The average salary in 2009 for Public School teachers is $49,630. The average salary for Private School teachers is $39,690. –The Center for Education Reform57 percent of Americans say the higher education system in the US fails to provide students with good value for the money they and their families spend.75 percent say college is too expensive for most Americans to afford. At the same time, however, an overwhelming majority of college graduates, 86 percent say that college has been a good investment for them personally.