Florida ranked 50th nationally in average teacher pay for the third consecutive year, according to data released by the National Education Association on Apr. 27. The Florida Education Association said that despite a slight increase in salaries, teachers’ earnings have not kept pace with inflation.
The issue is significant as it affects families’ ability to afford basic needs and impacts students’ access to quality education. The union pointed out that state lawmakers have prioritized special interests over public schools for two decades, leading to underfunding and staffing shortages.
The average teacher salary in Florida rose to $56,663 for the 2025-26 school year, representing a 3.3% increase from the previous year. However, when adjusted for inflation over the past decade, average salaries fell by 12.4%. Education staff professionals earn an average of $34,645 per year—well below what is considered a living wage in Florida.
Andrew Spar, President of the Florida Education Association, described ongoing disruptions caused by teacher turnover: “In the past five years, my daughter has had her full roster of teachers for an entire school year only once… These incidents are a disruption to her learning and, unfortunately, they’ve become the norm for far too many students across Florida. When public dollars are diverted away from public schools, and teachers can’t afford to stay in the profession, it’s students who lose. Public schools have been forced to cut essential services, lay off teachers and staff, and increase class sizes—all of which put students last.”
According to the union’s statement on Apr. 27: “When we account for inflation, per-student funding in Gov. DeSantis’ proposed budget is down nearly $300 since the first budget he signed into law in 2019.” Despite claims of increased investment in education by state leaders during Governor DeSantis’s administration so far there has been no substantial improvement; per-student spending remains flat while voucher programs continue to draw funds away from public schools.
The report also highlights disparities within higher education faculty salaries: four-year university faculty rank twelfth nationally while those at two-year institutions rank twenty-ninth with more than a $40 thousand difference between them.
The Florida Education Association concluded that underinvestment threatens both student achievement and community well-being: “Every child deserves access to a free high-quality education… But today that promise is being broken and consequences are real.”
