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Signs of job-related stress among teachers have declined since the COVID-19 pandemic but still remain fairly high — especially when compared to similar working adults, according to a recent Rand Corp. survey. But despite job-related teacher stress dropping overall, Rand found burnout rates among teachers have slightly increased, rising from 54% in 2021 to 57% in 2026.
Meanwhile, the percentage of educators who said they plan to leave their current teaching jobs also dropped from 23% to 18% between the 2022-23 and 2025-26 school years. This backs up data that have shown declining estimates of teacher turnover in states like Arkansas and North Carolina since the pandemic, the Rand report said.
These signs of stabilization in the teacher workforce come amid growing teacher layoffs this year in districts grappling with tightening budgets due to ongoing enrollment declines. The budget challenges could also pose roadblocks for teachers and their unions as they look for salary boosts moving forward, and at a time when 39% reported to Rand that they received a pay raise this year after adjusting for inflation.
As those district financial uncertainties persist, here’s a snapshot of other standout figures from Rand illuminating the state of teachers’ well-being and the educator workforce, overall.
By the numbers
55%
The percentage of teachers who reported experiencing frequent job-related stress in 2026, compared to 34% of similar working adults in other industries.
78%
The percentage of teachers who reported experiencing frequent job-related stress in 2021.
18%
The percentage of teachers who said they intended to leave their jobs by the end of the 2025-26 school year. That’s a 5-percentage-point decrease from teachers who said the same in 2022-23.
1 in 4
The ratio of teachers who said they plan to stay in teaching as long as they can as of 2026.
13
The average number of hours spent per week among the 30% of teachers who reported working for a job outside their school districts in 2025-26.
$75,599
The average base salary reported for teachers in 2026. In comparison, similar working adults reported earning an average base salary of $105,000.
$7,400
The average gap between female teachers' pay and the base pay of their male peers in 2026.
4 in 10
The ratio of teachers who reported they received a pay raise after adjusting for inflation.
94%
The percentage of teachers who reported they spent their own money on classroom supplies during the 2024-25 school year.
$665
The average amount teachers reported spending out of pocket on classroom supplies in 2024-25.
