PlainTeacher

School district · Washington · LEAID 5300420

Bellingham School District

Estimated average teacher salary of $122,113, per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Bellingham School District - from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2022).

$122,113
Est. avg teacher salary
$23,302
Per-pupil spending
11,439
Students enrolled
87th
Pct. in WA
$122,113

Bellingham School District (Washington) reports an estimated average teacher salary of $122,113, roughly in line with the Washington average and above the national average, from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 fiscal survey (FY2022). It serves 11,439 students.

  • 87th percentile for Washington
  • 94th percentile nationally
  • 30% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • +24.7% since FY2019

Avg Teacher Salary

$122,113

Estimated from instructional expenditure / FTE

Per-Pupil Spending

$23,302

Total expenditure / enrollment

Student Enrollment

11,439 students

Salary vs State Average 100.0%

4.0% above Washington average

Nationally, Bellingham School District's estimated average out-pays 94% of the 11,460 US school districts with reliable F-33 salary data, placing it in the top quartile of districts on this estimate. (A relative position on the F-33 figure, which runs above survey-reported salaries.)

Bellingham School District's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$122,113 Top 6% higher than 94% of 11,460 US districts

$30,000–$40,000: 66 US districts (1%). Below this entry. $40,000–$50,000: 375 US districts (3%). Below this entry. $50,000–$60,000: 1,529 US districts (13%). Below this entry. $60,000–$70,000: 2,648 US districts (23%). Below this entry. $70,000–$80,000: 2,442 US districts (21%). Below this entry. $80,000–$90,000: 1,413 US districts (12%). Below this entry. $90,000–$100,000: 1,023 US districts (9%). Below this entry. $100,000–$110,000: 736 US districts (6%). Below this entry. $110,000–$120,000: 486 US districts (4%). Below this entry. $120,000–$130,000: 301 US districts (3%). This entry sits in this band. $130,000–$140,000: 183 US districts (2%). Above this entry. $140,000–$150,000: 122 US districts (1%). Above this entry. $150,000–$160,000: 68 US districts (1%). Above this entry. $160,000–$170,000: 42 US districts (0%). Above this entry. $170,000–$180,000: 26 US districts (0%). Above this entry. $180,000–$190,000: 0 US districts (0%). Above this entry. Bellingham School District $30,000 $190,000 every reliable-salary US district, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $10K-wide band; taller bars hold more US districts. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2022 · FY2022

What stands out about Bellingham School District

  • It ranks in the top 10% of US districts for estimated teacher pay, higher than 94% of the 11,460 reliable-salary districts nationally.

What the Numbers Say About Bellingham School District

Bellingham School District is a mid-sized school district in Washington, serving 11,439 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $23,302. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from instructional expenditure variable Z33 divided by teacher FTE, is $122,113, placing the district in the high-investment tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 5300420 references the FY2022 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Washington statewide average of $117,433, teacher pay in Bellingham School District runs roughly in line with the state benchmark, a 4.0% gap, and above the national instructional-salary estimate of $85,759 (42.4% differential). Among enrolling districts in Washington, it pays more than 87% of them.

Budget figures show Bellingham School District reporting $266.6M in total expenditure against $238.6M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 30% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $49.1M, special-education teacher pay is $8.9M.

How does Bellingham School District compare?

Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the Washington average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.

Bellingham School District $122,113
Seattle School District No. 1 $133,407
Washington avg $117,433
National avg $85,759

Bellingham School District pays -8.5% less than Seattle School District No. 1 · per-pupil $23,302 vs $25,927

Estimated from NCES F-33 instructional salary expenditure (FY2022). Service entities excluded; estimates assume a 15:1 ratio.

Data-derived comparison paths

Find comparable Washington districts

These are not simply nearby districts: each group is selected from the same NCES FY2022 dataset using a matching salary or per-pupil-investment signal and a comparable enrollment range.

Similar estimated teacher pay

Salary-nearest districts to Bellingham School District, with enrollment kept within a comparable band.

Similar per-pupil investment

Spending-nearest districts to Bellingham School District, with salary and enrollment reliability checks applied.

Revenue & Expenditure

$238.6M
Total Revenue
$266.6M
Total Expenditure
$80.6M
Instruction Salaries
30% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$49.1M
Regular Program
$8.9M
Special Education
$3.1M
Vocational
$5.3M
Other Programs

Other Washington Districts

Battle Ground School District
$111,539
11,745 students
Clover Park School District
$110,170
12,629 students
Sumner School District
$113,942
10,217 students
Mead School District
$113,878
10,141 students
Marysville School District
$127,058
10,014 students
South Kitsap School District
$111,632
9,775 students

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average teacher salary in Bellingham School District?

The average teacher salary in Bellingham School District is $122,113 (NCES CCD FY2022). This is based on total instructional salary expenditure divided by the district's REPORTED teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey).

How does Bellingham School District teacher pay compare to the Washington average?

Bellingham School District pays 4.0% more than the Washington state average of $117,433. The district's average is $122,113.

How does Bellingham School District teacher pay compare to the national average?

Bellingham School District pays 42.4% above the national average of $85,759. The district average is $122,113.

What is the per-pupil spending in Bellingham School District?

NCES FY2022 data puts Bellingham School District's per-student spending at approximately $23,302 annually, covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

How many students are enrolled in Bellingham School District?

Bellingham School District has 11,439 students enrolled according to NCES CCD FY2022 data.

What percentage of Bellingham School District's budget goes to teacher salaries?

Instructional salaries account for 30% of Bellingham School District's total expenditure of $266.6M (NCES FY2022).

Where does this teacher salary data come from?

This data is sourced from two NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) surveys, Fiscal Year 2022: the F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey (instructional expenditure, variable Z33) and the Staff Universe Survey (reported teacher headcount). Salary figures divide the former by the latter, falling back to an enrollment-based estimate only when a district has no reported headcount. These are district-level aggregates, not individual salary records.

Disclaimer & data sources

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher Editorial

Embed this widget

Copy this snippet to embed a live-linked card on your own site.

According to the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, PlainTeacher's figures are computed directly, no number is typed in by an editor. Bellingham School District's salary and finance figures are computed directly from its FY2022 F-33 submission, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Data current as of FY2022.