National Education Association figures cited in the source put Ohio's average public school teacher pay at $70,586, 23rd nationally. The national average for 2024-25 was $74,495, per NEA. Ohio's average starting salary was $42,222, 46th nationally, compared with a national starting average of $48,112.

Ohio Education Association President Jeff Wensing said the data show Ohio lagging on both starting and overall teacher compensation. He argued that education must be a sustainable career and that Ohio must attract and retain talented teachers.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign website says he wants to reward excellence and draw top talent by paying the best teachers more, according to the source. His campaign did not respond to a request for comment. In a Sept. 19 Facebook video, he said starting pay for public school teachers should be above the $38,000-$40,000 range.

Democratic candidate Amy Acton, endorsed by the OEA, advocates raising teacher pay across the board. Her campaign spokeswoman Virginia Schaus said Acton is married to a 44-year public school teacher and credits public schools with saving her life as a child; Schaus said Acton would seek full funding for public schools so districts can raise pay and keep teachers.

Reps. Joe Miller and Michele Grim introduced House Bill 191 last year to raise the base salary for all teachers to $50,000; it has had one committee hearing. Bills not passed before the two-year General Assembly ends in December would need reintroduction. In 2025, the source reported, one in eight teaching positions were vacant or filled by an under-qualified educator.

The National Council on Teacher Quality, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, reported that Ohio is one of 32 states offering no extra pay to attract or keep teachers in hard-to-staff schools or subjects. It recommends a supplement of at least 7.5% for the highest-need placements and more earning opportunities for high-performing teachers based on evaluations. NCTQ estimated Ohio spent $7 billion on teacher salaries in 2024-25.