School district · North Carolina · LEAID 3700480
Burke County Schools
Burke County Schools sits in the highest third of North Carolina districts on estimated teacher pay at $51,690 (above 84% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Burke County Schools come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $51,690
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $13,067
- Per-pupil spending
- 11,770
- Students enrolled
- 84th
- Pct. in NC
Above benchmark
Burke County Schools sits in the highest third of North Carolina districts on estimated teacher pay at $51,690 (above 84% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Estimated average teacher salary is $51,690, below the national average of $70,245, serving 11,770 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Upper-third pay in state: Burke County Schools sits in the highest third of North Carolina districts on estimated teacher pay at $51,690 (above 84% of in-state peers with reliable estimates).
- 84th percentile for North Carolina
- 19th percentile nationally
- 34% of spending reaches instructional salaries
- North Carolina ranks #47 of 49 on the salary estimate and #8 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- Burke County Schools ranks #18 of 115 North Carolina districts by estimated teacher salary and #91 of 115 by per-pupil spending. Camden County Schools pay #1 at $53,553 is not Hyde County Schools spending #1 at $39,566 per pupil
- +5.8% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)
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Instructional payroll mix vs North Carolina median
Among 116 North Carolina districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Burke County Schools's instructional payroll puts 58.3% into regular program , 3.5 points below the state median of 61.8%. The mix below is the district's own F-33 program split against the in-state median, not a quality score.
| Program | Burke County | NC median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 58.3% | 61.8% | -3.5 pp |
| Special education | 13.2% | 11.1% | +2.1 pp |
| Vocational programs | 6.8% | 7.1% | -0.3 pp |
| Other programs | 21.7% | 19.7% | +2.0 pp |
Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 116 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 3700480 · FY2023.
LEAID 3700480 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
Burke County F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $51,690 estimated average teacher salary · P84 in North Carolina · P19 nationally · 34% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Catawba (+$159est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for Burke County
Salary neighbourhood · Burke County
Burke County already leads most of its in-state peer set; the chart plots it against the top and bottom pay poles for context (NCES F-33 FY2023, not a full state reprint).
- Hoke · low pole
Hoke · low pole
$44,987 est. salary
- Chatham · near
Chatham · near
$51,526 est. salary
- Burke · this district
Burke · this district
$51,690 est. salary
- Catawba · near
Catawba · near
$51,849 est. salary
- Buncombe · near
Buncombe · near
$51,898 est. salary
- Henderson · top pay
Henderson · top pay
$52,055 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Burke County
Burke County Schools's estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$51,690 19th percentile higher than 19% of 10,684 US districts
Show national distribution
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, FY2023 · FY2023
Burke County in North Carolina's upper-third pay band
Same 115 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)
- Camden County Schools
Camden County Schools
$53,553 est. avg salary
- Burke County Schools
Burke County Schools
$51,690 est. avg salary
- Hyde County Schools
Hyde County Schools
$50,970 est. avg salary
What this shows Burke County Schools ranks #18 of 115 North Carolina districts by estimated teacher salary and #91 of 115 by per-pupil spending. Camden County Schools pay #1 at $53,553 is not Hyde County Schools spending #1 at $39,566 per pupil
The same districts by per-pupil spending
Burke County Schools is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar
- Hyde County Schools
Hyde County Schools
$39,566 per pupil
- Camden County Schools $13,128
Camden County Schools
$13,128 per pupil
- Burke County Schools $13,067
Burke County Schools
$13,067 per pupil
What this shows Hyde County Schools leads spending at $39,566 per pupil; Camden County Schools leads pay.
This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests
- Nominal district estimate
- $51,690.065
- North Carolina price level
- 94.4 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $54,757
The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.
BEA all-items regional price parity; 100 is the U.S. average.
+6% versus the nominal figure.
Prices in North Carolina run below the national average, so this salary has roughly the buying power of the national-price equivalent above. A district in a costlier state can advertise a larger nominal salary and still leave a teacher with less.
Regional price parity: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2023 all-items RPP by state. The adjustment applies a statewide index to a district figure, so it captures how North Carolina compares nationally, not how this district compares with others in its own state. Compare every state on this basis.
How this salary figure is calculated
Full NCES reading for Burke County Schools
What the Numbers Say About Burke County Schools
Burke County Schools is a mid-sized school district in North Carolina, serving 11,770 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $13,067. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $51,690, placing the district in the lower-spending tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 3700480 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.
Relative to the North Carolina statewide average of $49,898, teacher pay in Burke County Schools runs roughly in line with the state benchmark, a 3.6% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (26.4% differential). Among enrolling districts in North Carolina, it pays more than 84% of them. North Carolina itself ranks #47 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.
On the budget side, Burke County Schools reports $153.8M in total expenditure against $151.2M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 34% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $22.3M, special-education teacher pay is $5.1M.
How does Burke County Schools compare?
Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the North Carolina average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.
Burke County Schools pays +2.7% more than Wake County Schools · per-pupil $13,067 vs $13,702
Derived from NCES F-33 teacher salary expenditure (Z35-Z38) and CCD Staff Universe teacher FTE (FY2023); a small minority use the documented fallback. Unreliable service entities are excluded.
Data-derived comparison paths
Find comparable North Carolina districts
On pay, Burke County Schools sits closest to Haywood County Schools; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Catawba County Schools. These are not simply nearby districts: each group is selected from the same NCES FY2023 dataset using a matching salary or per-pupil-investment signal and a comparable enrollment range.
Similar estimated teacher pay
Similar per-pupil investment
Out-of-state districts near Burke County Schools's smaller enrollment
Two out-of-state peer sets for Burke County Schools: closest on enrollment (11,770 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($51,690 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood.
Similar enrollment
Nearest other districts by NCES student count (floored at ≥200).
Similar estimated salary
Nearest other districts by F-33-derived average teacher salary, distinct from the enrollment row.
Enrollment and salaries from NCES CCD F-33; estimated teacher pay can diverge widely at the same student count because of state funding, cost of living, and local bargaining.
Revenue & Expenditure
Instructional Salary by Program
The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 4 programs in Burke County Schools: the regular program, special education, vocational programs and other programs. Every program category NCES breaks out separately carries a figure here. Together they are 73% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 27% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.
North Carolina Teacher Pay Overview
The highest average among comparably sized North Carolina districts belongs to Camden County Schools at $53,553. Burke County Schools sits in the upper quarter of that field at 18 of 113, nearer the ceiling than the floor. Michigan and South Carolina are the states closest to North Carolina on BEA's price parity, which makes them the fair comparison; against a costlier state this salary goes further than its number suggests.
View all North Carolina districts →Other North Carolina Districts
Smaller-district sample from 114 North Carolina peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.
This is a sample of 6 from 114 North Carolina districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.
Frequently Asked Questions about Burke County Schools
What is the average teacher salary in Burke County Schools?
The average teacher salary in Burke County Schools is $51,690 (NCES CCD FY2023), from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by the district's reported teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey).
How does Burke County Schools teacher pay compare to the North Carolina average?
Burke County Schools pays 3.6% more than the North Carolina state average of $49,898. The district's average is $51,690.
How does Burke County Schools teacher pay compare to the national average?
Burke County Schools pays 26.4% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $51,690.
What is the per-pupil spending in Burke County Schools?
Burke County Schools spends approximately $13,067 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of Burke County Schools's budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 34% of Burke County Schools's total expenditure of $153.8M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for Burke County Schools
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
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| Sources | Public official public datasets |