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School district · Montana · LEAID 3007110

Columbia Falls Elem

Columbia Falls Elem spends $20,202 per pupil, in the highest third among comparable Montana districts with a reliable figure. Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Columbia Falls Elem come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$62,457
Est. avg teacher salary

Above benchmark

$20,202
Per-pupil spending
1,562
Students enrolled
68th
Pct. in MT
$62,457

Columbia Falls Elem spends $20,202 per pupil, in the highest third among comparable Montana districts with a reliable figure. Estimated average teacher salary is $62,457, below the national average of $70,245, serving 1,562 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • High per-pupil spending: Columbia Falls Elem spends $20,202 per pupil, in the highest third among comparable Montana districts with a reliable figure.
  • 68th percentile for Montana
  • 43rd percentile nationally
  • 24% 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.
  • Columbia Falls Elem ranks #45 of 140 Montana districts by estimated teacher salary and #22 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
  • +5.8% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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LEAID 3007110 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Columbia Falls F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-ABOVE +6% vs state RANK-ST-MID P68 in state RANK-NAT-LOW P43 national PPE-MID $20K/pupil ENR-SMALL 1,562 students INSTR-LOW 24% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Dillon FY-2023-LIGHT FY2023 book

FY2023: $62,457 estimated average teacher salary · P68 in Montana · P43 nationally · 24% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Dillon ($124est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Columbia Falls

Salary neighbourhood · Columbia Falls

Columbia Falls 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 Columbia Falls

Columbia Falls Elem's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$62,457 43rd percentile higher than 43% 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. Columbia Falls 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

What stands out about Columbia Falls Elem

  • Estimated teacher pay here moved +5.8% between FY2019 and FY2023, trailing Montana's statewide +12.5% by 6.7 points, a growth rate faster than 41% of the 277 Montana districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
  • Enrolment grew 7.9% here, from 1,448 students in FY2019 to 1,562 in FY2023, against a national picture where far more districts shrank than grew over the same period. Growth of this kind typically arrives before the funding that follows it, so per-pupil figures often dip while a district absorbs it.

This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests

Nominal district estimate
$62,456.601

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
$68,623

+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 Columbia Falls Elem

What the Numbers Say About Columbia Falls Elem

Columbia Falls Elem is a small school district in Montana, serving 1,562 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $20,202. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $62,457, placing the district in the high-investment tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 3007110 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Montana statewide average of $59,058, teacher pay in Columbia Falls Elem runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 5.8% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (11.1% differential). Among enrolling districts in Montana, it pays more than 68% 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, Columbia Falls Elem reports $31.6M in total expenditure against $22.8M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 24% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $6.1M, special-education teacher pay is $0.6M.

How does Columbia Falls Elem compare?

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

Columbia Falls Elem $62,457
Billings Elem $74,295
Montana avg $59,058
National avg $70,245

Columbia Falls Elem pays -15.9% less than Billings Elem · per-pupil $20,202 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, Columbia Falls Elem sits closest to Dillon Elem; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Browning H S. 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. Dillon Elem
  2. Hardin Elem
  3. Target Range Elem
  4. Browning Elem
  5. Libby K-12 Schools
  6. Laurel Elem
  7. Polson H S
  8. Ronan Elem
  9. Laurel H S
  10. Havre H S
  11. Belgrade Elem
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Browning H S
  2. Three Forks Elem
  3. Evergreen Elem
  4. Baker K-12 Schools
  5. St Ignatius K-12 Schools
  6. Hardin Elem
  7. Anaconda Elem
  8. Huntley Project K-12 Schools
  9. Wolf Point Elem
  10. Townsend K-12 Schools
  11. Rocky Boy Elem

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Nationwide districts with profiles like Columbia Falls

Two out-of-state peer sets for Columbia Falls Elem: closest on enrollment (1,562 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($62,457 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

$22.8M
Total Revenue
$31.6M
Total Expenditure
$7.6M
Instruction Salaries
24% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$6.1M
Regular Program
$0.6M
Special Education

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 2 programs in Columbia Falls Elem: the regular program and special education. It reports no separate figure for vocational programs and other programs. Together they are 87% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 13% 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. Columbia Falls Elem places 30 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

The bar behind each salary shows its magnitude within this Montana sample (including Columbia Falls). Hover or focus a value for the exact comparison.

Belgrade H S
$58,705
994 students
Miles City Elem
$49,480
953 students
Lewistown Elem
$58,291
888 students
Sidney Elem
$57,193
856 students
Livingston Elem
$42,701
837 students
Florence-Carlton K-12 Schls
$56,501
790 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 Columbia Falls Elem
What is the average teacher salary in Columbia Falls Elem?

The average teacher salary in Columbia Falls Elem is $62,457 (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 Columbia Falls Elem teacher pay compare to the Montana average?

Columbia Falls Elem pays 5.8% more than the Montana state average of $59,058. The district's average is $62,457.

How does Columbia Falls Elem teacher pay compare to the national average?

Columbia Falls Elem pays 11.1% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $62,457.

What is the per-pupil spending in Columbia Falls Elem?

Columbia Falls Elem spends approximately $20,202 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

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

Instructional salaries account for 24% of Columbia Falls Elem's total expenditure of $31.6M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Columbia Falls 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. Columbia Falls 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.