School district · Kentucky · LEAID 2104650
Paducah Independent
Paducah Independent is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Kentucky districts (3,119 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Paducah Independent come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $59,525
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $23,796
- Per-pupil spending
- 3,119
- Students enrolled
- 75th
- Pct. in KY
Above benchmark
Paducah Independent is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Kentucky districts (3,119 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $59,525, below the national average of $70,245, serving 3,119 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Smaller enrollment scale: Paducah Independent is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable Kentucky districts (3,119 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
- 75th percentile for Kentucky
- 36th percentile nationally
- 20% of spending reaches instructional salaries
- Kentucky ranks #40 of 49 on the salary estimate and #24 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- Paducah Independent ranks #42 of 171 Kentucky districts by estimated teacher salary and #4 of 171 by per-pupil spending. Jefferson County pay #1 at $73,395 is not Newport Independent spending #1 at $28,225 per pupil
- +17.6% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)
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Instructional payroll mix vs Kentucky median
Among 171 Kentucky districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Paducah Independent's instructional payroll puts 84.9% into regular program , 5.1 points above the state median of 79.8%. Regular-program teachers claim more of the instructional salary pool here than at the median Kentucky district.
| Program | Paducah Independent | KY median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 84.9% | 79.8% | +5.1 pp |
| Special education | 12.0% | 16.6% | -4.6 pp |
| Other programs | 3.1% | 1.5% | +1.6 pp |
Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 171 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 2104650 · FY2023.
LEAID 2104650 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
Paducah Independent F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $59,525 estimated average teacher salary · P75 in Kentucky · P36 nationally · 20% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Meade ($32est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for Paducah Independent
Salary neighbourhood · Paducah Independent
Paducah Independent 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).
- Montgomery · low pole
Montgomery · low pole
$50,638 est. salary
- Meade · near
Meade · near
$59,494 est. salary
- Paducah
Paducah · this district
$59,525 est. salary
- Pulaski · near
Pulaski · near
$59,557 est. salary
- Hardin · near
Hardin · near
$59,584 est. salary
- Jefferson · top pay
Jefferson · top pay
$73,395 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Paducah Independent
Paducah Independent's estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$59,525 36th percentile higher than 36% 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 Paducah Independent
- Estimated teacher pay here rose +17.6% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing Kentucky's statewide +13.0% by 4.6 points, a growth rate faster than 74% of the 160 Kentucky districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests
- Nominal district estimate
- $59,525.37
- Kentucky price level
- 89.9 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $66,220
The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.
BEA all-items regional price parity; 100 is the U.S. average.
+11% versus the nominal figure.
Prices in Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Paducah Independent
What the Numbers Say About Paducah Independent
Paducah Independent is a small-to-mid-sized school district in Kentucky, serving 3,119 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $23,796. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $59,525, placing the district in the high-investment tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 2104650 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.
Relative to the Kentucky statewide average of $56,482, teacher pay in Paducah Independent runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 5.4% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (15.3% differential). Among enrolling districts in Kentucky, it pays more than 75% of them. Kentucky itself ranks #40 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.
On the budget side, Paducah Independent reports $74.2M in total expenditure against $72.4M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 20% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $10.8M, special-education teacher pay is $1.5M.
How does Paducah Independent compare?
Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the Kentucky average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.
Paducah Independent pays -18.9% less than Jefferson County · per-pupil $23,796 vs $20,696
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 Kentucky districts
On pay, Paducah Independent sits closest to Meade County; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Williamstown Independent. 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 Paducah Independent's smaller enrollment
Two out-of-state peer sets for Paducah Independent: closest on enrollment (3,119 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($59,525 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 3 programs in Paducah Independent: the regular program, special education and other programs. It reports no separate figure for vocational programs. Together they are 86% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 14% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.
Kentucky Teacher Pay Overview
The highest average among comparably sized Kentucky districts belongs to Jefferson County at $73,395. Paducah Independent sits in the upper quarter of that field at 37 of 161, nearer the ceiling than the floor. Kansas and West Virginia are the states closest to Kentucky 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 Kentucky districts →Other Kentucky Districts
Smaller-district sample from 170 Kentucky peers; bar length shows pay magnitude within this enrollment band.
This is a sample of 6 from 170 Kentucky districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.
Frequently Asked Questions about Paducah Independent
What is the average teacher salary in Paducah Independent?
The average teacher salary in Paducah Independent is $59,525 (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 Paducah Independent teacher pay compare to the Kentucky average?
Paducah Independent pays 5.4% more than the Kentucky state average of $56,482. The district's average is $59,525.
How does Paducah Independent teacher pay compare to the national average?
Paducah Independent pays 15.3% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $59,525.
What is the per-pupil spending in Paducah Independent?
Paducah Independent spends approximately $23,796 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of Paducah Independent's budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 20% of Paducah Independent's total expenditure of $74.2M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for Paducah Independent
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 |