State profile · NCES F-33 FY2023
Teacher Salary in California
California is in the largest third by reported enrollment (5,280,435 students) among states with NCES enrollment. 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 California.
- $110,546
- Est. state avg salary
- +57.4%
- vs national
- #2
- National rank
- 954
- Districts
Well above benchmark
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California is in the largest third by reported enrollment (5,280,435 students) among states with NCES enrollment. Estimated average teacher salary is $110,546, meaningfully above the national average of $70,245, ranking #2 of 49, across 777 public school districts with reliable data (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Large K-12 enrollment scale: California is in the largest third by reported enrollment (5,280,435 students) among states with NCES enrollment.
- top decile nationally (#2 of 49)
- California ranks #2 of 49 on the salary estimate and #1 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- $128,132 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- +57.4% vs the national average
- +25.3% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (balanced cohort, not the FTE average above)
- #2 of 49 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 112.2)
California sits in the top decile for estimated pay
Across 777 reliable-salary districts, the average estimate is $110,546: #2 of 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate, and 57.4% above the national benchmark of $70,245.
The rank compares the same F-33-derived district measure nationwide. It does not include benefits, experience steps, taxes, or local living costs; use it as a relative state placement rather than an exact paycheck.
California purchasing-power check on upper-third pay
California's nominal average teacher salary ranks #2 of the 49 states and territories that report teacher salaries. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2023 Regional Price Parity (112.2, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $104,341, ranking #2 of 49 , 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. BEA Regional Price Parities · NCES CCD F-33
California in the teacher-salary distribution
FY2023 estimated state averages from the same NCES-derived ranking
$110,546 Top 4% higher than 96% of 49 reporting states and territories
Show national distribution
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
California's comparable salary trend
Same reporting-district cohort, FY2019-FY2023
- FY2023 estimated average
- $79,724 25.261488753307187% vs FY2019
- 851 districts held in the panel
Read the chart as text
| Period | California est. avg teacher salary |
|---|---|
| FY2019 | $63,646 |
| FY2020 | $64,759 |
| FY2021 | $67,919 |
| FY2022 | $74,191 |
| FY2023 | $79,724 |
Highest-paying districts in California
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$178,519 Est. avg salary
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$178,265 Est. avg salary
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$176,980 Est. avg salary
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$176,774 Est. avg salary
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$171,535 Est. avg salary
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$171,118 Est. avg salary
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$170,458 Est. avg salary
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$169,610 Est. avg salary
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$167,325 Est. avg salary
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$166,334 Est. avg salary
What this shows Calaveras County Office of Education 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Bravo-Greeley Union Elementary | $87,207 | 1,010 | $18,633 |
| Washington Colony Elementary | $87,035 | 449 | $18,526 |
| Sierra Sands Unified | $86,938 | 5,087 | $19,504 |
| Yosemite Unified | $86,931 | 1,385 | $17,422 |
| McKinleyville Union Elementary | $86,804 | 928 | $19,281 |
| Golden Valley Unified | $86,652 | 2,566 | $14,530 |
| North Cow Creek Elementary | $86,583 | 256 | $11,906 |
| West Sonoma County Union High | $86,494 | 1,570 | $24,148 |
| Maricopa Unified | $86,399 | 318 | $31,189 |
| Upper Lake Unified | $86,347 | 891 | $26,132 |
| Fort Sage Unified | $86,267 | 248 | $19,452 |
| Ballico-Cressey Elementary | $86,228 | 369 | $17,883 |
| Janesville Union Elementary | $86,225 | 315 | $16,498 |
| Pleasant View Elementary | $85,907 | 413 | $29,034 |
| Sonora Union High | $85,362 | 1,087 | $15,955 |
| Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified | $85,301 | 400 | $20,368 |
| Julian Union Elementary | $85,143 | 275 | $21,156 |
| New Jerusalem Elementary | $85,091 | 1,650 | $17,063 |
| Lassen Union High | $84,963 | 864 | $15,737 |
| Corning Union High | $84,927 | 1,138 | $18,717 |
| Sutter Union High | $84,901 | 802 | $15,630 |
| Laton Joint Unified | $84,868 | 628 | $22,857 |
| Cottonwood Union Elementary | $84,853 | 892 | $16,985 |
| Anderson Valley Unified | $84,773 | 420 | $28,455 |
| Denair Unified | $84,404 | 1,300 | $17,441 |
| Le Grand Union High | $84,323 | 502 | $34,139 |
| Rockford Elementary | $84,135 | 310 | $13,126 |
| Kelseyville Unified | $84,113 | 1,833 | $20,104 |
| Grant Elementary | $84,081 | 643 | $13,151 |
| Ojai Unified | $83,989 | 2,208 | $22,497 |
| Fall River Joint Unified | $83,772 | 1,187 | $18,011 |
| Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary | $83,753 | 846 | $21,304 |
| Fortuna Union High | $83,628 | 1,066 | $18,257 |
| Scotts Valley Unified | $83,207 | 2,166 | $15,628 |
| Biggs Unified | $82,808 | 532 | $18,383 |
| Spreckels Union Elementary | $82,526 | 918 | $14,686 |
| Lone Pine Unified | $82,519 | 325 | $26,868 |
| Mendocino Unified | $82,326 | 462 | $50,554 |
| South Fork Union | $82,298 | 344 | $17,073 |
| Shaffer Union Elementary | $82,000 | 207 | $17,300 |
| Liberty Elementary | $81,568 | 781 | $10,908 |
| Columbia Elementary | $81,326 | 750 | $19,847 |
| Trinity Alps Unified | $81,304 | 672 | $27,298 |
| Durham Unified | $80,798 | 996 | $16,022 |
| Summerville Elementary | $80,625 | 416 | $15,053 |
| Trona Joint Unified | $80,245 | 247 | $33,603 |
| Gold Oak Union Elementary | $80,200 | 466 | $14,423 |
| Santa Rosa City Schools | $79,972 | 14,788 | $19,570 |
| Modesto City Schools | $79,793 | 29,512 | $21,862 |
| West Park Elementary | $79,751 | 511 | $24,992 |
| Mountain Valley Unified | $79,498 | 329 | $20,195 |
| Sequoia Union Elementary | $78,744 | 367 | $16,022 |
| Middletown Unified | $78,460 | 1,446 | $18,176 |
| Santa Cruz City Elementary/High | $77,732 | 6,106 | $21,828 |
| Petaluma City Elementary/Joint Union High | $77,473 | 7,054 | $18,967 |
| Placer Hills Union Elementary | $77,078 | 765 | $14,359 |
| Lucerne Elementary | $77,071 | 299 | $16,739 |
| Ferndale Unified | $77,041 | 469 | $16,021 |
| Solvang Elementary | $77,000 | 593 | $18,371 |
| Columbia Union | $76,742 | 437 | $15,764 |
| Brittan Elementary | $76,359 | 460 | $13,341 |
| Happy Valley Union Elementary | $76,324 | 478 | $16,699 |
| East Nicolaus Joint Union High | $76,250 | 310 | $20,077 |
| Southside Elementary | $76,190 | 233 | $11,262 |
| Fort Bragg Unified | $75,698 | 1,682 | $23,876 |
| Pacifica | $75,573 | 2,750 | $20,941 |
| Pacheco Union Elementary | $75,033 | 679 | $16,679 |
| Curtis Creek Elementary | $74,504 | 440 | $14,061 |
| Potter Valley Community Unified | $74,103 | 276 | $26,413 |
| Modoc Joint Unified | $73,332 | 832 | $19,118 |
| Borrego Springs Unified | $71,323 | 358 | $31,260 |
| Scott Valley Unified | $70,563 | 622 | $22,775 |
| Susanville Elementary | $69,293 | 1,044 | $14,130 |
| Junction Elementary | $69,241 | 381 | $16,556 |
| Laytonville Unified | $69,017 | 337 | $21,861 |
| Southern Humboldt Joint Unified | $66,332 | 708 | $19,912 |
| Pacific Union Elementary | $50,387 | 571 | $11,420 |
Showing 701–777 of 777 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Union Elementary | $50,387 | 571 |
| Southern Humboldt Joint Unified | $66,332 | 708 |
| Laytonville Unified | $69,017 | 337 |
| Junction Elementary | $69,241 | 381 |
| Susanville Elementary | $69,293 | 1,044 |
| Scott Valley Unified | $70,563 | 622 |
| Borrego Springs Unified | $71,323 | 358 |
| Modoc Joint Unified | $73,332 | 832 |
| Potter Valley Community Unified | $74,103 | 276 |
| Curtis Creek Elementary | $74,504 | 440 |
Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.
Nationwide peers near California's large K-12 scale
Two nationwide peer sets for California: closest on estimated average teacher salary ($110,546 here) and closest on total student enrollment (5,280,435 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
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.
California teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in California?
Across 777 California public school districts with reliable data, the average teacher salary is $110,546 (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 California school district pays teachers the most?
Calaveras County Office of Education reports the highest average teacher salary in California at $178,519, while Pacific Union Elementary sits at the lower end at $50,387.
How does California teacher pay compare to the national average?
California's average of $110,546 is meaningfully above the national average of $70,245 (+57.4%), ranking #2 of the 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate.
How many school districts are in California?
California has 954 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 5,266,708 students.
How much do teachers make in California?
District-average teacher pay in California runs from $50,387 in Pacific Union Elementary to $178,519 in Calaveras County Office of Education, with 537 of 777 reliable-data districts at $100,000 or above. Where a teacher lands depends far more on which district employs them than on the statewide figure. These are district-wide averages from NCES CCD F-33 (FY2023), not individual salaries or pay-scale steps.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in California?
537 of 777 California districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Calaveras County Office of Education at $178,519. 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?
Within the separate enrollment-weighted state comparison, BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parity (112.2, US=100) adjusts California's nominal estimate of $117,066 from #2 to $104,341 and #2. 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 California
Disclaimer & data sources
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher for California
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |