Teaching as a Career

A teacher can have a lasting impact on thousands of students in his or her career.

In a sense, teachers get paid to be exciting and engaging experts on their favorite subjects. If you like physics and want to instill your enjoyment of it in others, there is no better way to do that than as an educator. Promote critical thinking and open minds to new and intriguing ideas. As a positive influence and a science advocate, you can change lives.

The average annual teacher salary in each state in the region is more than 20% higher than the average income. In West Virginia, for example, the average worker earns $31,700, but the average teacher salary is $43,410 -- 37% more.

Many jobs give only one or two weeks of annual vacation, but most teachers have 12-15 weeks of vacation per year.

Though many other professionals worry about job security, the pressing need for physics teachers means that your skills and abilities will be in high demand. The likelihood that you will be unable to find a job, or that your job will disappear due to downsizing or economic downturn, is vanishingly small.

Whether you want to work and live near your family or want to strike out on your own, the geographical flexibility of teaching is unparalleled. Every high school is a potential job location. Teach in the same school where you grew up, or see what it’s like to live in a completely different state!

Teaching is an impactful, personally fulfilling profession and may be the career that’s right for you. Be sure to check out how to become a teacher.