School district · California · LEAID 0637620
Southern Kern Unified
Southern Kern Unified is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable California districts (3,663 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Southern Kern Unified come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $101,499
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $17,618
- Per-pupil spending
- 3,663
- Students enrolled
- 33rd
- Pct. in CA
Below benchmark
Southern Kern Unified is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable California districts (3,663 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort). Estimated average teacher salary is $101,499, above the national average of $70,245, serving 3,663 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Smaller enrollment scale: Southern Kern Unified is in the smallest third by enrollment among comparable California districts (3,663 students in the NCES CCD F-33 cohort).
- 33rd percentile for California
- 91st percentile nationally
- 30% 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.
- Southern Kern Unified ranks #494 of 750 California districts by estimated teacher salary and #564 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
- +14.4% 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, Southern Kern Unified's instructional payroll puts 81.3% into regular program , 4.5 points below the state median of 85.8%. The mix below is the district's own F-33 program split against the in-state median, not a quality score.
| Program | Southern Kern | CA median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 81.3% | 85.8% | -4.5 pp |
| Special education | 14.6% | 10.8% | +3.8 pp |
| Other programs | 4.1% | 0.4% | +3.7 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 0637620 · FY2023.
LEAID 0637620 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
Southern Kern F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $101,499 estimated average teacher salary · P33 in California · P91 nationally · 30% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: West (+$603est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for Southern Kern
Salary neighbourhood · Southern Kern
Southern Kern trails 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).
- Modesto · low pole
Modesto · low pole
$79,793 est. salary
- Southern
Southern · this district
$101,499 est. salary
- West · near
West · near
$102,101 est. salary
- Clovis · near
Clovis · near
$102,623 est. salary
- Los · near
Los · near
$103,820 est. salary
- San · top pay
San · top pay
$147,163 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Southern Kern
Southern Kern Unified's estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$101,499 Top 9% higher than 91% 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
Southern Kern in California's lower-third pay band
Same 750 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)
- Calaveras County Office of Education
Calaveras County Office of Education
$178,519 est. avg salary
- Beverly Hills Unified
Beverly Hills Unified
$123,673 est. avg salary
- Southern Kern Unified
Southern Kern Unified
$101,499 est. avg salary
What this shows Southern Kern Unified ranks #494 of 750 California districts by estimated teacher salary and #564 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
The same districts by per-pupil spending
Southern Kern Unified is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar
- Beverly Hills Unified
Beverly Hills Unified
$61,843 per pupil
- Calaveras County Office of Education
Calaveras County Office of Education
$50,753 per pupil
- Southern Kern Unified $17,618
Southern Kern Unified
$17,618 per pupil
What this shows Beverly Hills Unified leads spending at $61,843 per pupil; Calaveras County Office of Education leads pay.
What stands out about Southern Kern Unified
- It ranks in the top 10% of US districts for estimated teacher pay, higher than 91% of the 10,684 reliable-salary districts nationally.
- Estimated teacher pay here moved +14.4% between FY2019 and FY2023, trailing California's statewide +25.3% by 10.8 points, a growth rate faster than 16% of the 856 California districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
California prices absorb part of this salary
- Nominal district estimate
- $101,498.916
- California price level
- 112.2 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $90,467
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 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 Southern Kern Unified
What the Numbers Say About Southern Kern Unified
Southern Kern Unified is a small-to-mid-sized school district in California, serving 3,663 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $17,618. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $101,499, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 0637620 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.
Relative to the California statewide average of $110,546, teacher pay in Southern Kern Unified runs materially below the state benchmark, a 8.2% gap, and above the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (44.5% differential). Among enrolling districts in California, it pays more than 33% 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, Southern Kern Unified reports $64.5M in total expenditure against $100.8M 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 $13.3M, special-education teacher pay is $2.4M.
How does Southern Kern Unified compare?
Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the California average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.
Southern Kern Unified pays -2.2% less than Los Angeles Unified · per-pupil $17,618 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, Southern Kern Unified sits closest to Cabrillo Unified; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Anderson Union High. 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 Southern Kern Unified's smaller enrollment
Two out-of-state peer sets for Southern Kern Unified: closest on enrollment (3,663 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($101,499 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 Southern Kern Unified: the regular program, special education and other programs. It reports no separate figure for vocational programs. Together they are 85% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 15% 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. Southern Kern Unified places 465 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.
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 Southern Kern Unified
What is the average teacher salary in Southern Kern Unified?
The average teacher salary in Southern Kern Unified is $101,499 (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 Southern Kern Unified teacher pay compare to the California average?
Southern Kern Unified pays 8.2% less than the California state average of $110,546. The district's average is $101,499.
How does Southern Kern Unified teacher pay compare to the national average?
Southern Kern Unified pays 44.5% above the national average of $70,245. The district average is $101,499.
What is the per-pupil spending in Southern Kern Unified?
Southern Kern Unified spends approximately $17,618 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of Southern Kern Unified's budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 30% of Southern Kern Unified's total expenditure of $64.5M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for Southern Kern 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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| Sources | Public official public datasets |