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School district · California · LEAID 0627720

Novato Unified

Novato Unified is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable California districts (7,157 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Novato Unified come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$120,831
Est. avg teacher salary

Above benchmark

$22,063
Per-pupil spending
7,157
Students enrolled
74th
Pct. in CA
$120,831

Novato Unified is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable California districts (7,157 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $120,831, above the national average of $70,245, serving 7,157 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Smaller enrollment scale: Novato Unified is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable California districts (7,157 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
  • 74th percentile for California
  • 97th percentile nationally
  • 27% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • California ranks #2 of 49 on the salary estimate and #1 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • Novato Unified ranks #182 of 750 California districts by estimated teacher salary and #273 of 750 by per-pupil spending. Calaveras County Office of Education pay #1 at $178,519 is not Beverly Hills Unified spending #1 at $61,843 per pupil
  • +21.8% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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Instructional payroll mix vs California median

Among 954 California districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Novato Unified's instructional payroll puts 2.9% into other programs , 2.5 points above the state median of 0.4%. The mix below is the district's own F-33 program split against the in-state median, not a quality score.

Program Novato Unified CA median Gap
Regular program 85.8% 85.8% +0.0 pp
Special education 9.9% 10.8% -0.9 pp
Vocational programs 1.4% 0.0% +1.4 pp
Other programs 2.9% 0.4% +2.5 pp

Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 954 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 0627720 · FY2023.

LEAID 0627720 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

Novato Unified F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-ABOVE +9% vs state RANK-ST-MID P74 in state RANK-NAT-TOP P97 national PPE-HIGH $22K/pupil ENR-MID 7,157 students INSTR-LOW 27% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Grossmont FY-2023-MID FY2023 book

FY2023: $120,831 estimated average teacher salary · P74 in California · P97 nationally · 27% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Capistrano (+$349est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for Novato Unified

Salary neighbourhood · Novato Unified

Novato Unified 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 Novato Unified

Novato Unified's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$120,831 Top 3% higher than 97% 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%). Below this entry. $90,000–$100,000: 662 US districts (6%). Below this entry. $100,000–$110,000: 371 US districts (3%). Below this entry. $110,000–$120,000: 249 US districts (2%). Below this entry. $120,000–$130,000: 156 US districts (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Novato 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, FY2023 · FY2023

What stands out about Novato Unified

  • It ranks in the top 5% of US districts for estimated teacher pay, higher than 97% of the 10,684 reliable-salary districts nationally.
  • Estimated teacher pay here moved +21.8% between FY2019 and FY2023, trailing California's statewide +25.3% by 3.5 points, a growth rate faster than 37% of the 856 California districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.

California prices absorb part of this salary

Nominal district estimate
$120,830.989

The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.

California price level
112.2 / 100

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

National-price equivalent
$107,697

-11% versus the nominal figure.

Prices in California 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 California 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 Novato Unified

What the Numbers Say About Novato Unified

Novato Unified is a small-to-mid-sized school district in California, serving 7,157 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $22,063. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $120,831, placing the district in the high-investment tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 0627720 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the California statewide average of $110,546, teacher pay in Novato Unified runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 9.3% gap, and above the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (72.0% differential). Among enrolling districts in California, it pays more than 74% of them. California itself ranks #2 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.

On the budget side, Novato Unified reports $157.9M in total expenditure against $153.5M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 27% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $33.2M, special-education teacher pay is $3.8M.

How does Novato Unified compare?

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

Novato Unified $120,831
Los Angeles Unified $103,820
California avg $110,546
National avg $70,245

Novato Unified pays +16.4% more than Los Angeles Unified · per-pupil $22,063 vs $26,962

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 California districts

On pay, Novato Unified sits closest to Grossmont Union High; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is San Ysidro Elementary. 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. Grossmont Union High
  2. Sonoma Valley Unified
  3. Nuview Union
  4. Oxnard
  5. Redlands Unified
  6. ABC Unified
  7. Banning Unified
  8. Shasta Union High
  9. Lancaster Elementary
  10. Lakeside Union Elementary
  11. Etiwanda Elementary
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. San Ysidro Elementary
  2. Washington Unified
  3. Santa Barbara Unified
  4. Ukiah Unified
  5. Hemet Unified
  6. Beardsley Elementary
  7. Escondido Union
  8. Ocean View
  9. Mountain Empire Unified
  10. Davis Joint Unified
  11. Burlingame Elementary

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts near Novato Unified's smaller enrollment

Two out-of-state peer sets for Novato Unified: closest on enrollment (7,157 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($120,831 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

$153.5M
Total Revenue
$157.9M
Total Expenditure
$42.9M
Instruction Salaries
27% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$33.2M
Regular Program
$3.8M
Special Education
$0.5M
Vocational
$1.1M
Other Programs

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 4 programs in Novato Unified: 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.

California Teacher Pay Overview

The highest average among comparably sized California districts belongs to San Bernardino County Office of Education at $178,265. Novato Unified places 180 of 644 comparably sized districts, squarely in the middle band the state average actually represents. Because California prices run above the national average, this salary is worth less than the same number elsewhere; District of Columbia and Hawaii are the states it can be compared with directly on BEA's price parity.

View all California districts →

Other California Districts

Smaller-district sample from 776 California peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.

Paso Robles Joint Unified
$106,639
6,339 students
Redwood City Elementary
$119,304
6,329 students
Morgan Hill Unified
$118,543
7,995 students
Campbell Union
$133,615
6,243 students
Delano Union Elementary
$127,052
6,219 students
Patterson Joint Unified
$97,471
6,173 students

This is a sample of 6 from 776 California districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.

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

The average teacher salary in Novato Unified is $120,831 (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 Novato Unified teacher pay compare to the California average?

Novato Unified pays 9.3% more than the California state average of $110,546. The district's average is $120,831.

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

Novato Unified pays 72.0% above the national average of $70,245. The district average is $120,831.

What is the per-pupil spending in Novato Unified?

Novato Unified spends approximately $22,063 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

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

Instructional salaries account for 27% of Novato Unified's total expenditure of $157.9M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for Novato Unified
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. Novato Unified'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.