School district · North Carolina · LEAID 3700870
Clay County Schools
Clay County Schools is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable North Carolina districts (1,314 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Clay County Schools come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $50,845
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $14,933
- Per-pupil spending
- 1,314
- Students enrolled
- 70th
- Pct. in NC
Near benchmark
Clay County Schools is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable North Carolina districts (1,314 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $50,845, below the national average of $70,245, serving 1,314 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Smaller enrollment scale: Clay County Schools is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable North Carolina districts (1,314 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
- 70th percentile for North Carolina
- 17th percentile nationally
- 36% 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.
- Clay County Schools ranks #34 of 115 North Carolina districts by estimated teacher salary and #48 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
- -0.8% 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, Clay County Schools's instructional payroll puts 10.7% into vocational programs , 3.6 points above the state median of 7.1%. That heavier vocational share usually means career/technical programs claim more of the teacher-salary pool than at a typical North Carolina peer.
| Program | Clay County | NC median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 61.7% | 61.8% | -0.1 pp |
| Special education | 11.1% | 11.1% | -0.0 pp |
| Vocational programs | 10.7% | 7.1% | +3.6 pp |
| Other programs | 16.5% | 19.7% | -3.2 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 3700870 · FY2023.
LEAID 3700870 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
Clay County F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $50,845 estimated average teacher salary · P70 in North Carolina · P17 nationally · 36% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: New (+$51est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for Clay County
Salary neighbourhood · Clay County
Clay 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
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Charlotte-Mecklenburg · near
$50,646 est. salary
- Clay · this district
Clay · this district
$50,845 est. salary
- New · near
New · near
$50,896 est. salary
- Caldwell · near
Caldwell · near
$51,029 est. salary
- Henderson · top pay
Henderson · top pay
$52,055 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Clay County
Clay County Schools's estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$50,845 17th percentile higher than 17% 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
Clay 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
- Hyde County Schools
Hyde County Schools
$50,970 est. avg salary
- Clay County Schools
Clay County Schools
$50,845 est. avg salary
What this shows Clay County Schools ranks #34 of 115 North Carolina districts by estimated teacher salary and #48 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
Clay County Schools is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar
- Hyde County Schools
Hyde County Schools
$39,566 per pupil
- Clay County Schools $14,933
Clay County Schools
$14,933 per pupil
- Camden County Schools $13,128
Camden County Schools
$13,128 per pupil
What this shows Hyde County Schools leads spending at $39,566 per pupil; Camden County Schools leads pay.
What stands out about Clay County Schools
- Estimated teacher pay here moved -0.8% between FY2019 and FY2023, trailing North Carolina's statewide +5.8% by 6.6 points, a growth rate faster than 13% of the 116 North Carolina districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests
- Nominal district estimate
- $50,845.159
- North Carolina price level
- 94.4 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $53,862
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 Clay County Schools
What the Numbers Say About Clay County Schools
Clay County Schools is a small school district in North Carolina, serving 1,314 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $14,933. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $50,845, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 3700870 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 Clay County Schools runs roughly in line with the state benchmark, a 1.9% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (27.6% differential). Among enrolling districts in North Carolina, it pays more than 70% 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, Clay County Schools reports $19.6M in total expenditure against $20.2M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 36% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $3.0M, special-education teacher pay is $0.5M.
How does Clay 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.
Clay County Schools pays +1.0% more than Wake County Schools · per-pupil $14,933 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, Clay County Schools sits closest to Perquimans County Schools; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Lexington City 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 Clay County Schools's smaller enrollment
Two out-of-state peer sets for Clay County Schools: closest on enrollment (1,314 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($50,845 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 Clay 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 70% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 30% 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. Clay County Schools places 33 of 113 comparably sized districts, squarely in the middle band the state average actually represents. 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 Clay County Schools
What is the average teacher salary in Clay County Schools?
The average teacher salary in Clay County Schools is $50,845 (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 Clay County Schools teacher pay compare to the North Carolina average?
Clay County Schools pays 1.9% more than the North Carolina state average of $49,898. The district's average is $50,845.
How does Clay County Schools teacher pay compare to the national average?
Clay County Schools pays 27.6% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $50,845.
What is the per-pupil spending in Clay County Schools?
Clay County Schools spends approximately $14,933 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of Clay County Schools's budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 36% of Clay County Schools's total expenditure of $19.6M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for Clay 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 |