Not opinions. Not projections. The actual data from NEA, NCTQ, EPI, and BLS — and exactly how the TeacherWorld Cooperative changes every single line.
"We're rolling the cost of living back to 1975. Let the Good Times Roll!"
What the data actually says about teacher pay vs. the cost of living.
Housing costs rose 51%. Teacher salaries rose 24%. The gap is not a mistake. It is a design.
Sources: NCTQ Priced Out Report 2025, NEA Educator Pay Data 2025, EPI Teacher Pay Penalty 2024
When teachers own the land, the food, the housing, and the energy — they set the price. Here is what that looks like in dollars per month.
| Category | Market Price / mo | Coop Price / mo | Monthly Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Housing NCTQ 2025: rental costs up 51% since 2019 | $2,400 | $1,200 | +$1,200 |
Groceries BLS CPI: food at home up 25%+ since 2020 | $850 | $510 | +$340 |
Transportation AAA 2024: avg vehicle cost $12,182/yr | $650 | $390 | +$260 |
Energy & Utilities EIA 2024: residential electricity up 29% since 2020 | $320 | $160 | +$160 |
Healthcare KFF 2024: avg family premium $23,968/yr | $580 | $290 | +$290 |
Education & Childcare NCES 2024: avg childcare $15,600/yr per child | $900 | $450 | +$450 |
| TOTAL MONTHLY | $5,700 | $3,000 | +$2,700 |
* Cooperative pricing modeled on existing food co-ops (avg 20–40% savings), housing co-ops (avg 30–50% savings), energy co-ops (avg 15–30% savings), and bulk purchasing cooperatives.
The average teacher earns $72,030 per year — $6,002 per month. Under current market conditions, basic living costs consume $5,700 of that every month — leaving less than $302 for everything else.
Inside the TeacherWorld Cooperative, those same living costs drop to $3,000 per month — returning $2,700 per month to the teacher's household. That is $32,400 per year — more than a 20% effective salary increase, without asking anyone for a raise.
VVS Teachers. The clearest, the rarest, the most valuable. The cooperative is how teachers finally get paid what they are worth.