Montana Ranked Near The Bottom For Teachers

For many parents, it's a big sigh of relief as the kids are back in school here in Montana.

I just so happened to be married to a school teacher, and I know how much work they put into their days. Not only are they teaching, but they are counseling, parenting, and befriending some of these kids.

READ MORE: Montana mountain town named best place in the world to visit.

You see, when I was a kid, there was a respect level we had for teachers. We might have liked them, but we respected them, and what they said went. Apparently that's changed.

I bring all this up because the 2026 ratings for Best and Worst States for Teachers came out from Wallethub and it seems, Montana might have a bit of work.

Where do Montana teachers rank when it comes to pay?

According to the numbers, the only places worse than Montana to teach are Hawaii and New Hampshire. Yep, Montana ranks 49th. (They included the District of Columbia). So, how does something like this happen? It seems that the formula used is the following:

• Average Starting Salary
• Average Salary
• Income Growth Potential
• 10 Year Change in Teacher's Salaries
• Pension

In other words, Montana seems to underpay their teachers. I realize the argument is "Why should we pay them more when they only work 9 months a year". I get it, but let me tell you, that's a silly argument. They spend their own money on supplies for others, they put in long days, and they deal with emotional issues of kids that have no other way to "act out".

Trust me, they deserve more money.

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