Connecticut Teachers Have Highest Average Salaries In The Nation

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — Connecticut’s teachers were the highest-paid in the nation in 2003-04, according to the annual salary survey released October 6 by the American Federation of Teachers.

California was second and South Dakota was last.

The union said Connecticut was one of 22 states where the average teacher’s salary kept pace with the national inflation rate.

The average salary for the year was $56,516, up 4.7 percent from the year before. Connecticut ranked ninth for starting teacher salaries, which averaged $34,462. That is an increase of 3.5 percent from 2002-03.

In New England, Rhode Island had the fourth-highest average teacher salaries, Massachusetts was eighth, Vermont was 24th, New Hampshire was 25th, and Maine was 33rd.