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School district · Florida · LEAID 1200840

Highlands

Highlands sits in the highest third of Florida districts on estimated teacher pay at $71,944 (above 96% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Highlands come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$71,944
Est. avg teacher salary

Well above benchmark

$13,634
Per-pupil spending
12,362
Students enrolled
96th
Pct. in FL
$71,944

Highlands sits in the highest third of Florida districts on estimated teacher pay at $71,944 (above 96% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Estimated average teacher salary is $71,944, near the national average of $70,245, serving 12,362 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Upper-third pay in state: Highlands sits in the highest third of Florida districts on estimated teacher pay at $71,944 (above 96% of in-state peers with reliable estimates).
  • 96th percentile for Florida
  • 63rd percentile nationally
  • 30% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • Florida ranks #39 of 49 on the salary estimate and #3 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • Highlands ranks #3 of 67 Florida districts by estimated teacher salary and #32 of 67 by per-pupil spending. Monroe pay #1 at $75,623 is not Bradford spending #1 at $25,600 per pupil
  • +11.9% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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Instructional payroll mix vs Florida median

Among 67 Florida districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Highlands's instructional payroll puts 84.8% into regular program , 12.1 points above the state median of 72.7%. Regular-program teachers claim more of the instructional salary pool here than at the median Florida district.

Program Highlands FL median Gap
Regular program 84.8% 72.7% +12.1 pp
Special education 15.2% 18.8% -3.6 pp
Vocational programs 0.0% 3.1% -3.1 pp
Other 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 67 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 1200840 · FY2023.

LEAID 1200840 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Highlands F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-HIGH +24% vs state RANK-ST-TOP P96 in state RANK-NAT-MID P63 national PPE-LOW $14K/pupil ENR-LARGE 12.4K students INSTR-LOW 30% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Suwannee FY-2023-MID FY2023 book

FY2023: $71,944 estimated average teacher salary · P96 in Florida · P63 nationally · 30% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Santa ($2,725est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Highlands

Salary neighbourhood · Highlands

Highlands 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 Highlands

Highlands's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$71,944 Top 37% higher than 63% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Highlands $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

Highlands in Florida's upper-third pay band

Same 67 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)

est. avg salary

What this shows Highlands ranks #3 of 67 Florida districts by estimated teacher salary and #32 of 67 by per-pupil spending. Monroe pay #1 at $75,623 is not Bradford spending #1 at $25,600 per pupil

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

The same districts by per-pupil spending

Highlands is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar

per pupil

What this shows Bradford leads spending at $25,600 per pupil; Monroe leads pay.

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

Florida prices absorb part of this salary

Nominal district estimate
$71,943.594

The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.

Florida price level
103.6 / 100

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

National-price equivalent
$69,420

-4% versus the nominal figure.

Prices in Florida run above the national average, so this salary has roughly the buying power of the national-price equivalent above. Comparing it with a district in a cheaper state without this adjustment overstates its relative value.

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 Florida 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 Highlands

What the Numbers Say About Highlands

Highlands is a mid-sized school district in Florida, serving 12,362 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $13,634. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $71,944, placing the district in the lower-spending tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 1200840 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Florida statewide average of $57,863, teacher pay in Highlands runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 24.3% gap, and near the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (2.4% differential). Among enrolling districts in Florida, it pays more than 96% of them. Florida itself ranks #39 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.

On the budget side, Highlands reports $168.5M in total expenditure against $172.4M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 30% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $37.9M, special-education teacher pay is $6.8M.

How does Highlands compare?

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

Highlands $71,944
Miami-dade $64,637
Florida avg $57,863
National avg $70,245

Highlands pays +11.3% more than Miami-dade · per-pupil $13,634 vs $14,460

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 Florida districts

On pay, Highlands sits closest to Suwannee; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Indian River. 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. Suwannee
  2. Santa Rosa
  3. Putnam
  4. Charlotte
  5. Monroe
  6. Collier
  7. Marion
  8. Walton
  9. St. Lucie
  10. Alachua
  11. Sarasota
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Indian River
  2. Levy
  3. Jackson
  4. Desoto
  5. Baker
  6. Sumter
  7. Bay
  8. Hardee
  9. Okaloosa
  10. Putnam
  11. Escambia

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts near Highlands's smaller enrollment

Two out-of-state peer sets for Highlands: closest on enrollment (12,362 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($71,944 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

$172.4M
Total Revenue
$168.5M
Total Expenditure
$51.2M
Instruction Salaries
30% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$37.9M
Regular Program
$6.8M
Special Education

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 2 programs in Highlands: 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.

Florida Teacher Pay Overview

The highest average among comparably sized Florida districts belongs to Monroe at $75,623. Only third place separates it from the ceiling: among the 67 districts of comparable size, Highlands is paid at the very top of the state, and the state average sits well below it. Because Florida prices run above the national average, this salary is worth less than the same number elsewhere; Alaska and Connecticut are the states it can be compared with directly on BEA's price parity.

View all Florida districts →

Other Florida Districts

Smaller-district sample from 66 Florida peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.

St. Lucie
$63,617
45,661 students
Nassau
$61,464
12,668 students
Walton
$65,109
11,575 students
Flagler
$61,098
13,331 students
Hendry
$54,508
13,825 students
Putnam
$68,774
10,293 students

This is a sample of 6 from 66 Florida districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.

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

The average teacher salary in Highlands is $71,944 (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 Highlands teacher pay compare to the Florida average?

Highlands pays 24.3% more than the Florida state average of $57,863. The district's average is $71,944.

How does Highlands teacher pay compare to the national average?

Highlands pays 2.4% above the national average of $70,245. The district average is $71,944.

What is the per-pupil spending in Highlands?

Highlands spends approximately $13,634 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

What percentage of Highlands's budget goes to teacher salaries?

Instructional salaries account for 30% of Highlands's total expenditure of $168.5M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Highlands
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. Highlands'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.