Average North Carolina teacher pay hits $50K a year for first time

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — State figures show the average salary for a North Carolina teacher has increased to more than $50,000 a year for the first time, but that includes local supplements.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports recently released figures from the state Department of Public Instruction show the average salary for a North Carolina public school teacher at $51,214 this school year.

Over the past five years, the average teacher salary has increased 12 percent, from $45,737.

The average salary for teachers includes local supplements to the state base salary. This year, the average local supplement was $4,337.

Republican lawmakers say their goal is to raise average teacher salaries to $55,000 a year by 2020.