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State profile · NCES F-33 FY2023

Teacher Salary in Arizona

Arizona's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (2.61x) ranks #15 of 47, upper-third dispersion. According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available for every public school district in Arizona.

$63,921
Est. state avg salary

Below benchmark

-9.0%
vs national
#29
National rank
213
Districts

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$63,921/year (est.)

Arizona's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (2.61x) ranks #15 of 47, upper-third dispersion. Estimated average teacher salary is $63,921, below the national average of $70,245, ranking #29 of 49, across 154 public school districts with reliable data (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Wide district pay spread: Arizona's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (2.61x) ranks #15 of 47, upper-third dispersion.
  • middle third nationally (#29 of 49)
  • Arizona ranks #29 of 49 on the salary estimate and #16 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • $61,260 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
  • -9.0% vs the national average
  • +25.8% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (balanced cohort, not the FTE average above)
  • #40 of 49 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 100.7)

Same-district trend

How does a balanced panel separate change from district turnover?

For the same 188 Arizona districts present with valid estimates in every release, the average state figure moved from $43,569 in FY2019 to $54,813 in FY2023 (+25.8%).

The fixed cohort prevents entering or missing districts from masquerading as salary movement. It is still a change in a derived district-level estimate, not evidence of any individual teacher's raise.

Purchasing-power-adjusted rank for Arizona

Arizona's nominal average teacher salary ranks #29 of the 49 states and territories that report teacher salaries. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2023 Regional Price Parity (100.7, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $65,021, ranking #40 of 49 , 11 places lower than the nominal rank once relative price levels are factored in. This purchasing-power view is not published by NEA's teacher-pay rankings or the aggregator sites; it comes from combining our own F-33-derived salary estimate with BEA's public RPP series. See the full 51-state release for methodology and download. BEA Regional Price Parities · NCES CCD F-33

Arizona in the teacher-salary distribution

FY2023 estimated state averages from the same NCES-derived ranking

$63,921 41st percentile higher than 41% of 49 reporting states and territories

Show national distribution $0–$5,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 6 reporting states and territories (12%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 9 reporting states and territories (18%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 7 reporting states and territories (14%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 reporting states and territories (8%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $115,000–$120,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $120,000–$125,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. Arizona $0 $125,000 reporting state salary estimates, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more reporting states and territories. 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; state estimates derived from reported instructional-salary expenditure and teacher FTE · FY2023

Arizona's comparable salary trend

Same reporting-district cohort, FY2019-FY2023

FY2023 estimated average
$54,813 25.80742969464963% vs FY2019
188 districts held in the panel
$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000 FY2019FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023 Arizona est. avg teacher salary, FY2019: $43,569Arizona est. avg teacher salary, FY2020: $45,816Arizona est. avg teacher salary, FY2021: $50,008Arizona est. avg teacher salary, FY2022: $51,713Arizona est. avg teacher salary, FY2023: $54,813 $43,569 $54,813 ▲ +25.8%
Read the chart as text
Period Arizona est. avg teacher salary
FY2019 $43,569
FY2020 $45,816
FY2021 $50,008
FY2022 $51,713
FY2023 $54,813

Highest-paying districts in Arizona

Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)

Est. avg salary

What this shows Safford Unified District (4218) leads Arizona on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.

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

Top 3 districts

1 $99,366

Safford Unified District (4218)

Est. avg teacher salary
2 $88,971

Sacaton Elementary District (4449)

Est. avg teacher salary
3 $88,408

Chinle Unified District (4158)

Est. avg teacher salary

Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment Per-Pupil Exp
Safford Unified District (4218) $99,366 2,885 $12,556
Sacaton Elementary District (4449) $88,971 433 $36,891
Chinle Unified District (4158) $88,408 3,152 $28,191
Cartwright Elementary District (4282) $86,704 13,790 $14,261
Tolleson Union High School District (4288) $82,860 13,741 $13,111
Glendale Union High School District (4285) $82,504 16,535 $15,499
Gadsden Elementary District (4505) $80,692 4,958 $11,357
Coolidge Unified District (4442) $80,484 2,549 $13,256
Casa Grande Union High School District (4453) $79,375 4,002 $13,938
Phoenix Union High School District (4286) $79,215 27,900 $16,516
Yuma Union High School District (4507) $78,236 11,380 $15,015
West-MEC - Western Maricopa Education Center (80923) $78,225 292 N/A
Mohave Valley Elementary District (4379) $78,020 1,186 $10,994
Buckeye Union High School District (4284) $76,806 5,406 $12,597
Beaver Creek Elementary District (4481) $76,385 319 $24,292
Kayenta Unified School District #27 (4396) $76,325 1,597 $23,815
Tempe Union High School District (4287) $74,773 12,664 $13,616
East Valley Institute of Technology (4516) $74,424 240 N/A
Alhambra Elementary District (4280) $72,907 9,978 $14,864
Round Valley Unified District (4155) $72,666 1,354 $12,857
Agua Fria Union High School District (4289) $72,651 9,632 $14,979
Murphy Elementary District (4265) $72,566 1,165 $15,534
Mingus Union High School District (4488) $72,217 1,235 $12,862
Window Rock Unified District (4154) $71,554 1,710 $18,763
Ash Fork Joint Unified District (4471) $71,246 289 $16,156
Palo Verde Elementary District (4275) $70,925 432 $14,301
Sanders Unified District (4156) $70,891 616 $26,471
Baboquivari Unified School District #40 (4412) $70,747 1,044 $27,080
Fowler Elementary District (4273) $70,736 3,692 $12,213
Naco Elementary District (4176) $70,643 276 $20,446
Colorado City Unified District (4370) $70,630 524 $22,252
Fort Thomas Unified District (4221) $70,518 620 $21,718
Apache Junction Unified District (4443) $70,379 2,929 $15,461
Tolleson Elementary District (4264) $70,109 2,713 $15,942
Avondale Elementary District (4272) $69,986 5,833 $11,891
Deer Valley Unified District (4246) $69,933 32,177 $12,524
Ajo Unified District (4409) $69,838 391 $24,980
Pima Unified District (4220) $69,619 1,096 $11,015
Santa Cruz Valley Union High School District (4454) $69,529 360 $18,003
Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) $68,895 42,942 $13,661
Litchfield Elementary District (4281) $68,729 10,425 $11,365
Bagdad Unified District (4468) $68,712 483 $18,416
Williams Unified District (4193) $68,647 644 $18,019
Whiteriver Unified District (4394) $68,546 2,339 $21,286
Isaac Elementary District (4259) $68,498 4,916 $18,007
Holbrook Unified District (4389) $68,463 1,790 $17,692
San Carlos Unified District (4210) $68,318 1,383 $20,221
Phoenix Elementary District (4256) $68,297 4,974 $20,565
Douglas Unified District (4174) $68,263 3,726 $14,614
Camp Verde Unified District (4470) $68,178 1,564 $11,267
Dysart Unified District (4243) $68,141 22,467 $12,283
Toltec School District (4450) $67,960 1,106 $10,484
Mesa Unified District (4235) $67,420 56,815 $14,903
Red Mesa Unified District (4159) $67,299 480 $38,950
Fort Huachuca Accommodation District (4167) $67,014 755 $18,466
Liberty Elementary District (4266) $66,976 4,373 $10,900
Ganado Unified School District (4157) $66,958 1,138 $21,492
Mary C O'Brien Accommodation District (4435) $66,651 206 $29,830
Pinon Unified District (4390) $66,590 1,013 $24,964
Lake Havasu Unified District (4368) $66,378 5,368 $10,721
Parker Unified School District (4510) $66,117 1,692 $14,735
Arlington Elementary District (4274) $66,075 279 $14,789
Sunnyside Unified District (4407) $65,995 14,317 $11,891
Hayden-Winkelman Unified District (4212) $65,722 298 $16,715
Gilbert Unified District (4239) $65,407 32,663 $13,763
Altar Valley Elementary District (4418) $65,064 549 $22,383
Stanfield Elementary District (4451) $65,000 386 $15,585
Higley Unified School District (4248) $64,700 12,882 $11,950
Wilson Elementary District (4261) $64,667 1,031 $16,081
Nogales Unified District (4457) $63,923 5,673 $10,310
Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32 (4397) $63,909 1,723 $13,692
Mammoth-San Manuel Unified District (4439) $63,842 502 $14,813
Queen Creek Unified District (4245) $63,250 13,205 $13,053
Scottsdale Unified District (4240) $63,218 20,839 $14,868
Crane Elementary District (4501) $63,154 5,832 $11,674
Winslow Unified District (4387) $62,876 1,862 $12,977
Bullhead City School District (4378) $62,754 2,309 $12,467
Madison Elementary District (4270) $62,743 5,525 $19,437
Humboldt Unified District (4469) $62,371 5,505 $10,566
Balsz Elementary District (4268) $61,823 2,142 $20,505
Somerton Elementary District (4500) $61,823 2,825 $15,764
Tombstone Unified District (4168) $61,770 864 $17,598
Globe Unified District (4208) $61,540 1,633 $11,891
Kingman Unified School District (79598) $61,420 7,022 $10,649
Tanque Verde Unified District (4408) $61,418 2,192 $15,273
Washington Elementary School District (4260) $61,365 19,049 $14,267
Creighton Elementary District (4263) $61,294 5,004 $15,164
Peoria Unified School District (4237) $61,214 35,778 $11,075
Sedona-Oak Creek JUSD #9 (4467) $61,025 728 $14,486
Show Low Unified District (4393) $60,874 2,558 $13,036
Page Unified School District #8 (4196) $60,831 2,395 $14,592
Littleton Elementary District (4278) $60,756 5,705 $16,832
J O Combs Unified School District (4445) $60,662 4,246 $11,313
Tucson Unified District (4403) $60,552 40,451 $15,838
Ray Unified District (4438) $60,364 349 $14,269
Littlefield Unified District (4374) $60,333 337 $14,288
Continental Elementary District (4416) $60,081 602 $22,568
Union Elementary District (4277) $59,871 1,669 $12,092
Vail Unified District (4413) $59,818 14,308 $12,248
Sierra Vista Unified District (4175) $59,770 4,671 $12,245

Showing 1–100 of 154 enrolling districts. Specialized non-enrolling agencies (career/technical centers, county offices, service co-ops) are excluded from the salary ranking, their enrollment-based estimates are not reliable.

Lowest-Paying Districts in Arizona

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment
Joseph City Unified District (4388) $38,106 436
St David Unified District (4173) $41,414 406
Colorado River Union High School District (4381) $44,473 1,906
Oracle Elementary District (4444) $47,414 369
Antelope Union High School District (4506) $47,475 200
Sahuarita Unified District (4411) $47,478 6,342
Buckeye Elementary District (4269) $50,545 5,540
Heber-Overgaard Unified District (4392) $50,701 502
Benson Unified School District (79226) $51,334 1,368
Grand Canyon Unified District (4194) $51,406 245

Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.

Nationwide peers near Arizona's large K-12 scale

Two nationwide peer sets for Arizona: closest on estimated average teacher salary ($63,921 here) and closest on total student enrollment (879,491 here). Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not geographic containment.

Similar estimated salary

Nearest other states by unweighted district-mean teacher pay (F-33 derived, ≥5 districts with reliable estimates).

Similar enrollment

Nearest other states by NCES-reported K-12 enrollment. Salary peers above are excluded.

Compare Nearby-Ranked States

Idaho
$66,710
Rank #26
South Carolina
$64,775
Rank #27
Colorado
$64,442
Rank #28
Iowa
$63,660
Rank #30

Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2023. Salary figures divide instructional expenditure (variable Z33) by each district's reported teacher FTE, or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure. Not individual salary data. Read our methodology.

Arizona teacher salary FAQ

What is the average teacher salary in Arizona?

Across 154 Arizona public school districts with reliable data, the average teacher salary is $63,921 (NCES CCD F-33 reported teacher salaries divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2023). It is a district-level mean derived from finance filings, so it will not match a contract-salary survey exactly, read it as a relative comparison.

Which Arizona school district pays teachers the most?

Safford Unified District (4218) reports the highest average teacher salary in Arizona at $99,366, while Joseph City Unified District (4388) sits at the lower end at $38,106.

How does Arizona teacher pay compare to the national average?

Arizona's average of $63,921 is below the national average of $70,245 (-9.0%), ranking #29 of the 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate.

How many school districts are in Arizona?

Arizona has 213 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 879,448 students.

How much do teachers make in Arizona?

District-average teacher pay in Arizona sits in a comparatively narrow band, from $38,106 in Joseph City Unified District (4388) to $99,366 in Safford Unified District (4218). With that little district-to-district spread the statewide figure is a reasonable guide to what most districts pay. These are district-wide averages from NCES CCD F-33 (FY2023), not individual salaries or pay-scale steps.

Can teachers earn $100,000 in Arizona?

No Arizona district with reliable data reports an estimated average teacher salary at or above $100,000; the state's highest is Safford Unified District (4218) at $99,366. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.

How does Arizona rank after adjusting for cost of living?

Within the separate enrollment-weighted state comparison, BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parity (100.7, US=100) adjusts Arizona's nominal estimate of $65,503 from #36 to $65,021 and #40. The headline uses an unweighted district mean, so this does not replace it. Neither measure is take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.

Explore Arizona

Disclaimer & data sources

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher for Arizona