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School district · Arizona · LEAID 0402370

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Arizona districts (1,799 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$52,123
Est. avg teacher salary

Well below benchmark

$12,247
Per-pupil spending
1,799
Students enrolled
7th
Pct. in AZ
$52,123

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Arizona districts (1,799 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $52,123, below the national average of $70,245, serving 1,799 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Smaller enrollment scale: Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Arizona districts (1,799 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
  • 7th percentile for Arizona
  • 20th percentile nationally
  • 31% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • Arizona ranks #29 of 49 on the salary estimate and #16 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) ranks #141 of 152 Arizona districts by estimated teacher salary and #117 of 152 by per-pupil spending. Safford Unified District (4218) pay #1 at $99,366 is not Red Mesa Unified District (4159) spending #1 at $38,950 per pupil
  • +39.4% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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Instructional payroll mix vs Arizona median

Among 213 Arizona districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)'s instructional payroll puts 89.2% into regular program , 5.3 points above the state median of 84.0%. Regular-program teachers claim more of the instructional salary pool here than at the median Arizona district.

Program Cottonwood-Oak Creek AZ median Gap
Regular program 89.2% 84.0% +5.3 pp
Special education 10.8% 10.8% +0.0 pp
Vocational programs 0.0% 1.7% -1.7 pp

Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 213 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 0402370 · FY2023.

LEAID 0402370 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Cottonwood-Oak Creek F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-LOW -18% vs state RANK-ST-LOW P7 in state RANK-NAT-LOW P20 national PPE-LOW $12K/pupil ENR-SMALL 1,799 students INSTR-LOW 31% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Clarkdale-Jerome FY-2023-LIGHT FY2023 book

FY2023: $52,123 estimated average teacher salary · P7 in Arizona · P20 nationally · 31% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Tempe (+$4,487est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Cottonwood-Oak Creek

Salary neighbourhood · Cottonwood-Oak Creek

Cottonwood-Oak Creek trails 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 Cottonwood-Oak Creek

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)'s estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$52,123 20th percentile higher than 20% 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. This district $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

Cottonwood-Oak Creek in Arizona's lower-third pay band

Same 152 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)

est. avg salary

What this shows Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) ranks #141 of 152 Arizona districts by estimated teacher salary and #117 of 152 by per-pupil spending. Safford Unified District (4218) pay #1 at $99,366 is not Red Mesa Unified District (4159) spending #1 at $38,950 per pupil

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

The same districts by per-pupil spending

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar

per pupil

What this shows Red Mesa Unified District (4159) leads spending at $38,950 per pupil; Safford Unified District (4218) leads pay.

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

What stands out about Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)

  • Estimated teacher pay here rose +39.4% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing Arizona's statewide +25.8% by 13.6 points, a growth rate faster than 80% of the 199 Arizona districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
  • Enrolment fell from 2,050 to 1,799 students (12.2% down) across FY2019–FY2023 while the instructional salary pool per teacher went up. Districts on that path are usually holding staffing steady against a falling roll, which lifts the per-teacher figure without anyone getting a raise, so read this page's salary estimate alongside the enrolment line rather than on its own.

Arizona sits close to national prices

Nominal district estimate
$52,123.231

The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.

Arizona price level
100.7 / 100

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

National-price equivalent
$51,739

-1% versus the nominal figure.

Prices in Arizona sit close to the national average, so the nominal and national-price figures tell nearly the same story here. That is not true in the most and least expensive states.

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 Arizona 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 Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)

What the Numbers Say About Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) is a small school district in Arizona, serving 1,799 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $12,247. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $52,123, placing the district in the lower-spending tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 0402370 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Arizona statewide average of $63,921, teacher pay in Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) runs materially below the state benchmark, a 18.5% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (25.8% differential). Among enrolling districts in Arizona, it pays more than 7% of them. Arizona itself ranks #29 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.

On the budget side, Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) reports $22.0M in total expenditure against $24.1M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 31% 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 $0.7M.

How does Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) compare?

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

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) $52,123
Mesa Unified District (4235) $67,420
Arizona avg $63,921
National avg $70,245

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) pays -22.7% less than Mesa Unified District (4235) · per-pupil $12,247 vs $14,903

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 Arizona districts

On pay, Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) sits closest to Clarkdale-Jerome Elementary District (4486); on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Sierra Vista Unified District (4175). 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. Clarkdale-Jerome Elementary District (4486)
  2. Prescott Unified District (4466)
  3. Benson Unified School District (79226)
  4. Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410)
  5. Payson Unified District (4209)
  6. Mayer Unified School District (4473)
  7. Heber-Overgaard Unified District (4392)
  8. Fountain Hills Unified District (4247)
  9. Buckeye Elementary District (4269)
  10. Riverside Elementary District (4257)
  11. Eloy Elementary District (4448)
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Sierra Vista Unified District (4175)
  2. Fowler Elementary District (4273)
  3. Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410)
  4. Union Elementary District (4277)
  5. Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)
  6. Benson Unified School District (79226)
  7. Buckeye Elementary District (4269)
  8. Bullhead City School District (4378)
  9. Safford Unified District (4218)
  10. Colorado River Union High School District (4381)
  11. Buckeye Union High School District (4284)

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts near Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)'s smaller enrollment

Two out-of-state peer sets for Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487): closest on enrollment (1,799 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($52,123 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

$24.1M
Total Revenue
$22.0M
Total Expenditure
$6.9M
Instruction Salaries
31% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$6.1M
Regular Program
$0.7M
Special Education

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 2 programs in Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487): the regular program and special education. It reports no separate figure for vocational programs and 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.

Arizona Teacher Pay Overview

The highest average among comparably sized Arizona districts belongs to Safford Unified District (4218) at $99,366. Placed 122 of 128, Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) is in the lower quarter, where a state-average comparison flatters the district rather than describing it. On BEA's price parity Arizona sits near the national average, so its salaries need less adjustment than most; Virginia and Colorado are its nearest price peers.

View all Arizona districts →

Other Arizona Districts

Smaller-district sample from 153 Arizona peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.

Kayenta Unified School District #27 (4396)
$76,325
1,597 students
Camp Verde Unified District (4470)
$68,178
1,564 students
Balsz Elementary District (4268)
$61,823
2,142 students
Tuba City Unified School District #15 (4197)
$55,814
1,448 students
Tanque Verde Unified District (4408)
$61,418
2,192 students
Morenci Unified District (4230)
$55,776
1,392 students

This is a sample of 6 from 153 Arizona districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)
What is the average teacher salary in Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)?

The average teacher salary in Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) is $52,123 (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 Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) teacher pay compare to the Arizona average?

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) pays 18.5% less than the Arizona state average of $63,921. The district's average is $52,123.

How does Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) teacher pay compare to the national average?

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) pays 25.8% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $52,123.

What is the per-pupil spending in Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)?

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) spends approximately $12,247 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

What percentage of Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)'s budget goes to teacher salaries?

Instructional salaries account for 31% of Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)'s total expenditure of $22.0M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)
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. Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)'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.