Missouri teacher pay near bottom

Only six states pay their teachers less than Missouri, according to Rankings and Estimates: Rankings of the States 2004 and Estimate of School Statistics 2005.
Missouri was ranked 45th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The average teacher salary in the state is $38,006, more than $8,700 below the national average, the survey indicated. It should be mentioned that most teachers in this area, especially in smaller school districts, are paid far less than that $38,006, including teachers with two decades of experience.
Only one neighboring state, Oklahoma, pays its teachers less, the survey said. Other states that pay less are Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.