Key Takeaways
$35,995
Average earnings of ESPs working full time
32.7%
Of all ESPs working full‐time earn less than $25,000 per year
Introduction and Highlights
This report provides earnings data for education support professionals (ESPs) working in K–12 schools and higher education institutions.
The data are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), a large, continuously-collected survey that uses a nationwide sample.
As a result, the data presented here provide a picture of ESPs working in public schools as a whole rather than NEA’s ESP membership.
Earnings averages are calculated using five years of ACS data (2017-2021), while other tables use three years of data (2019-21). Earnings data are adjusted to 2022 dollars and are termed 2022–2023 to reflect the academic calendar.
Highlights
More than three‐quarters of all ESPs (76.4%) work full time, which is defined as 30 or more hours per week. This is slightly higher for those working at K–12 schools (79.8%) and slightly lower in higher education (66.2%).
Among ESPs working full‐time, the average earnings in 2022‐23 was $35,995. This average was slightly lower for K–12 ($33,756) and higher in higher education ($44,898).
A third (32.7%) of all ESPs working full‐time earn less than $25,000 per year, and 11.2% earn less than $15,000. Among those working in K–12 schools, 38.0% earn less than $25,000, and 12.5% earn less than $15,000. Within higher education, 14.0% earn less than $25,000, and 6.4% earn less than $15,000.
The average earnings for ESP rose from $31,223 in 2013‐14 to $35,995 in 2022‐23. However, when adjusted for inflation, the average earnings for ESP fell from $31,223 to $28,149 in constant 2014 dollars.
In states where there are bargaining laws covering ESPs, the average earnings is $38,167. In states that do not have a bargaining law but where bargaining may take place, the average ESP earnings is $33,831. In states where bargaining is prohibited, the average ESP earnings is $32,308.
In a recent NEA survey of its members, nearly a third (32%) of PK‐12 ESPs said they were having a serious issue making a living wage, and another 21% said this was a moderate problem for them. More than a quarter of PK‐12 ESP reported participating in or utilizing assistance programs, with seven percent utilizing free grocery or free meal programs, 7% participating in Medicaid, and 4% using SNAP benefits.
In the same NEA member survey, about three‐quarters of PK‐12 ESP (77%) reported not working a full 12‐month contract. Just under a quarter of this group (21%) reported being laid off at the end of the school year, with only 8% stating that they are eligible for unemployment benefits during the time that they are laid off.
Data Takeaways
State-by-State Comparison
K-12 ESP Earnings
| State | Salary 2021-22 | Rank 2021-22 | Salary 2022-23 | Rank 2022-23 | 2021-22 to 2022-23 Percent Change | 2021-22 to 2022-23 Change Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $33,177 | — | $33,756 | — | — | — |
| Alabama | $28,708 | 41 | $29,768 | 40 | 3.6% | 7 |
| Alaska | $42,241 | 3 | $42,118 | 3 | -0.3% | 47 |
| Arizona | $29,079 | 40 | $30,199 | 37 | 3.7% | 5 |
| Arkansas | $28,050 | 44 | $29,177 | 42 | 3.9% | 4 |
| California | $39,321 | 7 | $39,877 | 6 | 1.4% | 35 |
| Colorado | $32,574 | 22 | $33,424 | 23 | 2.5% | 20 |
| Connecticut | $39,502 | 6 | $40,285 | 5 | 1.9% | 29 |
| Delaware | $43,543 | 2 | $44,237 | 1 | 1.6% | 34 |
| District of Columbia | $43,811 | 1 | $44,098 | 2 | 0.7% | 40 |
| Florida | $31,286 | 27 | $32,127 | 27 | 2.6% | 18 |
| Georgia | $29,616 | 35 | $30,219 | 36 | 2.0% | 28 |
| Hawaii | $38,984 | 8 | $39,221 | 8 | 0.6% | 41 |
| Idaho | $26,681 | 49 | $26,628 | 50 | -0.2% | 46 |
| Illinois | $34,814 | 14 | $34,844 | 17 | 0.1% | 44 |
| Indiana | $29,574 | 37 | $30,450 | 32 | 2.9% | 15 |
| Iowa | $29,928 | 32 | $29,649 | 41 | -0.9% | 50 |
| Kansas | $26,705 | 47 | $27,024 | 48 | 1.2% | 37 |
| Kentucky | $26,686 | 48 | $27,053 | 47 | 1.4% | 36 |
| Louisiana | $28,156 | 43 | $28,640 | 43 | 1.7% | 32 |
| Maine | $30,856 | 28 | $31,363 | 29 | 1.6% | 33 |
| Maryland | $38,755 | 9 | $38,235 | 10 | -1.4% | 51 |
| Massachusetts | $37,080 | 12 | $36,778 | 13 | -0.8% | 48 |
| Michigan | $30,303 | 31 | $30,654 | 31 | 1.1% | 38 |
| Minnesota | $33,155 | 19 | $34,289 | 19 | 3.3% | 10 |
| Mississippi | $25,826 | 51 | $26,770 | 49 | 3.5% | 8 |
| Missouri | $29,507 | 38 | $30,176 | 38 | 2.2% | 24 |
| Montana | $29,756 | 33 | $31,642 | 28 | 6.0% | 1 |
| Nebraska | $30,358 | 30 | $30,446 | 33 | 0.3% | 43 |
| Nevada | $37,210 | 10 | $36,900 | 12 | -0.8% | 49 |
| New Hampshire | $30,547 | 29 | $31,175 | 30 | 2.0% | 27 |
| New Jersey | $40,346 | 4 | $41,338 | 4 | 2.4% | 21 |
| New Mexico | $27,602 | 45 | $28,175 | 45 | 2.0% | 26 |
| New York | $39,922 | 5 | $39,845 | 7 | -0.2% | 45 |
| North Carolina | $29,349 | 39 | $30,167 | 39 | 2.7% | 17 |
| North Dakota | $32,029 | 24 | $32,776 | 24 | 2.3% | 23 |
| Ohio | $33,717 | 18 | $34,346 | 18 | 1.8% | 31 |
| Oklahoma | $25,881 | 50 | $26,612 | 51 | 2.7% | 16 |
| Oregon | $32,342 | 23 | $33,838 | 21 | 4.4% | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,716 | 15 | $35,500 | 14 | 2.2% | 25 |
| Rhode Island | $37,114 | 11 | $39,165 | 9 | 5.2% | 2 |
| South Carolina | $29,579 | 36 | $30,372 | 35 | 2.6% | 19 |
| South Dakota | $28,317 | 42 | $28,619 | 44 | 1.1% | 39 |
| Tennessee | $27,080 | 46 | $27,986 | 46 | 3.2% | 12 |
| Texas | $29,677 | 34 | $30,382 | 34 | 2.3% | 22 |
| Utah | $33,846 | 17 | $34,893 | 16 | 3.0% | 14 |
| Vermont | $33,092 | 20 | $34,208 | 20 | 3.3% | 11 |
| Virginia | $32,835 | 21 | $33,464 | 22 | 1.9% | 30 |
| Washington | $36,150 | 13 | $37,334 | 11 | 3.2% | 13 |
| West Virginia | $31,329 | 26 | $32,515 | 25 | 3.6% | 6 |
| Wisconsin | $33,883 | 16 | $35,059 | 15 | 3.4% | 9 |
| Wyoming | $31,963 | 25 | $32,134 | 26 | 0.5% | 42 |
‘We Must Do Better’
Too many school support professionals endure a lack of respect, lack of support, and poor working conditions. They are also egregiously underpaid.
