"Compensation" includes health/dental/retirement bennies, as well. Remember that "retirement" means 30-and-out to collect 75% of final salary--and of course, one can then double-dip by taking a contract to teach in another district.
Total Comp for teachers is generally in the upper 25% of the US scale.
Good points. However, unionized manufacturing workers were up there, too. That's why we have fewer every year.