Arizona teachers made about 32% less than other college-educated workers last year, according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute.
The report comes as Arizona faces an extreme teacher shortage, which has led to larger class sizes and less-experienced educators.
Axios Phoenix reported low pay is one of the top reasons why teachers opt to leave the field. The report also found that teacher benefits weren’t enough to offset the difference.
Only Colorado, Oklahoma and Virginia reported bigger pay gaps. Colorado has the worst pay gap in the country with teachers making nearly 36% less than their college-educated counterparts.