In Hawaiʻi, a new, licensed teacher with a master’s degree earns just over $57,662 – about $4,200 more than a starting teacher with only an undergraduate degree. 

Hawaiʻi is one of more than 130 school districts that reward teachers with master’s degrees with higher pay, according to a September study from the National Council on Teacher Quality. But research shows that master’s degrees may not improve teacher effectiveness. And prospective teachers may be encouraged to make the costly investment in getting a master’s degree when there are other ways to boost their salaries without one.

“Teacher compensation is the largest educational expense, and rightfully so as they are the most critical within-school factor affecting student achievement,” the study said. “Yet many districts allocate these substantial resources without any systematic approach to ensure that students benefit.”

The study estimates Hawaiʻi spent around $34 million on salary premiums for teachers with master’s degrees last year, or roughly $200 per student. Across the United States, the cost per student ranged from as low as $16 in a Louisiana school district to nearly $4,000 in a New York school district. 

Last year, 31% of new Hawaiʻi teachers had master’s degrees, according to state education department data. 

But Hawaiʻi also enables teachers with undergraduate degrees to earn the same pay as their colleagues with master’s degrees through professional development courses. By earning more professional development credits, teachers can increase their salary. 

For example, an educator with a bachelor’s degree and 15 credits of professional development – the equivalent of roughly five college courses – can earn as much as a starting teacher with a master’s degree and no professional development credits. By accumulating professional development credits, experienced teachers without their master’s degrees can still earn the maximum salary of $101,861 for Hawaiʻi educators over time. 

Some educators have previously said professional development is a valuable tool for learning new skills and increasing their pay, but classes can be expensive and difficult to access at times. 

Lawmakers are looking for other ways to increase teacher pay and reward more experienced teachers, regardless of their education level. One proposal, Senate Bill 2391, would annually increase teacher salaries – something many districts already guarantee for their employees.

In Hawaiʻi, teachers aren’t guaranteed annual salary increases, since state lawmakers must appropriate funding for higher pay and the union must negotiate the automatic raises in every contract. In years when the state has faced a tighter budget, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers did not receive annual salary increases. 

Both the House and Senate versions of the bill are awaiting hearings in the money committees.

Civil Beat’s education reporting is supported by a grant from Chamberlin Family Philanthropy, and “Data Dive” is supported in part by the Will J. Reid Foundation.