School district · Alabama · LEAID 0100630
Cherokee County
Cherokee County is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Alabama districts (3,886 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Cherokee County come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $70,585
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $16,610
- Per-pupil spending
- 3,886
- Students enrolled
- 80th
- Pct. in AL
Above benchmark
Cherokee County is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Alabama districts (3,886 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $70,585, near the national average of $70,245, serving 3,886 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Smaller enrollment scale: Cherokee County is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Alabama districts (3,886 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
- 80th percentile for Alabama
- 60th percentile nationally
- 28% of spending reaches instructional salaries
- Alabama ranks #21 of 49 on the salary estimate and #22 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- Cherokee County ranks #28 of 138 Alabama districts by estimated teacher salary and #36 of 138 by per-pupil spending. Limestone County pay #1 at $118,952 is not Lowndes County spending #1 at $30,484 per pupil
- +22.6% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)
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Instructional payroll mix vs Alabama median
Among 138 Alabama districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Cherokee County's instructional payroll puts 78.7% into regular program , 2.5 points below the state median of 81.2%. The mix below is the district's own F-33 program split against the in-state median, not a quality score.
| Program | Cherokee County | AL median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 78.7% | 81.2% | -2.5 pp |
| Special education | 10.5% | 10.2% | +0.3 pp |
| Vocational programs | 7.8% | 5.5% | +2.3 pp |
| Other programs | 3.1% | 3.1% | +0.0 pp |
Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 138 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 0100630 · FY2023.
LEAID 0100630 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
Cherokee County F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $70,585 estimated average teacher salary · P80 in Alabama · P60 nationally · 28% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Jackson ($275est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for Cherokee County
Salary neighbourhood · Cherokee County
Cherokee 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).
- Calhoun · low pole
Calhoun · low pole
$59,253 est. salary
- Montgomery · near
Montgomery · near
$69,484 est. salary
- Jackson · near
Jackson · near
$70,310 est. salary
- Cherokee
Cherokee · this district
$70,585 est. salary
- Cullman · near
Cullman · near
$71,389 est. salary
- Limestone · top pay
Limestone · top pay
$118,952 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Cherokee County
Cherokee County's estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$70,585 Top 40% higher than 60% 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
Cherokee County in Alabama's upper-third pay band
Same 138 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)
- Limestone County
Limestone County
$118,952 est. avg salary
- Cherokee County
Cherokee County
$70,585 est. avg salary
- Lowndes County
Lowndes County
$69,901 est. avg salary
What this shows Cherokee County ranks #28 of 138 Alabama districts by estimated teacher salary and #36 of 138 by per-pupil spending. Limestone County pay #1 at $118,952 is not Lowndes County spending #1 at $30,484 per pupil
The same districts by per-pupil spending
Cherokee County is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar
- Lowndes County
Lowndes County
$30,484 per pupil
- Cherokee County
Cherokee County
$16,610 per pupil
- Limestone County $11,392
Limestone County
$11,392 per pupil
What this shows Lowndes County leads spending at $30,484 per pupil; Limestone County leads pay.
What stands out about Cherokee County
- Estimated teacher pay here rose +22.6% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing Alabama's statewide +18.0% by 4.6 points, a growth rate faster than 60% of the 118 Alabama districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests
- Nominal district estimate
- $70,585.125
- Alabama price level
- 89.1 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $79,223
The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.
BEA all-items regional price parity; 100 is the U.S. average.
+12% versus the nominal figure.
Prices in Alabama 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 Alabama 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 Cherokee County
What the Numbers Say About Cherokee County
Cherokee County is a small-to-mid-sized school district in Alabama, serving 3,886 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $16,610. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $70,585, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 0100630 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.
Relative to the Alabama statewide average of $68,221, teacher pay in Cherokee County runs roughly in line with the state benchmark, a 3.5% gap, and near the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (0.5% differential). Among enrolling districts in Alabama, it pays more than 80% of them. Alabama itself ranks #21 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.
On the budget side, Cherokee County reports $64.5M in total expenditure against $64.4M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 28% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $12.6M, special-education teacher pay is $1.7M.
How does Cherokee County compare?
Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the Alabama average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.
Cherokee County pays +10.6% more than Mobile County · per-pupil $16,610 vs $14,922
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 Alabama districts
On pay, Cherokee County sits closest to Mountain Brook City; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Alexander City. 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 Cherokee County's smaller enrollment
Two out-of-state peer sets for Cherokee County: closest on enrollment (3,886 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($70,585 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 Cherokee County: the regular program, special education, vocational programs and other programs. Every program category NCES breaks out separately carries a figure here. Together they are 88% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 12% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.
Alabama Teacher Pay Overview
The highest average among comparably sized Alabama districts belongs to Limestone County at $118,952. Cherokee County sits in the upper quarter of that field at 28 of 137, nearer the ceiling than the floor. Iowa and Louisiana are the states closest to Alabama 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 Alabama districts →Other Alabama Districts
Smaller-district sample from 137 Alabama peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.
This is a sample of 6 from 137 Alabama districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cherokee County
What is the average teacher salary in Cherokee County?
The average teacher salary in Cherokee County is $70,585 (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 Cherokee County teacher pay compare to the Alabama average?
Cherokee County pays 3.5% more than the Alabama state average of $68,221. The district's average is $70,585.
How does Cherokee County teacher pay compare to the national average?
Cherokee County pays 0.5% above the national average of $70,245. The district average is $70,585.
What is the per-pupil spending in Cherokee County?
Cherokee County spends approximately $16,610 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of Cherokee County's budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 28% of Cherokee County's total expenditure of $64.5M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for Cherokee County
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 |