Illinois ranked highly in a new study of the nation’s school systems

Illinois was ranked as the eleventh best state for teachers in a WalletHub study. The study looked at subjects such as the job opportunity for teachers in U.S. states, along with academic and work environments.

Illinois was also ranked as having the second-highest salaries for teachers after adjustment for cost of living. Michigan, the highest, had an average annual salary of two times the lowest ranked state (Hawaii). In a complementary WalletHub study, Illinois was ranked as having the tenth best school system in the U.S., along with the second highest SAT scores.

The overall ranking is composed of the states’ rankings in starting and median salary, income growth, projected number of teachers per 1,000 students by 2022, unemployment rate, the 10-year change in teacher salaries, the school system’s ranking, the pupil-to-teacher ratio, the safety of the schools, the number of underprivileged children, the amount of public school spending per student, commute time and the treatment of working moms in the state.

The Value of Education in Real Estate

As Chicago Agent previously reported, the quality of schools is one of the most important things consumers consider when buying a home, even if it means buying a more expensive home.

In 2013, Redfin conducted a survey which found that the median price for a home in a top school district in the Chicagoland area was $257,500, compared to $162,250 for a the price of a home in an average school district; additionally, Chicago Agent recently reported on what school districts in Chicagoland have the highest graduation rates.