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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
Amphitheater Unified District (4406) $59,626 11,961 $14,597
Chino Valley Unified District (4474) $59,571 2,320 $13,222
Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) $59,550 27,427 $14,982
Snowflake Unified District (4391) $59,429 2,915 $10,007
Kyrene Elementary District (4267) $59,162 14,059 $13,074
Flagstaff Unified District (4192) $58,914 8,876 $14,642
Miami Unified District (4211) $58,784 903 $14,492
Willcox Unified District (4170) $58,780 1,056 $16,723
Marana Unified District (4404) $58,766 12,627 $12,290
Palominas Elementary School District 49 (4180) $58,566 870 $18,562
Saddle Mountain Unified School District (4254) $58,551 3,102 $13,903
Pendergast Elementary District (4283) $58,544 8,078 $12,245
Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458) $58,041 3,588 $12,881
Glendale Elementary District (4271) $57,913 9,236 $13,106
Duncan Unified District (4228) $57,897 390 $13,674
Casa Grande Elementary District (4446) $57,863 6,379 $12,443
Wickenburg Unified District (4236) $57,735 1,244 $12,864
Roosevelt Elementary District (4279) $57,711 7,094 $22,374
Flowing Wells Unified District (4405) $57,523 5,281 $13,286
Red Rock Elementary District (4447) $57,165 441 $12,075
Bisbee Unified District (4169) $57,044 685 $12,869
Superior Unified School District (4440) $56,987 335 $15,278
Laveen Elementary District (4276) $56,832 7,519 $11,338
Yuma Elementary District (4499) $56,817 8,868 $11,253
Cave Creek Unified District (4244) $56,813 4,475 $11,475
Maricopa Unified School District (4441) $56,764 8,539 $13,462
St Johns Unified District (4153) $56,677 960 $12,605
Osborn Elementary District (4262) $56,663 2,452 $15,659
Florence Unified School District (4437) $56,620 8,890 $11,720
Tempe School District (4258) $56,610 10,306 $18,147
Nadaburg Unified School District (4252) $56,033 1,191 $24,484
Thatcher Unified District (4219) $55,913 1,849 $9,892
Gila Bend Unified District (4238) $55,896 466 $15,811
Tuba City Unified School District #15 (4197) $55,814 1,448 $19,525
Morenci Unified District (4230) $55,776 1,392 $14,118
Eloy Elementary District (4448) $55,174 787 $12,996
Riverside Elementary District (4257) $54,951 814 $20,939
Fountain Hills Unified District (4247) $53,621 1,164 $13,384
Mayer Unified School District (4473) $53,133 567 $14,633
Payson Unified District (4209) $53,046 2,268 $13,147
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) $53,004 5,049 $12,126
Prescott Unified District (4466) $52,624 3,807 $11,673
Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) $52,123 1,799 $12,247
Clarkdale-Jerome Elementary District (4486) $52,104 473 $10,782
Grand Canyon Unified District (4194) $51,406 245 $25,902
Benson Unified School District (79226) $51,334 1,368 $12,444
Heber-Overgaard Unified District (4392) $50,701 502 $12,888
Buckeye Elementary District (4269) $50,545 5,540 $12,048
Sahuarita Unified District (4411) $47,478 6,342 $9,871
Antelope Union High School District (4506) $47,475 200 $16,025
Oracle Elementary District (4444) $47,414 369 $36,095
Colorado River Union High School District (4381) $44,473 1,906 $11,929
St David Unified District (4173) $41,414 406 $18,744
Joseph City Unified District (4388) $38,106 436 $18,243

Showing 101–154 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