Why do baseball players get paid more than policemen teachers and firefighters?

Answer 1

By contract with the union for Major League Baseball Players Association, starting pay for a new player brought up from the minor leagues is at least $600,000.

This rate of pay is higher than for policemen, teachers and firefighters because Baseball players are "entertainers" and are paid by privately owned baseball teams. The formerly mentioned jobs are vital ones, however, the pay is from taxpayers. This could not be funded by any local, State or Federal government.

Answer 2

This comes down to a little economic theory called Supply and Demand:

The idea is that if there is a lot of something and the supply is greater than the demand then the price will be low.

For Police Officers

There are more than enough people smart enough, and fit enough, and of the correct temperament to fill the number of openings for police officers. The limiting factor becomes will that rather special person work for that kind of money? So the pay and benefits for police officers tends to drop until the people you want to be a police officer won't take or keep the job any more. Then the pay rises until you reach an point where you can just barely keep and recruit the officers you need.

Baseball Players

Baseball Players are premium level Athletes.

At this level, there is always a shortage of the very best players, so you have to pay enough to attract the best and keep them. All MLB players are by definition the very best. They would be in the minors otherwise. So they can command big money, and even bigger salaries are available for the stars of the game.

Answer 3

Cause of the society we live in. It should be the other way around.