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School district · Arkansas · LEAID 0508040

West Memphis School District

West Memphis School District spends $17,354 per pupil, in the highest third among comparable Arkansas districts with a reliable figure. Per-pupil spending, enrollment, and budget for West Memphis School District come from the NCES Common Core of Data F-33 finance survey (FY2023).

$46,543
Est. avg teacher salary

Above benchmark

$17,354
Per-pupil spending
4,954
Students enrolled
68th
Pct. in AR
$46,543

West Memphis School District spends $17,354 per pupil, in the highest third among comparable Arkansas districts with a reliable figure. Estimated average teacher salary is $46,543, below the national average of $70,245, serving 4,954 students (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • High per-pupil spending: West Memphis School District spends $17,354 per pupil, in the highest third among comparable Arkansas districts with a reliable figure.
  • 68th percentile for Arkansas
  • 7th percentile nationally
  • 27% of spending reaches instructional salaries
  • Arkansas ranks #49 of 49 on the salary estimate and #32 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • West Memphis School District ranks #64 of 199 Arkansas districts by estimated teacher salary and #29 of 199 by per-pupil spending. Fayetteville School District pay #1 at $73,997 is not Warren School District spending #1 at $31,095 per pupil
  • +12.9% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (not applied to the FTE figure above)

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Instructional payroll mix vs Arkansas median

Among 234 Arkansas districts that break out F-33 program salary totals, West Memphis School District's instructional payroll puts 78.4% into regular program , 4.8 points above the state median of 73.6%. Regular-program teachers claim more of the instructional salary pool here than at the median Arkansas district.

Program West Memphis AR median Gap
Regular program 78.4% 73.6% +4.8 pp
Special education 6.3% 10.1% -3.8 pp
Vocational programs 4.6% 5.7% -1.1 pp
Other programs 10.6% 9.9% +0.7 pp

Shares are of this district's reported F-33 teacher-salary program totals (Z35–Z38), compared with the median share across 234 in-state peers with a positive program sum. NCES LEAID 0508040 · FY2023.

LEAID 0508040 · NCES CCD F-33 FY2023

West Memphis F-33 compensation desk

SALARY-ABOVE +8% vs state RANK-ST-MID P68 in state RANK-NAT-LOW P7 national PPE-MID $17K/pupil ENR-MID 4,954 students INSTR-LOW 27% instr BASIS-FTE FTE-reported PHOTO-NEAR Near Warren FY-2023-MID FY2023 book

FY2023: $46,543 estimated average teacher salary · P68 in Arkansas · P7 nationally · 27% instructional salary share. Nearest salary peer: El ($561est. salary).

Salary neighbourhood chart for West Memphis

Salary neighbourhood · West Memphis

West Memphis 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 West Memphis

West Memphis School District's estimated salary vs. every US district

NCES F-33 estimate, reliable-salary districts only

$46,543 7th percentile higher than 7% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $50,000–$60,000: 2,382 US districts (22%). Above this entry. $60,000–$70,000: 2,402 US districts (22%). Above this entry. $70,000–$80,000: 1,633 US districts (15%). Above this entry. $80,000–$90,000: 1,097 US districts (10%). Above this entry. $90,000–$100,000: 662 US districts (6%). Above this entry. $100,000–$110,000: 371 US districts (3%). Above this entry. $110,000–$120,000: 249 US districts (2%). Above this entry. $120,000–$130,000: 156 US districts (1%). Above this entry. $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. West Memphis School District $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

West Memphis in Arkansas's lower-third pay band

Same 199 districts with a usable salary and a comparable per-pupil figure (NCES F-33 FY2023)

est. avg salary

What this shows West Memphis School District ranks #64 of 199 Arkansas districts by estimated teacher salary and #29 of 199 by per-pupil spending. Fayetteville School District pay #1 at $73,997 is not Warren School District spending #1 at $31,095 per pupil

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

The same districts by per-pupil spending

West Memphis School District is marked; a high spending bar is not a high pay bar

per pupil

What this shows Warren School District leads spending at $31,095 per pupil; Fayetteville School District leads pay.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

What stands out about West Memphis School District

  • It ranks in the bottom 10% nationally for estimated teacher pay, above only 7% of districts.
  • Estimated teacher pay here rose +12.9% between FY2019 and FY2023, outpacing Arkansas's statewide +9.0% by 3.9 points, a growth rate faster than 61% of the 233 Arkansas districts with a comparable FY2019 baseline.
  • Enrolment fell from 5,385 to 4,954 students (8.0% 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.

This pay stretches further than the headline figure suggests

Nominal district estimate
$46,542.52

The FY2023 salary estimate shown in the hero.

Arkansas price level
86.8 / 100

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

National-price equivalent
$53,614

+15% versus the nominal figure.

Prices in Arkansas 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 Arkansas 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 West Memphis School District

What the Numbers Say About West Memphis School District

West Memphis School District is a small-to-mid-sized school district in Arkansas, serving 4,954 students at an estimated per-pupil spending of $17,354. Estimated average teacher salary, derived from reported teacher salary expenditure (F-33 items Z35-Z38) divided by teacher FTE, is $46,543, placing the district in the moderately funded tier of NCES F-33 respondents. NCES LEAID 0508040 references the FY2023 Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Finance Survey.

Relative to the Arkansas statewide average of $43,221, teacher pay in West Memphis School District runs meaningfully above the state benchmark, a 7.7% gap, and below the national instructional-salary estimate of $70,245 (33.7% differential). Among enrolling districts in Arkansas, it pays more than 68% of them. Arkansas itself ranks #49 of 49 nationally on average teacher compensation, which shapes the funding ceiling districts operate under.

On the budget side, West Memphis School District reports $86.0M in total expenditure against $76.5M 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 $14.6M, special-education teacher pay is $1.2M.

How does West Memphis School District compare?

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

West Memphis School District $46,543
Springdale School District $60,869
Arkansas avg $43,221
National avg $70,245

West Memphis School District pays -23.5% less than Springdale School District · per-pupil $17,354 vs $15,771

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 Arkansas districts

On pay, West Memphis School District sits closest to Warren School District; on per-pupil investment, its nearest match is Highland School District. 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. Warren School District
  2. Forrest City School District
  3. Westside Cons. School District
  4. Clinton School District
  5. Wynne School District
  6. Monticello School District
  7. El Dorado School District
  8. Hamburg School District
  9. Ozark School District
  10. Marion School District
  11. Vilonia School District
Closest on per-pupil investment
  1. Highland School District
  2. Texarkana School District
  3. Fayetteville School District
  4. Elkins School District
  5. Jonesboro School District
  6. Monticello School District
  7. Hot Springs School District
  8. Malvern School District
  9. Pulaski Co. Spec. School Dist.
  10. Mountain View School District
  11. Hope School District

Similar estimated teacher pay

Similar per-pupil investment

Out-of-state districts with similar lower pay

Two out-of-state peer sets for West Memphis School District: closest on enrollment (4,954 students here) and closest on estimated average teacher salary ($46,543 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

$76.5M
Total Revenue
$86.0M
Total Expenditure
$23.1M
Instruction Salaries
27% of total spending

Instructional Salary by Program

$14.6M
Regular Program
$1.2M
Special Education
$0.9M
Vocational
$2.0M
Other Programs

The teacher salaries behind this page's average are the ones NCES reports for 4 programs in West Memphis School District: the regular program, special education, vocational programs and other programs. Every program category NCES breaks out separately carries a figure here. Together they are 81% of everything the district spends on instructional salaries; the other 19% pays instructional aides, paraprofessionals, substitutes and other instructional staff who are not counted as teachers here.

Arkansas Teacher Pay Overview

The highest average among comparably sized Arkansas districts belongs to Fayetteville School District at $73,997. West Memphis School District places 63 of 201 comparably sized districts, squarely in the middle band the state average actually represents. Mississippi and South Dakota are the states closest to Arkansas 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 Arkansas districts →

Other Arkansas Districts

The bar behind each salary shows its magnitude within this Arkansas sample (including West Memphis). Hover or focus a value for the exact comparison.

Jacksonville North Pulaski School District
$43,524
4,517 students
Sheridan School District
$48,190
4,325 students
Russellville School District
$59,925
5,602 students
Lake Hamilton School District
$68,440
4,131 students
El Dorado School District
$45,982
4,051 students
Benton School District
$50,473
5,904 students

This is a sample of 6 from 198 Arkansas districts with enrollment and salary data reliable enough to compare in the NCES CCD F-33 survey.

Frequently Asked Questions about West Memphis School District
What is the average teacher salary in West Memphis School District?

The average teacher salary in West Memphis School District is $46,543 (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 West Memphis School District teacher pay compare to the Arkansas average?

West Memphis School District pays 7.7% more than the Arkansas state average of $43,221. The district's average is $46,543.

How does West Memphis School District teacher pay compare to the national average?

West Memphis School District pays 33.7% below the national average of $70,245. The district average is $46,543.

What is the per-pupil spending in West Memphis School District?

West Memphis School District spends approximately $17,354 per student annually (NCES FY2023), covering instructional salaries, support services, and administration.

What percentage of West Memphis School District's budget goes to teacher salaries?

Instructional salaries account for 27% of West Memphis School District's total expenditure of $86.0M (NCES FY2023).

Next read for West Memphis School District
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. West Memphis School District'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.