Teaching on Guam is not financially rewarding; rather, it is an investment toward the success of our Guam students. Despite the Legislature not showing respect to educators in way of low salaries and a nonexistent long-term retirement plan, the students of Guam are some of the most respectful students in the nation. If you decide to become an educator, you are helping to shape the future of Guam.
Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average elementary teacher salary on Guam is $48,800. Based on data from the National Education Association, the average US teacher salary for last school year was $61,730. The salary for teaching positions for GDOE are not competitive. Teachers that are new into the system are encouraged to earn $15,000 more by simply switching to a DODEA school. GDOE’s teacher salary should at least mirror DODEA’s classroom teacher salary to remain competitive with its pay for educators who decide to remain on Guam.