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February 2023 | Vol. 12 / No. 3
EMPLOYMENT & UNEMPLOYMENT

Comparing occupational employment and wages in public and private elementary and secondary schools

By Audrey Watson

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Local government and private elementary and secondary schools are often compared by key measures such as the student populations served;1 the types of services provided;2 and the geographic distributions of the schools.3 Two significant measures—1) the mix of occupations employed by local government and private schools and 2) the wages for these occupations—can tell us a lot about differences in the scope of activities, classroom staffing, and pay for teachers and other workers in the two types of schools.

This Beyond the Numbers article uses May 2021 ownership data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program to look at differences in occupational composition and wages between local government (referred to below as “public”) and private elementary and secondary schools.4 The data in the article represent establishments that were classified as elementary and secondary schools and assigned either local government or private ownership in the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), the unemployment insurance database from which the OEWS survey sample is drawn.5 Elementary and secondary schools provide a basic preparatory education, usually defined as covering kindergarten through 12th grade.

Jobs in public and private schools: which occupations are more common in each?

Examining the makeup of occupations in public schools and private schools can provide insight into the needs and priorities of both types of schools. In the next sections, we will look at how public and private schools differ in the mix of jobs that make up their contrasting staffing patterns.

Higher share of educational instruction and library occupations in public schools

Public elementary and secondary schools had employment of about 7.2 million in May 2021, representing nearly 89 percent of total elementary and secondary school employment. Private elementary and secondary schools made up 10.5 percent of elementary and secondary school employment (851,120 jobs). The remaining employment—less than 1 percent—was in state government and is not discussed in this article.6

Educational instruction and library occupations made up most of employment in both types of schools but accounted for a slightly higher share of jobs in public schools (66.2 percent) than in private ones (65.1 percent). (See chart 1.)

Public schools also had higher employment concentrations of most occupational groups related to facilities support functions, such as cleaning and food service. For example, building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations made up 4.3 percent of employment in public schools, compared with 2.3 percent of employment in private schools. Food preparation and serving related occupations made up 4.2 percent of jobs in public schools and 1.7 percent of jobs in private schools. Protective service and transportation and material moving occupations also had higher employment shares in public schools than in private ones.

Other occupational groups with higher employment shares in public schools included life, physical, and social science occupations and healthcare practitioners and technical occupations.

Although they had a lower share of educational instruction and library occupations, private schools had higher shares of employment in occupational groups related to management and administrative functions. Management occupations made up 7.5 percent of employment in private schools but only 4.1 percent of employment in public schools. Private schools also had higher shares of business and financial operations and office and administrative support occupations.

Occupational groups with higher employment shares in private schools also included installation, maintenance, and repair; community and social service; arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media; and personal care and service occupations.

Higher shares of elementary school teachers in public schools, secondary school teachers in private schools

Although public schools had a slightly higher share of educational instruction and library occupations overall, they had a lower share of teachers at the preschool through secondary school levels. Excluding short-term substitute teachers, preschool through secondary school teachers made up 45.0 percent of employment in public schools, compared with 46.5 percent of employment in private schools.

Elementary school teachers, except special education, was the largest teaching occupation in public schools (1.2 million jobs), where they made up a slightly higher share of employment (16.5 percent) than they did in private schools (15.1 percent). (See chart 2.) Secondary school teachers, except special and career or technical education was the largest teaching occupation in private schools (136,820), making up 16.1 percent of employment, compared with 12.0 percent in public schools.

Preschool teachers, except special education, also made up a higher share of employment in private schools (2.6 percent) than public schools (0.7 percent).7 These differences may reflect variation in grade levels taught. Both types of schools had similar shares of kindergarten teachers, except special education, and middle school teachers, except special and career or technical education.

Higher shares of special and career or technical education teachers in public schools

Public schools had higher shares of both special education and career or technical education teachers. (See chart 2.) Special education teachers made up 5.7 percent of jobs in public schools, but only 3.3 percent of jobs in private schools. This difference is consistent with evidence showing a higher percentage of public school students who have been identified with special needs: in 2017–18, 12.7 percent of public school students had an individual education plan (IEP) because of special needs or a formally identified disability, compared with 7.6 percent of private school students.8

Although middle school and secondary school career or technical education teachers made up low shares of employment in both types of schools, public schools had higher concentrations of both occupations. Again, this is consistent with data showing that public schools are more likely to offer specialized career academies and career and technical education courses.9

Teaching assistants, substitutes, and librarians more prevalent in public schools

Compared with private schools, public schools employed higher shares of teaching assistants. (See chart 2.) Teaching assistants, except postsecondary teaching assistants, made up 12.9 percent of employment in public schools, compared with 10.3 percent of employment in private schools. Public schools had one teaching assistant for every 3.5 teachers, compared with one teaching assistant for every 4.5 teachers in private schools.10 This difference may be related to the distribution of grade levels taught in each type of school or to higher pupil-to-teacher ratios in public schools.11

Public schools also employed a higher share of substitute teachers. Short-term substitute teachers made up 4.4 percent of employment in public schools, compared with 2.9 percent of employment in private schools. Because these data include only substitute teachers who are direct employees of the schools, these differences may reflect variation in the employment relationship between schools and substitutes, as well as how extensively substitutes are used.

Public schools had higher shares of librarians and media collections specialists and library technicians—reflecting a higher percentage of public schools with libraries—and a lower share of instructional coordinators.12 However, these occupations made up relatively small shares of employment in both types of schools. Instructional coordinators made up about 1 percent of employment in both public and private schools, and librarians and media collections specialists and library technicians each made up less than 1 percent.

Private schools had higher concentrations of education administrators

Chart 3 shows employment shares for education administrators, as well as selected occupations involved in providing counseling, healthcare, and other types of student support services. Kindergarten through secondary education administrators was the largest management occupation in both types of schools but made up a higher share of employment in private schools (4.9 percent) than in public schools (3.1 percent). Private schools also had higher concentrations of preschool and daycare administrators and education administrators, all other, but these occupations made up very small shares of employment in both types of schools.

School psychologists made up most of employment in the life, physical, and social science occupational group in both types of schools. As a share of employment, public schools (0.6 percent) had about twice as many school psychologists as private schools (0.3 percent).

Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors was the largest community and social service occupation in both types of schools and made up a similar share of employment (1.8 percent) in each. Child, family, and school social workers made up about 0.6 percent of employment in public schools and 0.5 percent of employment in private schools. However, private schools had higher shares of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors and of religious workers, contributing to a higher overall percentage of community and social service occupations in private schools.13

Speech-language pathologists and registered nurses accounted for most healthcare practitioners and technical jobs in both public and private schools. Each of these occupations made up less than 1 percent of employment in both types of schools but had a somewhat higher employment share in public schools.

Childcare workers was the largest personal care and service occupation in both types of schools. The higher share of personal care and service occupations in private schools was caused mainly by a higher concentration of childcare workers and higher shares of recreation workers and residential advisors. Although private schools had much lower overall employment than public schools, they employed approximately 10 times as many residential advisors.

Public schools had higher concentrations of janitors and school bus drivers

Employment concentrations of selected facilities and administrative support occupations are shown in chart 4. Most of these occupations made up only a small percentage of employment in both types of schools, but the general patterns are consistent with those at the occupational group level, with public schools have higher shares of most facilities support occupations and private schools having higher shares of administrative support occupations.

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners, made up 4.0 percent of employment in public schools, compared with 1.9 percent of employment in private schools. School bus drivers made up 2.6 percent of employment in public schools, but less than 1 percent of employment in private schools. Although security guards had similar employment shares in both types of schools, public schools had higher shares of school bus monitors; protective service workers, all other; and the five selected food preparation and serving related occupations.

General maintenance and repair workers accounted for most installation, maintenance, and repair jobs in both types of schools but made up a higher share of private school employment. Private schools also had higher shares of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks; general office clerks; and secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive. However, the shares of the last occupation differed by less than 0.1 percentage points.

Wages in public and private schools: comparing wages by occupation

The annual mean wage for all occupations combined was $57,360 in public schools and $52,240 in private schools. (See chart 5.) In the next sections, we will look at how wages for selected occupations differ at public and private schools.

Public schools had higher mean wage for educational instruction and library group

The higher mean wage in public schools was primarily because of higher wages for educational instruction and library occupations—the occupational group that made up most of employment. The annual mean wage for educational instruction and library occupations was more than $10,000 higher in public schools ($59,810) than in private schools ($49,330).

Public schools did not have consistently higher wages for most other occupational groups. Overall, of the 21 occupational groups with available data for both types of schools, mean wages in public schools were lower than private school wages for 10 occupational groups, higher for 9 groups, and similar for the remaining 2 groups.

In addition to educational instruction and library occupations, public schools had higher mean wages than private schools for management; life, physical, and social science; and community and social service occupations. Occupational groups with higher wages in private schools included office and administrative support; arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media; and food preparation and serving related occupations. Although some occupational groups, such as legal and sales and related occupations, had relatively large wage differences in favor of private schools, these groups made up a very small percentage of jobs.

Public schools had higher wages for most teaching occupations

The higher overall mean wage for educational instruction and library occupations in public schools reflects significantly higher wages for nearly all preschool through secondary school teaching occupations. (See chart 6.) Excluding special education teachers, public schools paid an average of $19,820 more for preschool teachers, $20,460 more for kindergarten teachers, and $18,690 more for elementary school teachers.

Middle school teachers, except special and career or technical education, earned an average of $16,130 more in public schools, and secondary school teachers, except special and career or technical education, earned an average of $12,350 more.

Public schools also had higher wages for middle school career or technical education teachers ($10,710 difference); secondary school career or technical education teachers ($11,640); and preschool ($15,610), kindergarten and elementary school ($11,720), middle school ($13,930), and secondary school special education teachers ($15,790).

Wages for short-term substitute teachers and tutors were not significantly different in public and private schools. Librarians and media collections specialists earned an average of $13,480 more in public schools, but library technicians earned similar wages in both types of schools.

Education administrators earned more in public schools

Although private schools had higher employment shares of education administrators, these occupations typically had higher mean wages in public schools. (See chart 7.) For example, kindergarten through secondary education administrators, the most common type of administrator in this industry, had an annual mean wage of $104,350 in public schools compared with $93,990 in private schools, a difference of $10,360.

Public schools also typically had higher wages for school psychologists and the other selected providers of student support services. For example, educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors earned an average of $14,050 more in public schools, and substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earned an average of $15,400 more. School psychologists ($8,110 difference); child, family, and school social workers ($9,810); speech-language pathologists ($3,610); and childcare workers ($3,150) also had higher wages in public schools.

Among the occupations shown in chart 7, the exceptions were recreation workers and residential advisors, which had higher wages in private schools, and registered nurses, which had similar wages in both types of schools.

Security guards, food preparation workers, and general office clerks had similar wages in both types of schools

Several of the selected facilities and administrative support occupations shown in chart 8 had similar wages in both types of schools, and neither public nor private schools had consistently higher wages for the rest. On average, janitors earned $2,580 more and general maintenance and repair workers earned $5,150 more in public schools, but school bus drivers earned $3,700 less. All three of the selected protective service occupations—security guards, school bus monitors, and protective service workers, all other—had similar wages in both types of schools.

Among the selected food preparation and serving related occupations, only fast food and counter workers had a significantly higher mean wage in public schools. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers and institution and cafeteria cooks had higher wages in private schools, and both types of schools had similar wages for food preparation workers and dining room and cafeteria attendants. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earned an average of $1,070 more in public schools; wages for general office clerks and bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks were similar in both types of schools.

Conclusion

Public and private elementary and secondary schools had several differences in their occupational staffing patterns and wages. Although educational instruction and library occupations made up a slightly higher share of employment in public schools, this was due primarily to higher shares of teaching assistants and short-term substitute teachers. Public schools also had higher shares of special education and career or technical education teachers.

Private schools had higher shares of education administrators and office and administrative support occupations, while public schools generally had higher shares of occupations related to facilities support services. There was no consistent pattern for occupations providing student support services such as counseling and healthcare.

The higher overall average wage for public schools mainly reflected higher wages for teachers and other educational instruction and library occupations, the occupational group that made up most employment in both types of schools. Public schools also had higher average wages for education administrators and most of the selected student support services occupations, such as school psychologists and counselors. The wage picture for facilities support and administrative support occupations was more mixed, with several of the selected occupations having similar wages in both types of schools.

This Beyond the Numbers article was prepared by Audrey Watson, economist in the Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Email: oewsinfo@bls.gov or watson.audrey@bls.gov.

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Suggested citation:

Audrey Watson, “Comparing occupational employment and wages in public and private elementary and secondary schools,” Beyond the Numbers: Employment & Unemployment, vol. 12, no. 3 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2023), https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-12/comparing-occupational-employment-and-wages.htm

1 According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 66 percent of students enrolled in private schools in fall 2019 were White and 7 percent were Asian, compared with 47 percent and 5 percent, respectively, of students enrolled in public schools. The percentage of public school students who were Hispanic (28 percent) and Black (15 percent) was higher than the percentage of Hispanic (12 percent) and Black (9 percent) private school students. Public school students also had a higher poverty rate (17 percent) than private school students (9 percent). National Center for Education Statistics, "Private School Enrollment," Condition of Education, U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2022. Retrieved 8/15/22 from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cgc.

2 For example, in 2017–18, 57 percent of public schools offered instruction beyond the normal school day for students who need academic assistance, compared with 37 percent of private schools. Public schools were also more likely than private schools to offer internships outside of school and school-related activities and clubs. Taie, S., and Goldring, R. Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States: Results From the 2017–18 National Teacher and Principal Survey First Look (NCES 2019-140). U.S. Department of Education, 2019. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 5/19/22 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2019140.

3 A higher percentage of private schools (34 percent) and public charter schools (57 percent) were located in cities in 2019–20, compared with 25 percent of traditional public schools. National Center for Education Statistics, "Characteristics of Elementary and Secondary Schools," Condition of Education, U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2022. Retrieved 8/15/22 from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cla.

4 The OEWS program produces employment and wage estimates for approximately 830 occupations based on the federal Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. National OEWS data by public and private sector ownership are available for all industries covered by the survey combined, educational services, and hospitals. This article uses OEWS data by ownership for North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry 611100 Elementary and Secondary Schools. OEWS data are available from www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

5 Most charter schools are assigned private ownership in QCEW. The NCES data used elsewhere in this article include charters under public schools and therefore are not directly comparable to the OEWS data.

6 Public elementary and secondary schools in Hawaii and the District of Columbia are assigned state government ownership and are excluded from this article.

7 Private sector establishments that are primarily preschools, not combined with kindergarten or higher grade levels, are classified under NAICS 624410 Child Day Care Services instead of 611100 Elementary and Secondary Schools. Because OEWS treats public sector establishments differently from the standard NAICS, local government establishments classified as child day care services in the QCEW sampling frame are included in the OEWS-defined local government industry (999300).

8 These data also show that 10.5 percent of public school students were English-language learners (ELLs) or limited-English proficient (LEP), compared with 2.6 percent of private school students. Taie and Goldring (2019). Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States: Results From the 2017–18 National Teacher and Principal Survey First Look (NCES 2019-140). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 5/19/22 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2019140.

9 In 2017–18, 37.3 percent of public schools offered a specialized career academy and 74.3 percent offered career and technical education courses, compared with 6.0 percent and 23.2 percent of private schools, respectively. Taie and Goldring (2019). Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States: Results From the 2017–18 National Teacher and Principal Survey First Look (NCES 2019-140). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 5/19/22 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2019140.

10 “Teachers” represent teachers at the preschool through secondary levels, including special and career or technical education.

11 Public schools had a pupil/teacher ratio of 15.9 in 2019, compared with 11.4 in private schools. Digest of Education Statistics, Table 208.20, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 5/19/22 from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_208.20.asp.

12 In 2017–18, 90.1 percent of public schools had a library media center, compared with 76.4 percent of private schools. Taie and Goldring (2019). Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States: Results From the 2017–18 National Teacher and Principal Survey First Look (NCES 2019-140). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 5/19/22 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2019140.

13 Nearly two-thirds of private schools had a religious orientation or purpose in 2019–20. Broughman, S., Kincel, B., Willinger, J., and Peterson, J. (2021). Characteristics of Private Schools in the United States: Results From the 2019–20 Private School Universe Survey First Look (NCES 2021-061). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 5/19/22 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2021061.

Publish Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2023