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School district · Tennessee · LEAID 4700960

Decatur County

Decatur County is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Tennessee districts (1,524 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Decatur County come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$52,442
Est. avg teacher salary

Below benchmark

$12,407
Per-pupil spending
1,524
Students enrolled
17th
Pct. in TN
$52,442

Decatur County is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Tennessee districts (1,524 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $52,442, below the national average of $70,245, serving 1,524 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Smaller enrollment scale: Decatur County is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Tennessee districts (1,524 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
  • 17th percentile for Tennessee
  • 20th percentile nationally
  • 35% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • Tennessee ranks #38 of 49 on the salary estimate and #13 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • Decatur County ranks #115 of 139 Tennessee districts by estimated teacher salary and #96 of 139 by per-pupil spending. Achievement School District pay #1 at $82,057 is not Franklin SSD spending #1 at $24,604 per pupil
  • +13.8% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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LEAID 4700960 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Decatur County F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-BELOW -9% vs state RANK-ST-LOW P17 in state RANK-NAT-LOW P20 national PPE-LOW $12K/pupil ENR-SMALL 1,524 students INSTR-MID 35% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Trousdale FY-2023-LIGHT FY2023 book

FY2023: $52,442 estimated average teacher salary · P17 in Tennessee · P20 nationally · 35% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Warren ($469est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Decatur County

Salary neighbourhood · Decatur County

Decatur County 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 Decatur County

Decatur County's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$52,442 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. Decatur County $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

Decatur County in Tennessee's lower-third pay band

Same 139 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)

est. avg salary

What this shows Decatur County ranks #115 of 139 Tennessee districts by estimated teacher salary and #96 of 139 by per-pupil spending. Achievement School District pay #1 at $82,057 is not Franklin SSD spending #1 at $24,604 per pupil

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

The same districts by per-pupil spending

Decatur County is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar

per pupil

What this shows Franklin SSD leads spending at $24,604 per pupil; Achievement School District leads pay.

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

What stands out about Decatur County

  • Enrolment fell from 1,615 to 1,524 students (5.6% 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.

This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests

Nominal district estimate
$52,442.478

The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.

Tennessee price level
92.1 / 100

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

National-price equivalent
$56,945

+9% versus the nominal figure.

Prices in Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Decatur County

What the Numbers Say About Decatur County

Decatur County is a small school district in Tennessee, serving 1,524 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $12,407. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $52,442, placing the district in the lower-spending tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 4700960 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Tennessee statewide average of $57,941, teacher pay in Decatur County runs materially below the state benchmark, a 9.5% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (25.3% differential). Among enrolling districts in Tennessee, it pays more than 17% of them. Tennessee itself ranks #38 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.

On the budget side, Decatur County reports $18.9M in total expenditure against $19.6M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 35% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $5.0M, special-education teacher pay is $0.6M.

How does Decatur County compare?

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

Decatur County $52,442
Memphis-Shelby County Schools $58,671
Tennessee avg $57,941
National avg $70,245

Decatur County pays -10.6% less than Memphis-Shelby County Schools · per-pupil $12,407 vs $16,050

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 Tennessee districts

On pay, Decatur County sits closest to Trousdale County; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Marion County. 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. Trousdale County
  2. Hickman County
  3. Alamo
  4. Humphreys County
  5. Grainger County
  6. Trenton
  7. Carter County
  8. Haywood County
  9. McKenzie
  10. Lake County
  11. Coffee County
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Marion County
  2. Milan
  3. Carter County
  4. Grainger County
  5. Fentress County
  6. McNairy County
  7. Arlington
  8. Rhea County
  9. Giles County
  10. Lincoln County
  11. Oneida

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts near Decatur County's smaller enrollment

Two out-of-state peer sets for Decatur County: closest on enrollment (1,524 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($52,442 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

$19.6M
Total Revenue
$18.9M
Total Expenditure
$6.7M
Instruction Salaries
35% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$5.0M
Regular Program
$0.6M
Special Education
$0.3M
Vocational
$0.1M
Other Programs

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 4 programs in Decatur 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 89% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 11% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.

Tennessee Teacher Pay Overview

The highest average among comparably sized Tennessee districts belongs to Achievement School District at $82,057. Placed 113 of 137, Decatur County is in the lower quarter, where a state-average comparison flatters the district rather than describing it. Indiana and Idaho are the states closest to Tennessee 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 Tennessee districts →

Other Tennessee Districts

Smaller-district sample from 138 Tennessee peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.

Meigs County
$61,053
1,751 students
McKenzie
$53,330
1,288 students
Houston County
$56,035
1,281 students
Grundy County
$47,485
1,789 students
Athens
$68,807
1,802 students
Fayetteville
$65,000
1,185 students

This is a sample of 6 from 138 Tennessee districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.

Frequently Asked Questions about Decatur County
What is the average teacher salary in Decatur County?

The average teacher salary in Decatur County is $52,442 (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 Decatur County teacher pay compare to the Tennessee average?

Decatur County pays 9.5% less than the Tennessee state average of $57,941. The district's average is $52,442.

How does Decatur County teacher pay compare to the national average?

Decatur County pays 25.3% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $52,442.

What is the per-pupil spending in Decatur County?

Decatur County spends approximately $12,407 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

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

Instructional salaries account for 35% of Decatur County's total expenditure of $18.9M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Decatur 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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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. Decatur County'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.