For the first time, the average pay for Hoosier public educators topped over $60,000 last school year, according to data from the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board, or IEERB.
The average annual teacher salary in Indiana during the 2023-24 school year was $60,557, up from $58,531 the previous year, according to IEERB's 2023-24 compensation report.
The lowest reported teacher salary statewide was $40,000, the minimum salary mandated by state law. The highest was at $110,000.
More than half of the public school districts across Lake, Porter and LaPorte had average teacher salaries higher than the state's average last school year. According to data from IEERB, Crown Point Community School Corp. had the highest average pay at $71,242, followed by Lake Central School Corp. at $68,850 and Duneland School Corp. at $66,505.
IEERB reported Michigan City Area Schools of having average teacher salaries at $72,506, however Betsy Kohn, the communications director for the district, told The Times on Thursday the figure was incorrect and had concluded it was a reporting error.
Lake Station Community Schools had the lowest average salary for local educators at $52,943.
Indiana's average teacher salary continues to lag behind the average pay for educators in neighboring and the national average.
During the 2023-24 school year, Wisconsin's average teacher salary was at $65,196, while Ohio's average pay stood at $72,644, according to IEERB's 2024 annual report.
According to the National Education Association's annual Educator Pay Data report, the nationwide average teacher salary during the 2022-23 school was $69,597, with educators' pay projected to grow a further 3.2% during the 2023-24 school year.
In 2019, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the creation of the Next Level Teacher Compensation Commission to look at long-term solutions for increasing wages for Hoosier educators. Among its recommendations the following year, the commission set the goal of increasing the state's average teacher salary to $60,000.
During her gubernatorial campaign last year, Democrat Jennifer McCormick said she would fight for a minimum salary of $60,000 for Indiana teachers. Her Republican opponent, Mike Braun — who would go on to win — also called for salary increases for educators, although he did not indicate a specific amount. Braun also called for all educators to be eligible for new parent leave and improved health insurance options.
As part of its 2025 legislative priorities, the Indiana State Teachers Association is pushing for educator salaries to be aligned with inflation, as well as 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
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