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Best and worst states for teachers released in new ranking
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A WalletHub study ranked all U.S. states plus Washington, D.C., by how well teachers do in each one. The study took 13 metrics into account, according to WalletHub. - photo by Payton Davis
Low pay isn't the only aspect that makes experienced and new teachers alike question if they can stay in education.

According to WalletHub, underwhelming wages, poor treatment and stress lead to a situation where "about a fifth of all newly minted public-school teachers leave their positions before the end of their first year" with half of teachers not lasting more than five years.

WalletHub reported its experts hoped to highlight promising teaching opportunities in the "2015's Best and Worst States for Teachers" list with those struggles in mind. From highest annual salaries to lowest pupil-to-teacher ratio, WalletHub's staff kept 13 metrics in mind to rank all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., on how teachers fare across the nation.

If taking WalletHub's study into account during the job hunt, educators should flock to Massachusetts, Virginia and Minnesota, according to Education World.

And they should also avoid Arizona, North Carolina and West Virginia.

"In the second-worst state, North Carolina, it ranks 40th in average teacher salary, 12th worst in worst median annual salary and 49th in 10-year change in teacher salaries," Education World's report read. "This information, coupled with being just average in categories such as pupil-to-student ratios makes the state, according to the study, a particularly bad state to teach in."

WalletHub's study not only ranked states in each criteria but also listed the difference between the top and bottom state in each category. According to the study, salaries in Michigan, the state with the top pay, double those given to teachers in Hawaii.

Also, Vermont spends three times more per student in public schools than Arizona, the study read.

According to the International Business Times, WalletHub's study is of note because it differs from other education rankings conducted recently.

"A more specific study from December found the best locations for teachers to be in Ohio, Georgia and Tennessee none of which appeared in WalletHub's top 10," IBT reported.

That study, conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, noted that the 3.5 million full-time teachers in the U.S. averaged a $56,400 salary in 2013, according to IBT.
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