School district · Arizona · LEAID 0408310
Tempe School District (4258)
Tempe School District (4258) sits in the lowest third of Arizona districts on estimated teacher pay at $56,610 (above only 16% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for Tempe School District (4258) come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).
- $56,610
- Est. avg teacher salary
- $18,147
- Per-pupil spending
- 10,306
- Students enrolled
- 16th
- Pct. in AZ
Below benchmark
Tempe School District (4258) sits in the lowest third of Arizona districts on estimated teacher pay at $56,610 (above only 16% of in-state peers with reliable estimates). Estimated average teacher salary is $56,610, below the national average of $70,245, serving 10,306 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Lower-third pay in state: Tempe School District (4258) sits in the lowest third of Arizona districts on estimated teacher pay at $56,610 (above only 16% of in-state peers with reliable estimates).
- 16th percentile for Arizona
- 29th percentile nationally
- 25% of spending reaches instructional salaries
- Arizona ranks #29 of 49 on the salary estimate and #16 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- Tempe School District (4258) ranks #128 of 152 Arizona districts by estimated teacher salary and #34 of 152 by per-pupil spending. Safford Unified District (4218) pay #1 at $99,366 is not Red Mesa Unified District (4159) spending #1 at $38,950 per pupil
- +31.2% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)
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Instructional payroll mix vs Arizona median
Among 213 Arizona districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, Tempe School District (4258)'s instructional payroll puts 10.6% into other programs , 10.6 points above the state median of 0.0%. The mix below is the district's own F-33 program split against the in-state median, not a quality score.
| Program | Tempe School | AZ median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular program | 74.9% | 84.0% | -9.0 pp |
| Special education | 14.5% | 10.8% | +3.7 pp |
| Vocational programs | 0.0% | 1.7% | -1.7 pp |
| Other programs | 10.6% | 0.0% | +10.6 pp |
Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 213 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 0408310 · FY2023.
LEAID 0408310 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023
Tempe School F-33 compensation desk
FY2023: $56,610 estimated average teacher salary · P16 in Arizona · P29 nationally · 25% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: Florence (+$10est. salary).
Salary neighbourhood chart for Tempe School
Salary neighbourhood · Tempe School
Tempe School 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).
- Sahuarita · low pole
Sahuarita · low pole
$47,478 est. salary
- Tempe · this district
Tempe · this district
$56,610 est. salary
- Florence · near
Florence · near
$56,620 est. salary
- Maricopa · near
Maricopa · near
$56,764 est. salary
- Yuma · near
Yuma · near
$56,817 est. salary
- Cartwright · top pay
Cartwright · top pay
$86,704 est. salary
Appropriate use & corrections
National salary distribution for Tempe School
Tempe School District (4258)'s estimated salary vs. every US district
NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only
$56,610 29th percentile higher than 29% 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
Tempe School in Arizona's lower-third pay band
Same 152 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)
- Safford Unified District (4218)
Safford Unified District (4218)
$99,366 est. avg salary
- Red Mesa Unified District (4159)
Red Mesa Unified District (4159)
$67,299 est. avg salary
- Tempe School District (4258)
Tempe School District (4258)
$56,610 est. avg salary
What this shows Tempe School District (4258) ranks #128 of 152 Arizona districts by estimated teacher salary and #34 of 152 by per-pupil spending. Safford Unified District (4218) pay #1 at $99,366 is not Red Mesa Unified District (4159) spending #1 at $38,950 per pupil
The same districts by per-pupil spending
Tempe School District (4258) is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar
- Red Mesa Unified District (4159)
Red Mesa Unified District (4159)
$38,950 per pupil
- Tempe School District (4258)
Tempe School District (4258)
$18,147 per pupil
- Safford Unified District (4218) $12,556
Safford Unified District (4218)
$12,556 per pupil
What this shows Red Mesa Unified District (4159) leads spending at $38,950 per pupil; Safford Unified District (4218) leads pay.
What stands out about Tempe School District (4258)
- Estimated teacher pay here rose +31.2% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing Arizona's statewide +25.8% by 5.4 points, a growth rate faster than 67% of the 199 Arizona districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
- Enrolment fell from 11,490 to 10,306 students (10.3% down) across FY2019–FY2023 while the instructional salary pool per teacher went up. Districts on that path are usually holding staffing steady against a falling roll, which lifts the per-teacher figure without anyone getting a raise, so read this page's salary estimate alongside the enrolment line rather than on its own.
Arizona sits close to national prices
- Nominal district estimate
- $56,610.12
- Arizona price level
- 100.7 / 100
- National-price equivalent
- $56,193
The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.
BEA all-items regional price parity; 100 is the U.S. average.
-1% versus the nominal figure.
Prices in Arizona sit close to the national average, so the nominal and national-price figures tell nearly the same story here. That is not true in the most and least expensive states.
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 Arizona 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 Tempe School District (4258)
What the Numbers Say About Tempe School District (4258)
Tempe School District (4258) is a mid-sized school district in Arizona, serving 10,306 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $18,147. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $56,610, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 0408310 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.
Relative to the Arizona statewide average of $63,921, teacher pay in Tempe School District (4258) runs materially below the state benchmark, a 11.4% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (19.4% differential). Among enrolling districts in Arizona, it pays more than 16% of them. Arizona itself ranks #29 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.
On the budget side, Tempe School District (4258) reports $187.0M in total expenditure against $183.5M in revenue, with instructional salaries accounting for 25% of spending, a compensation-to-budget ratio that signals how much of each tax dollar reaches classroom educators. Regular-program teacher salary outlay is $31.8M, special-education teacher pay is $6.1M.
How does Tempe School District (4258) compare?
Estimated average teacher salary versus a peer district, the Arizona average, and the national average. Pick any in-state district to compare.
Tempe School District (4258) pays -16.0% less than Mesa Unified District (4235) · per-pupil $18,147 vs $14,903
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 Arizona districts
On pay, Tempe School District (4258) sits closest to Florence Unified School District (4437); on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Isaac Elementary District (4259). 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.
- Florence Unified School District (4437)
- Maricopa Unified School District (4441)
- Cave Creek Unified District (4244)
- Yuma Elementary District (4499)
- Laveen Elementary District (4276)
- Flowing Wells Unified District (4405)
- Roosevelt Elementary District (4279)
- Casa Grande Elementary District (4446)
- Glendale Elementary District (4271)
- Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)
- Pendergast Elementary District (4283)
- Isaac Elementary District (4259)
- Madison Elementary District (4270)
- Littleton Elementary District (4278)
- Phoenix Union High School District (4286)
- Tolleson Elementary District (4264)
- Tucson Unified District (4403)
- Somerton Elementary District (4500)
- Phoenix Elementary District (4256)
- Glendale Union High School District (4285)
- Apache Junction Unified District (4443)
- Creighton Elementary District (4263)
Similar estimated teacher pay
- Florence Unified School District (4437)$56,620 estimated salary+0.0% versus this district · 8,890 students
- Maricopa Unified School District (4441)$56,764 estimated salary+0.3% versus this district · 8,539 students
- Cave Creek Unified District (4244)$56,813 estimated salary+0.4% versus this district · 4,475 students
Similar per-pupil investment
- Isaac Elementary District (4259)$18,007 per pupil-0.8% versus this district · $68,498 estimated salary
- Madison Elementary District (4270)$19,437 per pupil+7.1% versus this district · $62,743 estimated salary
- Littleton Elementary District (4278)$16,832 per pupil-7.2% versus this district · $60,756 estimated salary
Out-of-state districts with similar lower pay
Two out-of-state peer sets for Tempe School District (4258): closest on enrollment (10,306 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($56,610 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 Tempe School District (4258): the regular program, special education and other programs. It reports no separate figure for vocational programs. Together they are 92% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 8% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.
Arizona Teacher Pay Overview
The highest average among comparably sized Arizona districts belongs to Safford Unified District (4218) at $99,366. Placed 110 of 128, Tempe School District (4258) is in the lower quarter, where a state-average comparison flatters the district rather than describing it. On BEA's price parity Arizona sits near the national average, so its salaries need less adjustment than most; Virginia and Colorado are its nearest price peers.
View all Arizona districts →Other Arizona Districts
The bar behind each salary shows its magnitude within this Arizona sample (including Tempe School). Hover or focus a value for the exact comparison.
This is a sample of 6 from 153 Arizona districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tempe School District (4258)
What is the average teacher salary in Tempe School District (4258)?
The average teacher salary in Tempe School District (4258) is $56,610 (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 Tempe School District (4258) teacher pay compare to the Arizona average?
Tempe School District (4258) pays 11.4% less than the Arizona state average of $63,921. The district's average is $56,610.
How does Tempe School District (4258) teacher pay compare to the national average?
Tempe School District (4258) pays 19.4% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $56,610.
What is the per-pupil spending in Tempe School District (4258)?
Tempe School District (4258) spends approximately $18,147 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.
What percentage of Tempe School District (4258)'s budget goes to teacher salaries?
Instructional salaries account for 25% of Tempe School District (4258)'s total expenditure of $187.0M (NCES FY2023).
Next read for Tempe School District (4258)
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 |