Teachers' Salaries and Professional Profile in Mexico

Teachers' salaries have often been highlighted as an important issue in discussions on school improvement. The level and structure of teacher remuneration affect morale and the ability to focus on and devote adequate time to teaching. The author examines who teachers are, whether teachers are underpaid, and whether teachers face higher compensation uncertainty than their counterparts face. The results show that teachers in basic education consistently work fewer hours than their occupational counterparts. Regression analysis shows that teachers in basic public schools are better paid early in their professional lives than are other comparable individuals. Because retirement benefits are usually generous, teachers stay within the profession.