School district · Washington · LEAID 5304170
La Center School District
La Center School District is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Washington districts (1,769 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for La Center School District come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $96,462
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $16,437
- Per-pupil spending
- 1,769
- Students enrolled
- 75th
- Pct. in WA
Above benchmark
La Center School District is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Washington districts (1,769 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $96,462, above the national average of $70,245, serving 1,769 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Smaller enrollment scale: La Center School District is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Washington districts (1,769 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
- 75th percentile for Washington
- 89th percentile nationally
- 35% of spending reaches instructional salaries
- Washington ranks #6 of 49 on the salary estimate and #12 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- La Center School District ranks #57 of 229 Washington districts by estimated teacher salary and #218 of 229 by per-pupil spending. Lopez School District pay #1 at $132,000 is not Oakville School District spending #1 at $35,103 per pupil
- +29.2% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)
Keep this district in your shortlist
Save it in this browser, then return when PlainTeacher adds a newer public-data release. No account or personal details required.
Instructional payroll mix vs Washington median
Among 289 Washington districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, La Center School District's instructional payroll puts 84.4% into regular program , 7.0 points above the state median of 77.4%. Regular-program teachers claim more of the instructional salary pool here than at the median Washington district.
| Program | La Center | WA median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 84.4% | 77.4% | +7.0 pp |
| Special education | 11.1% | 9.4% | +1.7 pp |
| Vocational programs | 3.1% | 6.3% | -3.3 pp |
| Other programs | 1.4% | 6.9% | -5.5 pp |
Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 289 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 5304170 · FY2023.
LEAID 5304170 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
La Center F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $96,462 estimated average teacher salary · P75 in Washington · P89 nationally · 35% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Federal (+$47est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for La Center
Salary neighbourhood · La Center
La Center 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).
- Spokane · low pole
Spokane · low pole
$85,897 est. salary
- Bellingham · near
Bellingham · near
$95,138 est. salary
- La · this district
La · this district
$96,462 est. salary
- Federal · near
Federal · near
$96,509 est. salary
- Mead · near
Mead · near
$97,866 est. salary
- Everett · top pay
Everett · top pay
$123,009 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for La Center
La Center School District's estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$96,462 Top 11% higher than 89% of 10,684 US districts
Show national distribution
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
La Center in Washington's lower-third pay band
Same 229 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)
- Lopez School District
Lopez School District
$132,000 est. avg salary
- La Center School District
La Center School District
$96,462 est. avg salary
- Oakville School District
Oakville School District
$57,620 est. avg salary
What this shows La Center School District ranks #57 of 229 Washington districts by estimated teacher salary and #218 of 229 by per-pupil spending. Lopez School District pay #1 at $132,000 is not Oakville School District spending #1 at $35,103 per pupil
The same districts by per-pupil spending
La Center School District is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar
- Oakville School District
Oakville School District
$35,103 per pupil
- Lopez School District
Lopez School District
$32,662 per pupil
- La Center School District
La Center School District
$16,437 per pupil
What this shows Oakville School District leads spending at $35,103 per pupil; Lopez School District leads pay.
What stands out about La Center School District
- Estimated teacher pay here rose +29.2% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing Washington's statewide +21.1% by 8.0 points, a growth rate faster than 80% of the 263 Washington districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
Washington prices absorb part of this salary
- Nominal district estimate
- $96,461.571
- Washington price level
- 108.4 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $89,011
The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.
BEA all-items regional price parity; 100 is the U.S. average.
-8% versus the nominal figure.
Prices in Washington 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 Washington 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 La Center School District
What the Numbers Say About La Center School District
La Center School District is a small school district in Washington, serving 1,769 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $16,437. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $96,462, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 5304170 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.
Relative to the Washington statewide average of $88,556, teacher pay in La Center School District runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 8.9% gap, and above the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (37.3% differential). Among enrolling districts in Washington, it pays more than 75% of them. Washington itself ranks #6 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.
On the budget side, La Center School District reports $29.1M in total expenditure against $31.2M 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 $7.8M, special-education teacher pay is $1.0M.
How does La Center School District compare?
Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the Washington average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.
La Center School District pays -13.6% less than Seattle School District No. 1 · per-pupil $16,437 vs $27,288
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 Washington districts
On pay, La Center School District sits closest to Ferndale School District; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Onalaska School District. 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.
Similar estimated teacher pay
Similar per-pupil investment
Out-of-state districts near La Center School District's smaller enrollment
Two out-of-state peer sets for La Center School District: closest on enrollment (1,769 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($96,462 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
Instructional Salary by Program
The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 4 programs in La Center School District: the regular program, special education, vocational programs and other programs. Every program category NCES breaks out separately carries a figure here. Together they are 90% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 10% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.
Washington Teacher Pay Overview
The highest average among comparably sized Washington districts belongs to Everett School District at $123,009. La Center School District places 55 of 191 comparably sized districts, squarely in the middle band the state average actually represents. Because Washington prices run above the national average, this salary is worth less than the same number elsewhere; New York and New Jersey are the states it can be compared with directly on BEA's price parity.
View all Washington districts →Other Washington Districts
Smaller-district sample from 228 Washington peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.
This is a sample of 6 from 228 Washington districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.
Frequently Asked Questions about La Center School District
What is the average teacher salary in La Center School District?
The average teacher salary in La Center School District is $96,462 (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 La Center School District teacher pay compare to the Washington average?
La Center School District pays 8.9% more than the Washington state average of $88,556. The district's average is $96,462.
How does La Center School District teacher pay compare to the national average?
La Center School District pays 37.3% above the national average of $70,245. The district average is $96,462.
What is the per-pupil spending in La Center School District?
La Center School District spends approximately $16,437 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of La Center School District's budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 35% of La Center School District's total expenditure of $29.1M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for La Center School District
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
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |