Indiana's annual The Indiana Teacher Compensation Report summarizes data reported by school districts about educators' compensation, including benefits.
(Eric Weddle/WFYI)
Indiana lawmakers aredebating a billthat would raise the minimum teacher salary from $40,000 to $45,000—a move that could boost pay for many early-career educators. The proposal also requires schools to allocate a greater share of state funding to teacher salaries.
Gov. Mike Braun is alsoadvocating for an increasein teacher pay. As lawmakers take upSenate Bill 146, a recent state study offers a snapshot of what Indiana teachers are currently earning.
TheIndiana Teacher Compensation Reportshows the average teacher salary in the 2023-2024 school year has climbed to just over $60,000, an increase from the previous year. Nearly all school districts raised base salaries, though pay still varies widely across the state.
The 2023-24 school year data, self-reported by school employers, is released by the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board. Here are the major takeaways:
What is the average teacher pay? The statewide average salary for a full-time teacher was $60,557, up from $58,531 in the previous 2022-23 academic year.
Is pay increasing? Yes. During the last year, 98% of schools provided a base salary increase at an average of $3,338. In late 2024, most school districts finalized teacher contracts for thecurrent school year.
What is the pay for a starting teacher? The average salary for a first-year teacher was $48,129. Indiana law requires schools to pay teachers at least $40,000 annually.
How does experience impact pay? Teachers with more experience generally earn higher salaries.
A teacher with five years of experience earned an average of $52,268.
A teacher with 10 years of experience earned $56,993.
Teachers with 30 or more years of experience made an average of $78,613.
How high can teacher salaries go? While the minimum salary for teachers is set at $40,000, the report reveals a significant gap with the highest reported salary reaching $110,000.
Do teachers get extra pay? Yes, some schools offer supplemental stipends. Last year, 14,103 teachers—or 22% of all educators—received an average stipend of $1,619. However, the percentage of schools offering stipends is declining. In 2020-21, 63% of school districts provided stipends, but that number fell to 40% last year.
Are educators staying in the job? The report shows that 88% of teachers were retained from the previous school year. Meanwhile, 1,149 teachers retired in the last year, making up about 2% of the state’s educators. Thirteen school corporations offered retirement buyouts.
How much do teachers in charter schools make? The report does not cover schools without bargaining units, which includes all charter schools in Indiana. Teachers at charter schools have the right to organize and bargain collectively under state law but currently none do. Teacher salaries at charter schools, like those of all public educators and state employees, are publicly available through government records.
Eric Weddle is WFYI's education team editor. Contact Eric ateweddle@wfyi.orgor follow him on X at@ericweddle.
