AZ – Your comparison does not really make sense. There are huge shortages of good rebbes and morahs, the fact that people are willing to stand in front of a classroom and teach instead of working elsewhere is no raya that they are compensated better. Perhaps they are unqualified for anything else and nobody else will hire them. Or perhaps they too believe that lack of funds is not a reason to leave a field
Also, I was not aware that there is a shortage of shadchanim by any means, so maybe there are cultural differences at play.
The financial compensation, quality of life etc package that goes along with being a rebbe where I live is not far superior to anything. And I know, because I distribute food to many, many rebbes but few, if any, of the shadchanim. ($17k is a lot more than you seem to realize)
And as far as the shadchan who makes 6/7 shidduchim a year being simply unable to have any kind of employment, I will take your word for it that that is your experience, but with all due respect, I don’t buy it. Knowing how much face and phone time some of us in the other community service areas put in, it’s grueling and physically and emotionally draining, but we work jobs and take care of families.
I still agree with you that it is hard and misunderstood, but I think that if it is going to stand on a pedastal, there are many other “jobs” that pay little to nothing that will stand along side them.