Teacher here.
Michigan. BA in Computer Sci/Math; MA in Secondary Education. 1 year in east coast Independent (private) boarding school. returned to michigan in a mid-to-high cost of living city at another independent school.
Started at MI job at $43k with 1 yr experience and masters. After 5 years, negotiated a big pay bump of 15% (independent school - no salary schedule. you can negotiate... sometimes to your benefit, usually not.. private sector yo... if you make yourself invaluable, you'll get a raise). So, now I'm at $57k heading into year 8 of teaching, not counting $7k of coaching (two seasons, one sport varsity head coach). Sure, you might have to bust your ass and do a shit-ton extra to skip some compensation rungs on the ladder and have some valuable skills (math/cs, coaching), but its possible to make very good living teaching.
Harsh, but my suggestion as someone that turned down a Chapel Hill job... if you're gonna teach at the secondary level, the compensation of where you are looking needs to be a major factor... and I would never recommend taking a job in NC in the public sector. Otherwise, it's like any other job. Contribute as much as you can to 401k/403b, save, don't waste and you'll be fine.
I hate when teachers complain about money... the benefit of 10 weeks vacation in summer, 2 weeks in december/january, 5 days at thanksgiving, a full week in spring of vacation is very much a benefit. It has a monetary value. Whether it is acknowledged or not. If you're not earning enough, then put those days off to use!!!
Right on with sticking it out at one place that makes sense.... I've considered leaving current job to public sector. But if I have to "start over" on the salary scale, it's not worth it. However, while it is never advertised, school districts aren't required to start incoming teachers at the bottom of the salary schedule. If I am hired with 10 years of experience and they want to start me at year 0, I can attempt to negotiate that up and they DO have the ability to move you up higher... but you'll never get something if you don't ask for it!!!!!!