08/13/2026
Education Support Professionals are classified into nine career families: paraeducators, custodial, health, security, transportation, food service, skilled trades, technical, and clerical. ESPs keep our students safe, healthy, engaged, and learning, but have been underappreciated and underpaid for far too long.
This year’s ESP Earnings Report illustrates this serious situation. While average ESP salaries increased by $1,400, real ESP pay has fallen nearly 9% in the last 10 years.
Many ESPs struggle financially to do the work they love. They take on second and even third jobs to make ends meet and often struggle to live in the communities where they work. It hurts entire communities when bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians, and other support staff struggle to pay rent, buy groceries, and save for retirement.
https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank/esp
