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School district · North Carolina · LEAID 3700690

Catawba County Schools

Catawba County Schools sits in the highest third of North Carolina districts on estimated teacher pay at $51,849 (above 87% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Catawba County Schools come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$51,849
Est. avg teacher salary

Above benchmark

$13,023
Per-pupil spending
15,678
Students enrolled
87th
Pct. in NC
$51,849

Catawba County Schools sits in the highest third of North Carolina districts on estimated teacher pay at $51,849 (above 87% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Estimated average teacher salary is $51,849, below the national average of $70,245, serving 15,678 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Upper-third pay in state: Catawba County Schools sits in the highest third of North Carolina districts on estimated teacher pay at $51,849 (above 87% of in-state peers with reliable estimates).
  • 87th percentile for North Carolina
  • 19th percentile nationally
  • 37% 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.
  • Catawba County Schools ranks #15 of 115 North Carolina districts by estimated teacher salary and #92 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
  • +12.2% 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, Catawba County Schools's instructional payroll puts 24.3% into other programs , 4.6 points above the state median of 19.7%. The mix below is the district's own F-33 program split against the in-state median, not a quality score.

Program Catawba County NC median Gap
Regular program 61.1% 61.8% -0.7 pp
Special education 8.3% 11.1% -2.8 pp
Vocational programs 6.4% 7.1% -0.7 pp
Other programs 24.3% 19.7% +4.6 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 3700690 · FY2023.

LEAID 3700690 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Catawba County F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-ABOVE +4% vs state RANK-ST-MID P87 in state RANK-NAT-LOW P19 national PPE-LOW $13K/pupil ENR-LARGE 15.7K students INSTR-MID 37% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Haywood FY-2023-MID FY2023 book

FY2023: $51,849 estimated average teacher salary · P87 in North Carolina · P19 nationally · 37% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Buncombe (+$49est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Catawba County

Salary neighbourhood · Catawba County

Catawba 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).

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

Catawba County Schools's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$51,849 19th percentile higher than 19% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$70,000: 2,402 US districts (22%). Above this entry. $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. Catawba County Schools $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

Catawba 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)

est. avg salary

What this shows Catawba County Schools ranks #15 of 115 North Carolina districts by estimated teacher salary and #92 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

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

The same districts by per-pupil spending

Catawba County Schools is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar

per pupil

What this shows Hyde County Schools leads spending at $39,566 per pupil; Camden County Schools leads pay.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

What stands out about Catawba County Schools

  • Estimated teacher pay here rose +12.2% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing North Carolina's statewide +5.8% by 6.4 points, a growth rate faster than 87% of the 116 North Carolina districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.

This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests

Nominal district estimate
$51,849.382

The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.

North Carolina price level
94.4 / 100

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

National-price equivalent
$54,926

+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 Catawba County Schools

What the Numbers Say About Catawba County Schools

Catawba County Schools is a mid-sized school district in North Carolina, serving 15,678 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $13,023. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $51,849, placing the district in the lower-spending tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 3700690 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 Catawba County Schools runs roughly in line with the state benchmark, a 3.9% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (26.2% differential). Among enrolling districts in North Carolina, it pays more than 87% 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, Catawba County Schools reports $204.2M in total expenditure against $206.4M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 37% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $32.3M, special-education teacher pay is $4.4M.

How does Catawba 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.

Catawba County Schools $51,849
Wake County Schools $50,350
North Carolina avg $49,898
National avg $70,245

Catawba County Schools pays +3.0% more than Wake County Schools · per-pupil $13,023 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, Catawba County Schools sits closest to Haywood County Schools; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Caldwell 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.

Closest on estimated pay
  1. Haywood County Schools
  2. Carteret County Public Schools
  3. Buncombe County Schools
  4. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
  5. Gaston County Schools
  6. Burke County Schools
  7. Henderson County Schools
  8. Chatham County Schools
  9. Macon County Schools
  10. McDowell County Schools
  11. Surry County Schools
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Caldwell County Schools
  2. Rowan-Salisbury Schools
  3. Burke County Schools
  4. Surry County Schools
  5. Gaston County Schools
  6. Yadkin County Schools
  7. Craven County Schools
  8. Davie County Schools
  9. Kannapolis City Schools
  10. Sampson County Schools
  11. Cumberland County Schools

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts near Catawba County Schools's pay band

Two out-of-state peer sets for Catawba County Schools: closest on enrollment (15,678 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($51,849 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

$206.4M
Total Revenue
$204.2M
Total Expenditure
$74.6M
Instruction Salaries
37% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$32.3M
Regular Program
$4.4M
Special Education
$3.4M
Vocational
$12.8M
Other Programs

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 4 programs in Catawba 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 71% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 29% 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. Catawba County Schools sits in the upper quarter of that field at 15 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

The bar behind each salary shows its magnitude within this North Carolina sample (including Catawba County). Hover or focus a value for the exact comparison.

Pitt County Schools
$48,336
24,091 students
Orange County Schools
$51,098
7,208 students
Granville County Schools
$49,005
6,748 students
Richmond County Schools
$49,004
6,678 students
Haywood County Schools
$51,811
6,605 students
Davie County Schools
$50,753
6,114 students

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 Catawba County Schools
What is the average teacher salary in Catawba County Schools?

The average teacher salary in Catawba County Schools is $51,849 (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 Catawba County Schools teacher pay compare to the North Carolina average?

Catawba County Schools pays 3.9% more than the North Carolina state average of $49,898. The district's average is $51,849.

How does Catawba County Schools teacher pay compare to the national average?

Catawba County Schools pays 26.2% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $51,849.

What is the per-pupil spending in Catawba County Schools?

Catawba County Schools spends approximately $13,023 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

What percentage of Catawba County Schools's budget goes to teacher salaries?

Instructional salaries account for 37% of Catawba County Schools's total expenditure of $204.2M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Catawba 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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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. Catawba County Schools'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.