t include malpractice insurance or pro-bono work. Most of them also have student loans in excess of $100,000. They do get paid a bunch, but before anyone begins envisioning a career in the medical field, I would ask them to reconsider.

As for teachers, I can not fathom why we as a society allow such valuable people to be paid so little. In comparison to how much they give back to the community, they get paid pennies. Besides, there would be no doctors without teachers!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:49:06 +0000

Wow. I really hope that Shann does not end up teaching my kids. One would think that someone who just graduated from “teachers colledge” would “conincedently” recognize that she is “grossely” in need of a dictionary.

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:03:20 +0000

Shann if your going to word it that way, then shouldn’t the props be given to scientist and inventors and such? Teachers would have nothing to teach were it not discovered in the first place. Math formulas didn’t just pop out of thin air, elements didn’t just magically make themselves known! Without authors there wouldn’t be any books for english teachers to base lessons around, without scientists we would know nothing of the human body with which to teach anatomy! I could go on forever, so no I believe there are plenty of people out there who could do their job just fine without the help of teachers. There have also been plenty of highschool dropout in this world who have made something of their lives. Its GOOD teachers that make the difference, not just teachers in general. I’m not trying to be petty, but teachers do not make the world go round, its every aspect of society as a whole that does.

And nobody on this comment board mentioned anything about teachers not “earning” their salary. Everybody has to earn their salary and if they’re not, then they’re likely to be fired!

Oh and don’t pretend like you weren’t being sarcastic in your first post. We knew where you were going with that “simple remark.”

Yes not everybody can be a teacher, but I believe that stems more from the fact that not everybody is a people person which is about %50 of the job. Teaching IS a field most everybody can get into because its so diverse. There are so many areas one can teach in that its hard not to find a spot within teaching that one would fit nicely into. For the most part, everybody has an academic area that they excel at whether it be mathamatics,physical education, drivers education etc… thus its easy to find an area in which one could teach.

I am not trying to disrespect teachers Shann, but you make it out to sound like you are the creme de la creme of careers. In every career there are those who work hard, those who just get by, and those who suck. It’s the facts of life. Just because you are a teacher doesn’t mean you automatically deserve respect, you have to earn it like the rest of us. I’ve had plenty of teachers throughout my life that made me a better person and I respect the crap out of them!

By: Shann

Shann — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:52:47 +0000

It’s funny… all I asked is where teachers would rank on such a list. I never said that they should be the highest paying, and I never said they are grossely underpaid. (Funny how so much debate can come from such a simple remark!)
I just graduated from teachers colledge and look forward to a long career as a teacher regardless of pay. There are only 2 things that make me angry when people discuss teachers and that is
1) some say we don’t earn our salary, because teachers work hard and invest so much into each of their students, (and Collin, it’s not a card I’m playing, though I understand every job as it’s place, no one would be able to do their job if their weren’t taught by, guess what? A TEACHER!)
and 2) that anyone can be a teacher. It’s like saying anyone can be a computer analyst, a carpenter, a nurse (who conincedently should be paid more, you all do wonderful jobs!) or any other profession out there.
And for the record, you’d be surprised how much time, emotion, and yes, even money, teachers put into their class. They’re like second parents to your children, and warrent as much respect as any of you.

By: GTT

GTT — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:29:56 +0000

KIKI: I agree with you 100%.

I guess it has something to do with the fact that I dont ANYBODY who wouldnt say that they wanted to be paid more for their work or who would turn down a raise. Every job has its challenges and reasons why it “deserves a pay increase”. Anyone who tells you that they dont think they deserve to earn more money is lying. It´s just a fact of human nature.

By: Paula

Paula — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:06:09 +0000

Well said David!

By: Kiki

Kiki — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:46:11 +0000

Why does any discussion on salaries have to bring teachers into the mix? If you look at both the list of those who are highest paid and those who are lowest paid, you may notice that “teacher” is not on either list. They are certainly not overpaid, but I would not say that they are underpaid either.

By: David

David — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:21:01 +0000

To everyone who is saying that teachers should be paid as much as doctors, let’s consider for example #1 on the list here, anesthesiologists.

In terms of education/training, they have: 4 years of college + 4 years of med school + 4 year internship/anesthesia residency + optional 1-2 year fellowship (if you wanted to do a subspecialty, e.g. pediatric anesthesiology or something). So 8 years of education you pay for, plus 4-6 years of training during which you are paid very poorly.

Then, the job has a type of responsibility and stress to it that teachers do not have. Teachers can have off days once in a while with very little adverse affect on anyone. If an anesthesiologist makes a mistake or reacts poorly to a situation someone can quite realistically die. Sure, doctors make minor mistakes all the time with minor consequences, but the possibility is always there that your negligence could leave somebody dead when you least expect it. Teachers, as well as most other jobs, do not have this risk. While teachers have a great responsibility to their individual students and to society, it is not the same as what is literally a life-and-death matter.

Most people who decide they want to become teachers could likely do so and would likely be decent, if not outstanding teachers as long as they were committed to the job. There are less people who have what it takes to go through the years of education and stress to become physicians and surgeons. Why? Teaching requires an average level of intelligence and a great deal of dedication. Being a good physician requires an above-average level of intelligence (this could be argued, but it’s what the grades and test scored required to get into med school say) AND a great deal of dedication to get through all those years of school.

So why exactly should teachers be paid as much as doctors?