State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022
Teacher Salary in California
According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 955 public school districts in California.
- $123,951
- Est. state avg salary
- +44.5%
- vs national
- #3
- National rank
- 955
- Districts
California's estimated average teacher salary is $123,951, meaningfully above the national average of $85,759, ranking #3 of 51 states and territories, across 955 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).
- top decile nationally (#3 of 51)
- $114,853 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- +44.5% vs the national average
- +27.6% since FY2019
- #3 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 112.6)
What does the NCES F-33 data show for California?
California reports 955 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $123,951. That places the state in the top decile of US teacher-pay rankings - #3 of 51, meaningfully above the national average of $85,759 (+44.5%). The state's public schools serve 5,271,399 students across these districts. Most district figures divide total instructional spending by the district's REPORTED teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey); a small number of large consolidated districts that report staffing only at a sub-district level fall back to an estimated ratio instead, since total instructional spending also includes aides and assistants, both figures run somewhat above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, treat this as a relative cross-district comparison, not an exact paycheck, and see our methodology for the formula, its data source per district, and its limits.
Among enrolling districts, pay varies widely: Palo Alto Unified reports the highest estimated average salary at $179,503, while Calaveras Unified sits at the lower end at $64,650 - a spread of $114,853 between top and bottom reporting districts. Licensing rules, state aid formulas, collective bargaining density, and local tax bases all drive this intra-state variation. Urban and suburban districts with larger tax bases typically lead, while rural districts often lag despite lower cost of living.
Teacher compensation here reflects both state policy choices, the statutory minimum salary schedule, pension funding levels, licensure reciprocity, and the funding formula that determines how much state aid each district receives per pupil. A #3 national rank signals where California sits in the competition for teachers against neighboring states; teacher shortage areas typically correlate with lower pay rank. Figures below are per-district averages derived from the F-33 instructional salary expenditure field (Z33) divided by each district's reported teacher FTE (or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure), a district-level aggregate, not individual salary records.
Purchasing-power-adjusted rank
California's nominal average teacher salary ranks #3 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (112.6, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $110,090, ranking #3 of 51 , unchanged from the nominal rank. 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.
California's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022
Highest-paying districts in California
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$179,503 Est. avg salary
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$177,070 Est. avg salary
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$174,990 Est. avg salary
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$174,464 Est. avg salary
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$171,916 Est. avg salary
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$171,827 Est. avg salary
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$166,818 Est. avg salary
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$166,817 Est. avg salary
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$166,218 Est. avg salary
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$164,689 Est. avg salary
What this shows Palo Alto Unified leads California on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.
Top 3 districts
Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment | Per-Pupil Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Valley Unified | $90,663 | 615 | $20,652 |
| Maxwell Unified | $90,631 | 344 | $17,837 |
| Ferndale Unified | $90,550 | 476 | $14,992 |
| Fortuna Union High | $90,459 | 1,094 | $16,398 |
| Pioneer Union Elementary | $90,431 | 285 | $14,084 |
| Rio Bravo-Greeley Union Elementary | $90,373 | 986 | $15,580 |
| Fort Bragg Unified | $90,322 | 1,670 | $19,353 |
| Pierce Joint Unified | $90,014 | 1,495 | $16,131 |
| Chualar Union | $89,133 | 281 | $20,128 |
| Armona Union Elementary | $88,702 | 1,107 | $15,783 |
| Denair Unified | $88,478 | 1,245 | $16,139 |
| Biggs Unified | $87,822 | 574 | $15,368 |
| Middletown Unified | $87,798 | 1,452 | $14,825 |
| Columbia Union | $87,510 | 435 | $14,306 |
| Kelseyville Unified | $87,402 | 1,849 | $16,011 |
| Durham Unified | $87,098 | 982 | $16,482 |
| Laton Joint Unified | $86,712 | 625 | $20,858 |
| Whittier City Elementary | $86,598 | 5,565 | $17,616 |
| Siskiyou Union High | $86,296 | 528 | $20,114 |
| Fort Sage Unified | $85,774 | 241 | $17,232 |
| Pollock Pines Elementary | $85,572 | 602 | $16,729 |
| Modesto City Schools | $85,459 | 29,166 | $18,607 |
| Liberty Elementary | $84,903 | 749 | $13,549 |
| Albany City Unified | $84,856 | 3,505 | $30,447 |
| Brittan Elementary | $84,559 | 452 | $13,852 |
| Hamilton Unified | $84,504 | 709 | $15,906 |
| Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified | $84,154 | 394 | $17,122 |
| Southern Humboldt Joint Unified | $83,205 | 688 | $18,483 |
| Pacifica | $83,184 | 2,803 | $16,978 |
| Spreckels Union Elementary | $83,170 | 921 | $13,167 |
| Petaluma City Elementary/Joint Union High | $81,912 | 7,168 | $16,698 |
| Southside Elementary | $81,900 | 224 | $10,737 |
| Modoc Joint Unified | $81,574 | 837 | $15,603 |
| Santa Cruz City Elementary/High | $81,452 | 6,286 | $19,972 |
| Santa Rosa City Schools | $81,449 | 15,115 | $18,356 |
| Colfax Elementary | $81,004 | 357 | $16,566 |
| Scotts Valley Unified | $80,755 | 2,179 | $13,420 |
| Sutter Union High | $79,855 | 803 | $15,123 |
| Chawanakee Unified | $79,250 | 1,537 | $15,518 |
| Arcohe Union Elementary | $78,556 | 464 | $13,597 |
| Junction Elementary | $78,238 | 349 | $15,049 |
| Sequoia Union Elementary | $76,842 | 384 | $13,148 |
| San Lorenzo Unified | $76,562 | 8,731 | $18,413 |
| West Park Elementary | $75,401 | 586 | $14,674 |
| East Nicolaus Joint Union High | $74,124 | 305 | $16,970 |
| Pacific Union Elementary | $72,145 | 567 | $10,342 |
| Lassen Union High | $69,057 | 848 | $14,827 |
| Calaveras Unified | $64,650 | 2,842 | $14,878 |
Showing 701–748 of 748 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 California
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Calaveras Unified | $64,650 | 2,842 |
| Lassen Union High | $69,057 | 848 |
| Pacific Union Elementary | $72,145 | 567 |
| East Nicolaus Joint Union High | $74,124 | 305 |
| West Park Elementary | $75,401 | 586 |
| San Lorenzo Unified | $76,562 | 8,731 |
| Sequoia Union Elementary | $76,842 | 384 |
| Junction Elementary | $78,238 | 349 |
| Arcohe Union Elementary | $78,556 | 464 |
| Chawanakee Unified | $79,250 | 1,537 |
Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.
Compare Nearby-Ranked States
Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2022. 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.
California teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in California?
Across California's 955 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $123,951 (NCES CCD F-33 finance data divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2022). This figure is derived from total instructional spending and runs above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, read it as a relative comparison.
Which California school district pays teachers the most?
Palo Alto Unified reports the highest average teacher salary in California at $179,503, while Calaveras Unified sits at the lower end at $64,650.
How does California teacher pay compare to the national average?
California's average of $123,951 is meaningfully above the national average of $85,759 (+44.5%), ranking #3 of 51 US states and territories.
How many school districts are in California?
California has 955 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 5,271,399 students.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in California?
619 of 748 California districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Palo Alto Unified at $179,503. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does California rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (112.6, US=100), California's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $110,090, ranking #3 of 51 states and territories, the same as its #3 nominal-salary rank. This is a relative state-level price-level comparison, not take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.
Related
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. California's district figures are aggregated directly from each district's FY2022 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 FY2022.
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |