The Yellow Board

How much do you make?

Posted by Informal Survey on 6/11/2022, 4:13 am

With the jobs open all over like they are I need some data to take to the higher-ups. Share as much or little as you're confortable:
Salary
Years Experience
Contract Structure/Days
School size/classification
Role(head dir/asst)
HS/MS/Shared
Geographic region

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Hmm on 6/18/2022, 2:00 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

85000
13 years
226 day contract. No stipend
4A
Head director
East Texas

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Moving on 6/18/2022, 10:56 am, in reply to "How much do you make?"

Old Job:
68k/masters deg. - only 64k was specifically band
-lots of UIL academic coaching stipends
19 yrs
207 days
2A
K-12
Only director
Region 14

New job:
64K/ masters deg. (there will be some extras)
20 yrs
normal teacher days (I don't know what those are!)
2A
6-12 (no marching)
Only director
Region 14

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Small school guy on 6/16/2022, 8:18 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

62k
3
227 (12 month contract, yes I have to show up 4 days a week over the summer)
2a
Head director
HS+ MS + some elem.
Central texas

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by ummmm on 6/16/2022, 4:47 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

65K
9 years
202 Days
4A/2C
Assistant
Grades 6-12
East Tx

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by What it is on 6/14/2022, 1:26 am, in reply to "How much do you make?"

53K
4 years
10 Month/187days
2A
Head
All (4-12)
North TX

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by 4add on 6/15/2022, 12:37 pm, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

55K
11 years
187 Days (though more are required of us)
2C
Band Director, Campus FA Director
6-8
DFW

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by lucky duck on 6/13/2022, 1:00 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

83K; Stipend for head is "market rate"
8 years
12 month
4A
Head
HS
Region 6
No, I have no plans on leaving.

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Careful on 6/13/2022, 10:46 am, in reply to "How much do you make?"

This is about to kill the underpaid argument so many people on here like to throw out here. If you are making over 80k to work part of the year stop complaining. Especially when you call that AC guy who is going to fix your hot house, works in all weather conditions, (usually attics where it's 150 degrees), works all year long AND is making less than you......

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Exercise on 6/15/2022, 11:28 pm, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

TBF, the AC guy picked that job. That aside, I don't understand why there was a need to gate. keep.

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by ummmm on 6/16/2022, 4:42 pm, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

I don't agree with the person you replied to, but I also don't agree with your first statement either.

Your first statement is what non-teachers tell teachers when we start asking for a fair deal in the job. "You picked that job. You knew what you were getting into. Stop complaining." It defeats the purpose of this entire post and what you said about the AC guy is exactly what "Careful" implied about teachers.

As for the stop complaining because we make more than an AC guy.... well that's not true. If their skills are needed and the price of equipment rises, then they can charge more. Which in turn allows them to take more home. (If you have a non-crappy boss). If they own their own business as an AC guy then they definitely get to set their prices. And if they are good and in demand then more money goes home especially this time of year.

Schools have always been worked liked a business (whether that's good or bad, I don't know). But people that go into business are taught that if after year 2 you haven't gotten that pay raise you deserve, bargain to other companies and get that pay raise somewhere else. Imagine if teachers started thinking that way (which some do/have). Then teachers would be leaving kids every 2 years for their rightful benefits, but how does that benefit the kids? That MIGHT work for core teachers if they only teach one subject AND grade level. But as elective teachers building programs, leaving every 2 years because the business(school) is choosing to treat us poorly, that won't build anything.

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Careful on 6/18/2022, 9:48 am, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

Just out of curiosity would you define a "fair" deal for a band director?

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by ummmm on 6/20/2022, 10:02 pm, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

Honestly, I don't know.

The simplest of answer, for me, would be that if a school is going to be run like a business, then I need to be paid like a business would pay me. And within those expectations of that business. Example: If a community and district is allowed to treat me like I am a customer service worker then pay me hourly for everything I do including outside the classroom. If a community and district is going to call me an expert in my field, then pay me like most experts are paid for their craft.

I have worked for head directors that maxed out the 10 hour rule, added 6 extra marching contests, winter guard, winter drum line, 4 pre C&SR contests, all region, and solo and ensemble. And yes I've moved on from those jobs. And yes, I appreciate what I learned at those jobs. However with all that time I spent at work, my stipend didn't get higher, I didn't get a pay raise and this was all set by the head director that doesn't have control over my pay check. But I wasn't allowed to say no (well, not with out there being any kind of repercussions for it anyway) because these were the expectations they set to administration and of course the administration was ok with it because they were not required to pay more so long as they gave me my stipend.

Soooo many factors go into that question though, but that's why I like talks like this. It's a good start, but I do believe there are other talks that need to be added to it to have a full idea of what is "fair".

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Not OP on 6/14/2022, 7:59 am, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

Consider the hours we work and the “unpaid” overtime.
80,000= 38.46 an hour. Roughly if this was a normal 9-5 job.

For a minimum of 3 months a year, we work 70-80 weeks.
If overtime was a factor that’s less than $20 an hour during those months.

The rest of the year, many of us pull 50-60 hour weeks.

Are other professions under paid, yes
Are we still underpaid, yes, even at 80 for those who are at that level. You must also consider that it is ethical to pay someone more when they are away from their families for longer periods of time.

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Careful on 6/14/2022, 3:11 pm, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

Much of what we do is voluntary. Nobody really made us start doing the marching monster the way we do with 6 contests and the likes.

Nobody is making us do Winter season.

Why are we doing sectionals 4 or 5 days a week?

Why are we constantly on campus doing things when if we simply said "no" nobody would even bat an eye and our retention might actually go up.

And I only ever worked 2 80 hour weeks a year. One in the fall and one in the spring. I could get most everything done in 65, (which is still a lot but considering I wasn't doing anything for a chunk of the summer it kind of evened out), and once marching season was done it was 50 hours max per week usually down to 45 because if I couldn't get it done in 5 days of school and 2 days after school it didn't need done. There is an 8 hour rule for a reason. Go home. let the kids go home.

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by WBB on 6/15/2022, 6:42 am, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

As mentor and former teacher advised me when I was looking to get into education, “never do anything for free. The moment you do, that is when admin expect you to do more than what you’re paid to do.” You are correct that roughly 75% of what we do outside of the normal school day is voluntary unless the district recognizes those extra hour and tries to compensate for them. Most of us do not mind the extra time but I have started to just because that is time away from my family and family time is becoming more important everyday for me.

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by some guy on 6/12/2022, 7:32 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$88k
28 years
187 + 15 extra days +7000 stipend
5A
HS Asst
Houston area

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Me on 6/12/2022, 4:26 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

75k
18
12 month
2A
Head
All band
DFW

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Rhosymedre on 6/12/2022, 2:40 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$80,400
10 Years
Administrative/ 226
4A
Head Director/Director of Fine Arts for District
HS only
Golden Triangle

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Ybd on 6/12/2022, 1:25 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

~ $58,000
3
202 days
6A
Assistant Director
San Antonio

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by CCC Houston on 6/12/2022, 10:03 am, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$82,500
23
187
CCC
HD
MS
North of Houston

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by notenough on 6/12/2022, 3:11 am, in reply to "How much do you make?"

92k
I8 years
12 month
4a
Head HS
DFW

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Okay... on 6/11/2022, 9:27 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$58000
21
212 days
2A
Only director for entire district
Golden Triangle

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by CentexBD on 6/11/2022, 9:25 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$60,000
9 years
187 day
$7k stipend
4A, 2C
Head MS
work with HS marching band
North Austin

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by HouClar on 6/11/2022, 9:25 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

75,000
17 yrs
187 days plus 6500 stipend
3C MS
1st Asst
Houston

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Brass Man on 6/11/2022, 9:10 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$73,882 (22-23)
17 Years
187 Days
$6900 Head MS Band Stipend
$1500 Dept. Head Stipend
$1000 High turnover cluster stipend
$1000 ESSER retention bonus
1000 students / CCC
San Antonio

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Hodor on 6/11/2022, 7:33 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$65,000 w/stipend
4 years
187 days
CCC
Assistant
JH
Houston area

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by me on 6/11/2022, 6:39 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

Salary. $85,000
Years Experience. 28
Contract Structure/Days. $8k stipend +20 extra days
School size/classification. 2C
Role(head dir/asst). Head
HS/MS/Shared. MS
Geographic region. Dallas metroplex

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Well… on 6/11/2022, 4:54 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$87K
16 years
220 contract
5A
Head HS director
DFW

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by CHSBD on 6/11/2022, 3:22 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$75,000
28 years
187 day contract
4A
Head High School
Work both high school and jr high
Southeast Texas south of Houston

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Swamplander on 6/11/2022, 3:07 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$70,000
14 (but not currently on lane/step)
Administrative contract (lowest level), 226 day
4A/2C district
Head director
Teach 6-12
SE Texas

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Make It Rain on 6/11/2022, 1:01 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$82k with stipend
12 years
220 contract
3A
HBD
Houston Area

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Southern Small on 6/11/2022, 12:14 pm, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$74,500
Step 16
$10,400 Stipend, 217 Days
3A HS
Head Director
HS/MS Team
Area South

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by Anon on 6/11/2022, 10:53 am, in reply to "How much do you make?"

$70k
23 years completed
187 day
$9k stipend
CCC (975 students)
Head director
MS
DFW

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by 2A Guy Again on 6/12/2022, 7:14 am, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

Sorry I left off stuff:
42 years experience
Head Director w/ 1 Associate Dir
North Rural Texas
(Unreal expectations)

Re: How much do you make?

Posted by 2A Guy on 6/12/2022, 6:25 am, in reply to "Re: How much do you make?"

$34K
Part Time 1/2 day 3 classes
$10K stipend
no extra days on contract
Retired/Rehired
TMEA paid
Job requirements: UIL contests, school concerts, all full time director activities such as Solo& Ensemble, All Region/Area/All State, & 2 parades.

« Back to index

[ The Yellow Board ]