PlainTeacher

School district · California · LEAID 0611460

Downey Unified

From the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2022): Downey Unified pays an estimated average teacher salary of $149,651, alongside per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget figures.

$149,651
Est. avg teacher salary
$19,892
Per-pupil spending
21,375
Students enrolled
95th
Pct. in CA
$149,651

Downey Unified (California) reports an estimated average teacher salary of $149,651, meaningfully above the California average and above the national average, from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 fiscal survey (FY2022). It serves 21,375 students.

  • 95th percentile for California
  • 99th percentile nationally
  • 32% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • +17.2% since FY2019

Avg Teacher Salary

$149,651

Estimated from instructional expenditure / FTE

Per-Pupil Spending

$19,892

Total expenditure / enrollment

Student Enrollment

21,375 students

Salary vs State Average 100.0%

20.7% above California average

Nationally, Downey Unified's estimated average out-pays 99% of the 11,460 US school districts with reliable F-33 salary data, placing it in the top quartile of districts on this estimate. (A relative position on the F-33 figure, which runs above survey-reported salaries.)

Downey Unified's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$149,651 Top 1% higher than 99% of 11,460 US districts

$30,000–$40,000: 66 US districts (1%). Below this entry. $40,000–$50,000: 375 US districts (3%). Below this entry. $50,000–$60,000: 1,529 US districts (13%). Below this entry. $60,000–$70,000: 2,648 US districts (23%). Below this entry. $70,000–$80,000: 2,442 US districts (21%). Below this entry. $80,000–$90,000: 1,413 US districts (12%). Below this entry. $90,000–$100,000: 1,023 US districts (9%). Below this entry. $100,000–$110,000: 736 US districts (6%). Below this entry. $110,000–$120,000: 486 US districts (4%). Below this entry. $120,000–$130,000: 301 US districts (3%). Below this entry. $130,000–$140,000: 183 US districts (2%). Below this entry. $140,000–$150,000: 122 US districts (1%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$160,000: 68 US districts (1%). Above this entry. $160,000–$170,000: 42 US districts (0%). Above this entry. $170,000–$180,000: 26 US districts (0%). Above this entry. $180,000–$190,000: 0 US districts (0%). Above this entry. Downey Unified $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, FY2022 · FY2022

What stands out about Downey Unified

  • It ranks in the top 5% of US districts for estimated teacher pay, higher than 99% of the 11,460 reliable-salary districts nationally.

What the Numbers Say About Downey Unified

Downey Unified is a mid-sized school district in California, serving 21,375 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $19,892. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from instructional expenditure variable Z33 divided by teacher FTE, is $149,651, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 0611460 references the FY2022 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the California statewide average of $123,951, teacher pay in Downey Unified runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 20.7% gap, and above the national instructional-salary estimate of $85,759 (74.5% differential). Among enrolling districts in California, it pays more than 95% of them.

Downey Unified's budget totals $425.2M in expenditure against $427.8M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 32% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $91.5M, special-education teacher pay is $21.5M.

How does Downey Unified compare?

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

Downey Unified $149,651
Los Angeles Unified $122,209
California avg $123,951
National avg $85,759

Downey Unified pays +22.5% more than Los Angeles Unified · per-pupil $19,892 vs $25,983

Estimated from NCES F-33 instructional salary expenditure (FY2022). Service entities excluded; estimates assume a 15:1 ratio.

Data-derived comparison paths

Find comparable California districts

These are not simply nearby districts: each group is selected from the same NCES FY2022 dataset using a matching salary or per-pupil-investment signal and a comparable enrollment range.

Similar estimated teacher pay

Salary-nearest districts to Downey Unified, with enrollment kept within a comparable band.

Similar per-pupil investment

Spending-nearest districts to Downey Unified, with salary and enrollment reliability checks applied.

Revenue & Expenditure

$427.8M
Total Revenue
$425.2M
Total Expenditure
$135.0M
Instruction Salaries
32% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$91.5M
Regular Program
$21.5M
Special Education
$3.1M
Vocational

Other California Districts

West Contra Costa Unified
$112,671
26,178 students
Santa Maria-Bonita
$119,531
16,569 students
Hacienda la Puente Unified
$123,755
16,545 students
William S. Hart Union High
$111,035
21,441 students
Palm Springs Unified
$130,711
21,301 students
East Side Union High
$120,462
21,615 students

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average teacher salary in Downey Unified?

The average teacher salary in Downey Unified is $149,651 (NCES CCD FY2022). This is based on total instructional salary expenditure divided by the district's REPORTED teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey).

How does Downey Unified teacher pay compare to the California average?

Downey Unified pays 20.7% more than the California state average of $123,951. The district's average is $149,651.

How does Downey Unified teacher pay compare to the national average?

Downey Unified pays 74.5% above the national average of $85,759. The district average is $149,651.

What is the per-pupil spending in Downey Unified?

Per-pupil spending in Downey Unified runs approximately $19,892 a year (NCES FY2022), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

How many students are enrolled in Downey Unified?

Downey Unified has 21,375 students enrolled according to NCES CCD FY2022 data.

What percentage of Downey Unified's budget goes to teacher salaries?

Instructional salaries account for 32% of Downey Unified's total expenditure of $425.2M (NCES FY2022).

Where does this teacher salary data come from?

This data is sourced from two NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) surveys, Fiscal Year 2022: the F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey (instructional expenditure, variable Z33) and the Staff Universe Survey (reported teacher headcount). Salary figures divide the former by the latter, falling back to an enrollment-based estimate only when a district has no reported headcount. These are district-level aggregates, not individual salary records.

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 Editorial

Embed this widget

Copy this snippet to embed a live-linked card on your own site.

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. Downey Unified's salary and finance figures are computed directly from its FY2022 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 FY2022.