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School district · Montana · LEAID 3005280

Butte Elem

Butte Elem spends $12,307 per pupil, in the lowest third among comparable Montana districts with a reliable figure. Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Butte Elem come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$67,248
Est. avg teacher salary

Above benchmark

$12,307
Per-pupil spending
2,966
Students enrolled
79th
Pct. in MT
$67,248

Butte Elem spends $12,307 per pupil, in the lowest third among comparable Montana districts with a reliable figure. Estimated average teacher salary is $67,248, near the national average of $70,245, serving 2,966 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Lower per-pupil spending: Butte Elem spends $12,307 per pupil, in the lowest third among comparable Montana districts with a reliable figure.
  • 79th percentile for Montana
  • 53rd percentile nationally
  • 35% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • Montana ranks #36 of 49 on the salary estimate and #43 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • Butte Elem ranks #29 of 140 Montana districts by estimated teacher salary and #112 of 140 by per-pupil spending. Helena H S pay #1 at $104,507 is not Lolo Elem spending #1 at $49,777 per pupil
  • +14.4% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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How the salary estimate is built

FY2023 teacher salary expenditure

$12,761,000 ÷ 189.76 reported teacher FTE = $67,248

  • Regular program $11,210,000 · 87.8%
  • Special education $1,500,000 · 11.8%
  • Vocational programs $51,000 · 0.4%

These NCES F-33 program totals make up the numerator of the district-level average; they do not describe an individual teacher's pay or contract.

Instructional payroll mix vs Montana median

Among 317 Montana districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Butte Elem's instructional payroll puts 11.8% into special education , 5.0 points above the state median of 6.7%. That heavier special-education share usually means more of the teacher-salary pool is tied to IEP-driven staffing than at a typical Montana peer.

Program Butte Elem MT median Gap
Regular program 87.8% 90.0% -2.1 pp
Special education 11.8% 6.7% +5.0 pp

Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 317 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 3005280 · FY2023.

LEAID 3005280 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Butte Elem F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-HIGH +14% vs state RANK-ST-MID P79 in state RANK-NAT-MID P53 national PPE-LOW $12K/pupil ENR-MID 2,966 students INSTR-LOW 35% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Huntley FY-2023-MID FY2023 book

FY2023: $67,248 estimated average teacher salary · P79 in Montana · P53 nationally · 35% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Huntley ($84est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Butte Elem

Salary neighbourhood · Butte Elem

Butte Elem 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).

est. salary
Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey As of FY2023
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Butte Elem

Butte Elem's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$67,248 Top 47% higher than 53% of 10,684 US districts

Show national distribution $30,000–$40,000: 155 US districts (1%). Below this entry. $40,000–$50,000: 1,360 US districts (13%). Below this entry. $50,000–$60,000: 2,382 US districts (22%). Below this entry. $60,000–$70,000: 2,402 US districts (22%). This entry sits in this band. $70,000–$80,000: 1,633 US districts (15%). Above this entry. $80,000–$90,000: 1,097 US districts (10%). Above this entry. $90,000–$100,000: 662 US districts (6%). Above this entry. $100,000–$110,000: 371 US districts (3%). Above this entry. $110,000–$120,000: 249 US districts (2%). Above this entry. $120,000–$130,000: 156 US districts (1%). Above this entry. $130,000–$140,000: 112 US districts (1%). Above this entry. $140,000–$150,000: 57 US districts (1%). Above this entry. $150,000–$160,000: 25 US districts (0%). Above this entry. $160,000–$170,000: 13 US districts (0%). Above this entry. $170,000–$180,000: 10 US districts (0%). Above this entry. $180,000–$190,000: 0 US districts (0%). Above this entry. Butte Elem $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, FY2023 · FY2023

This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests

Nominal district estimate
$67,248.103

The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.

Montana price level
91.0 / 100

BEA all-items regional price parity; 100 is the U.S. average.

National-price equivalent
$73,888

+10% versus the nominal figure.

Prices in Montana 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 Montana 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 Butte Elem

What the Numbers Say About Butte Elem

Butte Elem is a small-to-mid-sized school district in Montana, serving 2,966 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $12,307. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $67,248, placing the district in the lower-spending tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 3005280 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Montana statewide average of $59,058, teacher pay in Butte Elem runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 13.9% gap, and near the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (4.3% differential). Among enrolling districts in Montana, it pays more than 79% of them. Montana itself ranks #36 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.

On the budget side, Butte Elem reports $36.5M in total expenditure against $36.5M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 35% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $11.2M, special-education teacher pay is $1.5M.

How does Butte Elem compare?

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

Butte Elem $67,248
Billings Elem $74,295
Montana avg $59,058
National avg $70,245

Butte Elem pays -9.5% less than Billings Elem · per-pupil $12,307 vs $12,841

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 Montana districts

On pay, Butte Elem sits closest to Huntley Project K-12 Schools; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Hellgate Elem. 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.

Closest on estimated pay
  1. Huntley Project K-12 Schools
  2. Great Falls H S
  3. Glendive Elem
  4. Belgrade Elem
  5. Ronan Elem
  6. Browning Elem
  7. Columbia Falls Elem
  8. Dillon Elem
  9. Hardin Elem
  10. Libby K-12 Schools
  11. Billings H S
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Hellgate Elem
  2. Belgrade H S
  3. Sidney Elem
  4. Great Falls H S
  5. Hamilton K-12 Schools
  6. Frenchtown K-12 Schools
  7. Billings Elem
  8. Billings H S
  9. Dillon Elem
  10. Bozeman Elem
  11. Miles City Elem

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts near Butte Elem's enrollment scale

Two out-of-state peer sets for Butte Elem: closest on enrollment (2,966 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($67,248 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

$36.5M
Total Revenue
$36.5M
Total Expenditure
$12.8M
Instruction Salaries
35% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$11.2M
Regular Program
$1.5M
Special Education
$0.1M
Vocational

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 3 programs in Butte Elem: the regular program, special education and vocational programs. It reports no separate figure for other programs. Together they are 100% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 0% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.

Montana Teacher Pay Overview

The highest average among comparably sized Montana districts belongs to Helena H S at $104,507. Butte Elem places 20 of 64 comparably sized districts, squarely in the middle band the state average actually represents. New Mexico and Missouri are the states closest to Montana 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 Montana districts →

Other Montana Districts

Large-district sample from 139 Montana peers with reliable NCES data; bar length shows pay magnitude within this slice.

Browning Elem
$62,901
1,266 students
Havre Elem
$59,771
1,199 students
Polson Elem
$74,666
1,173 students
Libby K-12 Schools
$61,908
1,164 students
Ronan Elem
$63,744
1,105 students
Belgrade H S
$58,705
994 students

This is a sample of 6 from 139 Montana districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.

Frequently Asked Questions about Butte Elem
What is the average teacher salary in Butte Elem?

The average teacher salary in Butte Elem is $67,248 (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 Butte Elem teacher pay compare to the Montana average?

Butte Elem pays 13.9% more than the Montana state average of $59,058. The district's average is $67,248.

How does Butte Elem teacher pay compare to the national average?

Butte Elem pays 4.3% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $67,248.

What is the per-pupil spending in Butte Elem?

Butte Elem spends approximately $12,307 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

What percentage of Butte Elem's budget goes to teacher salaries?

Instructional salaries account for 35% of Butte Elem's total expenditure of $36.5M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Butte Elem
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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Editorial standards & source notes

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. Butte Elem's salary and finance figures are computed directly from its FY2023 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 FY2023.