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School district · Montana · LEAID 3000005

Helena Elem

Helena Elem sits in the highest third of Montana districts on estimated teacher pay at $84,367 (above 96% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Helena Elem come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$84,367
Est. avg teacher salary

Well above benchmark

$14,562
Per-pupil spending
5,225
Students enrolled
96th
Pct. in MT
$84,367

Helena Elem sits in the highest third of Montana districts on estimated teacher pay at $84,367 (above 96% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Estimated average teacher salary is $84,367, above the national average of $70,245, serving 5,225 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Upper-third pay in state: Helena Elem sits in the highest third of Montana districts on estimated teacher pay at $84,367 (above 96% of in-state peers with reliable estimates).
  • 96th percentile for Montana
  • 79th percentile nationally
  • 42% 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.
  • Helena Elem ranks #5 of 140 Montana districts by estimated teacher salary and #72 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
  • +20.4% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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Instructional payroll mix vs Montana median

Among 317 Montana districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Helena Elem's instructional payroll puts 9.8% into special education , 3.1 points above the state median of 6.7%. That heavier special-education share usually means more of the teacher-salary pool is tied to IEP-driven staffing than at a typical Montana peer.

Program Helena Elem MT median Gap
Regular program 90.0% 90.0% -0.0 pp
Special education 9.8% 6.7% +3.1 pp

Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 317 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 3000005 · FY2023.

LEAID 3000005 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Helena Elem F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-HIGH +43% vs state RANK-ST-TOP P96 in state RANK-NAT-MID P79 national PPE-MID $15K/pupil ENR-MID 5,225 students INSTR-MID 42% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Whitefish FY-2023-MID FY2023 book

FY2023: $84,367 estimated average teacher salary · P96 in Montana · P79 nationally · 42% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Whitefish (+$578est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Helena Elem

Salary neighbourhood · Helena Elem

Helena Elem 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 Helena Elem

Helena Elem's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$84,367 Top 21% higher than 79% 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%). Below this entry. $70,000–$80,000: 1,633 US districts (15%). Below this entry. $80,000–$90,000: 1,097 US districts (10%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Helena 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

Helena Elem in Montana's upper-third pay band

Same 140 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)

est. avg salary

What this shows Helena Elem ranks #5 of 140 Montana districts by estimated teacher salary and #72 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

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

The same districts by per-pupil spending

Helena Elem is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar

per pupil

What this shows Lolo Elem leads spending at $49,777 per pupil; Helena H S leads pay.

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

What stands out about Helena Elem

  • Estimated teacher pay here rose +20.4% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing Montana's statewide +12.5% by 7.9 points, a growth rate faster than 75% of the 277 Montana districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.

This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests

Nominal district estimate
$84,366.887

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
$92,697

+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 Helena Elem

What the Numbers Say About Helena Elem

Helena Elem is a small-to-mid-sized school district in Montana, serving 5,225 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $14,562. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $84,367, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 3000005 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Montana statewide average of $59,058, teacher pay in Helena Elem runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 42.9% gap, and above the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (20.1% differential). Among enrolling districts in Montana, it pays more than 96% 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, Helena Elem reports $76.1M in total expenditure against $78.2M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 42% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $25.7M, special-education teacher pay is $2.8M.

How does Helena Elem compare?

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

Helena Elem $84,367
Billings Elem $74,295
Montana avg $59,058
National avg $70,245

Helena Elem pays +13.6% more than Billings Elem · per-pupil $14,562 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, Helena Elem sits closest to Whitefish Elem; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Missoula 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. Whitefish Elem
  2. Missoula H S
  3. Bozeman H S
  4. Kalispell Elem
  5. Bozeman Elem
  6. Flathead H S
  7. Missoula Elem
  8. Billings Elem
  9. Great Falls Elem
  10. Billings H S
  11. Butte H S
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Missoula H S
  2. Missoula Elem
  3. Flathead H S
  4. Kalispell Elem
  5. Helena H S
  6. Great Falls Elem
  7. Belgrade Elem
  8. Whitefish Elem
  9. Lockwood K-12
  10. Bozeman H S
  11. Billings H S

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts near Helena Elem's enrollment scale

Two out-of-state peer sets for Helena Elem: closest on enrollment (5,225 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($84,367 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

$78.2M
Total Revenue
$76.1M
Total Expenditure
$32.3M
Instruction Salaries
42% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$25.7M
Regular Program
$2.8M
Special Education
$0.1M
Other Programs

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 3 programs in Helena Elem: the regular program, special education and other programs. It reports no separate figure for vocational programs. 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.

Montana Teacher Pay Overview

The highest average among comparably sized Montana districts belongs to Helena H S at $104,507. Helena Elem sits in the upper quarter of that field at 5 of 64, nearer the ceiling than the floor. 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

Large-district sample from 139 Montana peers with reliable NCES data; bar length shows pay magnitude within this slice.

Hamilton K-12 Schools
$59,851
1,666 students
Columbia Falls Elem
$62,457
1,562 students
Hellgate Elem
$60,039
1,498 students
Frenchtown K-12 Schools
$51,114
1,443 students
Corvallis K-12 Schools
$56,714
1,342 students
Butte H S
$101,335
1,317 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 Helena Elem
What is the average teacher salary in Helena Elem?

The average teacher salary in Helena Elem is $84,367 (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 Helena Elem teacher pay compare to the Montana average?

Helena Elem pays 42.9% more than the Montana state average of $59,058. The district's average is $84,367.

How does Helena Elem teacher pay compare to the national average?

Helena Elem pays 20.1% above the national average of $70,245. The district average is $84,367.

What is the per-pupil spending in Helena Elem?

Helena Elem spends approximately $14,562 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

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

Instructional salaries account for 42% of Helena Elem's total expenditure of $76.1M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Helena 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. Helena 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.