School district · West Virginia · LEAID 5400840
Mercer County Schools
Mercer County Schools is in the largest third by enrollment among comparable West Virginia districts (8,686 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Mercer County Schools come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $54,366
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $15,279
- Per-pupil spending
- 8,686
- Students enrolled
- 65th
- Pct. in WV
Near benchmark
Mercer County Schools is in the largest third by enrollment among comparable West Virginia districts (8,686 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $54,366, below the national average of $70,245, serving 8,686 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Large enrollment scale: Mercer County Schools is in the largest third by enrollment among comparable West Virginia districts (8,686 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
- 65th percentile for West Virginia
- 24th percentile nationally
- 29% of spending reaches instructional salaries
- West Virginia ranks #41 of 49 on the salary estimate and #38 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- Mercer County Schools ranks #19 of 55 West Virginia districts by estimated teacher salary and #40 of 55 by per-pupil spending. Brooke County Schools pay #1 at $67,484 is not Tyler County Schools spending #1 at $28,768 per pupil
- +13.1% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)
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Instructional payroll mix vs West Virginia median
Among 55 West Virginia districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Mercer County Schools's instructional payroll puts 79.0% into regular program , 2.9 points above the state median of 76.2%. Regular-program teachers claim more of the instructional salary pool here than at the median West Virginia district.
| Program | Mercer County | WV median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 79.0% | 76.2% | +2.9 pp |
| Special education | 16.8% | 16.9% | -0.1 pp |
| Vocational programs | 2.7% | 4.9% | -2.2 pp |
| Other programs | 1.4% | 1.5% | -0.1 pp |
Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 55 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 5400840 · FY2023.
LEAID 5400840 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
Mercer County F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $54,366 estimated average teacher salary · P65 in West Virginia · P24 nationally · 29% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Raleigh ($22est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for Mercer County
Salary neighbourhood · Mercer County
Mercer County sits mid-pack among in-state peers; the chart brackets it between the top and bottom pay poles (NCES F-33 FY2023, not a full state reprint).
- Hardy · low pole
Hardy · low pole
$47,307 est. salary
- Mingo · near
Mingo · near
$54,114 est. salary
- Raleigh · near
Raleigh · near
$54,343 est. salary
- Mercer · this district
Mercer · this district
$54,366 est. salary
- Boone · near
Boone · near
$54,602 est. salary
- Brooke · top pay
Brooke · top pay
$67,484 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Mercer County
Mercer County Schools's estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$54,366 24th percentile higher than 24% 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
What stands out about Mercer County Schools
- Estimated teacher pay here moved +13.1% between FY2019 and FY2023, trailing West Virginia's statewide +18.1% by 5.0 points, a growth rate faster than 17% of the 53 West Virginia districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests
- Nominal district estimate
- $54,365.815
- West Virginia price level
- 89.6 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $60,654
The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.
BEA all-items regional price parity; 100 is the U.S. average.
+12% versus the nominal figure.
Prices in West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 Mercer County Schools
What the Numbers Say About Mercer County Schools
Mercer County Schools is a small-to-mid-sized school district in West Virginia, serving 8,686 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $15,279. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $54,366, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 5400840 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.
Relative to the West Virginia statewide average of $53,845, teacher pay in Mercer County Schools runs roughly in line with the state benchmark, a 1.0% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (22.6% differential). Among enrolling districts in West Virginia, it pays more than 65% of them. West Virginia itself ranks #41 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.
On the budget side, Mercer County Schools reports $132.7M in total expenditure against $142.1M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 29% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $26.9M, special-education teacher pay is $5.7M.
How does Mercer County Schools compare?
Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the West Virginia average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.
Mercer County Schools pays -12.0% less than Kanawha County Schools · per-pupil $15,279 vs $18,248
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 West Virginia districts
On pay, Mercer County Schools sits closest to Raleigh County Schools; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Mingo County Schools. 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 Mercer County Schools's enrollment scale
Two out-of-state peer sets for Mercer County Schools: closest on enrollment (8,686 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($54,366 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 Mercer County Schools: 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.
West Virginia Teacher Pay Overview
The highest average among comparably sized West Virginia districts belongs to Brooke County Schools at $67,484. Mercer County Schools places 19 of 55 comparably sized districts, squarely in the middle band the state average actually represents. Kentucky and Kansas are the states closest to West Virginia 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 West Virginia districts →Other West Virginia Districts
Large-district sample from 54 West Virginia peers with reliable NCES data; bar length shows pay magnitude within this slice.
This is a sample of 6 from 54 West Virginia districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mercer County Schools
What is the average teacher salary in Mercer County Schools?
The average teacher salary in Mercer County Schools is $54,366 (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 Mercer County Schools teacher pay compare to the West Virginia average?
Mercer County Schools pays 1.0% more than the West Virginia state average of $53,845. The district's average is $54,366.
How does Mercer County Schools teacher pay compare to the national average?
Mercer County Schools pays 22.6% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $54,366.
What is the per-pupil spending in Mercer County Schools?
Mercer County Schools spends approximately $15,279 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of Mercer County Schools's budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 29% of Mercer County Schools's total expenditure of $132.7M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for Mercer County Schools
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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| Sources | Public official public datasets |