State profile · NCES F-33 FY2023
Teacher Salary in Georgia
Georgia is in the largest third by reported enrollment (1,708,936 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 Georgia.
- $61,790
- Est. state avg salary
- -12.0%
- vs national
- #35
- National rank
- 180
- Districts
Below benchmark
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Georgia is in the largest third by reported enrollment (1,708,936 students) among states with NCES enrollment. Estimated average teacher salary is $61,790, materially below the national average of $70,245, ranking #35 of 49, across 179 public school districts with reliable data (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).
- Large K-12 enrollment scale: Georgia is in the largest third by reported enrollment (1,708,936 students) among states with NCES enrollment.
- lower third nationally (#35 of 49)
- Georgia ranks #35 of 49 on the salary estimate and #4 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
- $35,691 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- -12.0% vs the national average
- +19.4% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (balanced cohort, not the FTE average above)
- #33 of 49 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 96.5)
Georgia sits in the lower third for estimated pay
Across 179 reliable-salary districts, the average estimate is $61,790: #35 of 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate, and 12.0% below 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.
Georgia purchasing-power check on lower-third pay
Georgia's nominal average teacher salary ranks #35 of the 49 states and territories that report teacher salaries. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2023 Regional Price Parity (96.5, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $70,014, ranking #33 of 49 , 2 places higher 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
Georgia in the teacher-salary distribution
FY2023 estimated state averages from the same NCES-derived ranking
$61,790 29th percentile higher than 29% 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
Georgia's comparable salary trend
Same reporting-district cohort, FY2019-FY2023
- FY2023 estimated average
- $70,131 19.39745297705673% vs FY2019
- 180 districts held in the panel
Read the chart as text
| Period | Georgia est. avg teacher salary |
|---|---|
| FY2019 | $58,738 |
| FY2020 | $62,189 |
| FY2021 | $64,183 |
| FY2022 | $66,592 |
| FY2023 | $70,131 |
Highest-paying districts in Georgia
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
-
$81,518 Est. avg salary
-
$80,825 Est. avg salary
-
$77,213 Est. avg salary
-
$74,921 Est. avg salary
-
$74,911 Est. avg salary
-
$74,070 Est. avg salary
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$73,930 Est. avg salary
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$72,201 Est. avg salary
-
$72,107 Est. avg salary
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$70,966 Est. avg salary
What this shows Cobb County leads Georgia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobb County | $81,518 | 106,703 | $16,624 |
| Buford City | $80,825 | 5,847 | $16,658 |
| Fayette County | $77,213 | 20,070 | $15,497 |
| Fulton County | $74,921 | 89,935 | $16,302 |
| DeKalb County | $74,911 | 92,368 | $16,066 |
| Marietta City | $74,070 | 8,711 | $20,542 |
| Forsyth County | $73,930 | 54,077 | $13,658 |
| Paulding County | $72,201 | 31,518 | $14,093 |
| Atlanta Public Schools | $72,107 | 50,325 | $24,567 |
| Social Circle City | $70,966 | 1,941 | $15,252 |
| Gwinnett County | $70,765 | 181,814 | $15,296 |
| Houston County | $70,349 | 30,631 | $15,642 |
| Bartow County | $69,881 | 13,806 | $15,668 |
| Walton County | $69,768 | 14,557 | $13,445 |
| Cherokee County | $69,636 | 41,891 | $15,206 |
| Douglas County | $69,266 | 25,802 | $15,196 |
| Floyd County | $69,255 | 8,925 | $16,106 |
| Cartersville City | $69,145 | 4,497 | $23,442 |
| Coweta County | $69,038 | 23,200 | $15,178 |
| City Schools of Decatur | $68,596 | 5,655 | $17,519 |
| Carrollton City | $68,534 | 5,612 | $12,857 |
| Clayton County | $68,211 | 52,186 | $15,476 |
| Jefferson City | $68,194 | 4,166 | $13,972 |
| Columbia County | $68,004 | 29,025 | $13,178 |
| Stewart County | $67,757 | 407 | $23,563 |
| Dawson County | $67,569 | 3,906 | $17,317 |
| Oconee County | $67,406 | 8,531 | $17,155 |
| Talbot County | $67,324 | 408 | $23,953 |
| Rabun County | $67,289 | 2,270 | $20,816 |
| Lamar County | $67,158 | 2,820 | $13,423 |
| Burke County | $66,973 | 3,990 | $20,847 |
| Pickens County | $66,848 | 4,124 | $15,627 |
| Rockdale County | $66,698 | 15,734 | $17,338 |
| Savannah-Chatham County | $66,499 | 36,326 | $17,842 |
| Bremen City | $66,486 | 2,355 | $16,590 |
| Glynn County | $66,293 | 12,844 | $17,141 |
| Liberty County | $66,164 | 10,610 | $13,922 |
| Polk County | $66,118 | 7,878 | $15,693 |
| Fannin County | $66,009 | 2,799 | $17,762 |
| Newton County | $65,791 | 18,661 | $15,659 |
| Hall County | $65,434 | 27,328 | $16,381 |
| Lincoln County | $65,389 | 1,231 | $16,058 |
| Bulloch County | $65,366 | 11,050 | $14,943 |
| Greene County | $65,064 | 2,589 | $21,433 |
| Laurens County | $64,729 | 6,424 | $14,805 |
| White County | $64,669 | 3,827 | $19,756 |
| Union County | $64,543 | 3,024 | $17,367 |
| Gilmer County | $64,534 | 4,113 | $15,038 |
| Jackson County | $64,256 | 9,918 | $17,782 |
| Irwin County | $64,082 | 1,622 | $15,189 |
| Commerce City | $63,977 | 1,785 | $15,166 |
| Effingham County | $63,956 | 14,047 | $14,264 |
| Banks County | $63,735 | 2,843 | $16,286 |
| Putnam County | $63,689 | 2,978 | $19,628 |
| Gainesville City | $63,576 | 7,974 | $18,787 |
| Lumpkin County | $63,559 | 3,749 | $18,968 |
| Marion County | $63,554 | 1,279 | $14,615 |
| Monroe County | $63,544 | 4,511 | $14,442 |
| Henry County | $63,497 | 43,417 | $13,654 |
| Dalton Public Schools | $63,460 | 7,675 | $16,040 |
| Elbert County | $63,193 | 3,066 | $19,810 |
| Harris County | $63,083 | 5,645 | $16,149 |
| Thomas County | $62,982 | 5,727 | $15,454 |
| Calhoun City | $62,893 | 4,135 | $12,713 |
| Haralson County | $62,868 | 3,429 | $16,798 |
| Pike County | $62,825 | 3,584 | $13,565 |
| Schley County | $62,763 | 1,231 | $18,877 |
| Pierce County | $62,742 | 3,637 | $15,019 |
| Habersham County | $62,709 | 7,204 | $15,378 |
| Turner County | $62,693 | 1,189 | $18,603 |
| Madison County | $62,548 | 5,077 | $14,467 |
| Troup County | $62,501 | 12,280 | $14,460 |
| Hart County | $62,487 | 3,656 | $14,065 |
| Morgan County | $62,481 | 3,514 | $14,884 |
| Bleckley County | $62,473 | 2,605 | $15,279 |
| Whitfield County | $62,376 | 12,317 | $14,967 |
| Heard County | $62,366 | 2,195 | $15,971 |
| Carroll County | $62,307 | 15,981 | $14,381 |
| Wheeler County | $62,160 | 873 | $25,924 |
| Chickamauga City | $62,136 | 1,277 | $12,345 |
| Charlton County | $62,052 | 1,686 | $15,507 |
| Thomasville City | $62,012 | 2,800 | $16,751 |
| Jenkins County | $61,766 | 1,146 | $19,223 |
| Peach County | $61,757 | 3,866 | $15,183 |
| Jones County | $61,684 | 5,157 | $13,621 |
| Berrien County | $61,555 | 3,074 | $15,811 |
| Jasper County | $61,519 | 2,573 | $14,810 |
| Franklin County | $61,510 | 3,619 | $16,418 |
| Gordon County | $61,489 | 6,421 | $15,318 |
| Rome City | $61,454 | 6,573 | $14,463 |
| Dublin City | $61,384 | 2,288 | $18,588 |
| Clinch County | $61,383 | 1,251 | $33,401 |
| Muscogee County | $61,334 | 29,818 | $15,848 |
| Crisp County | $61,327 | 3,575 | $18,277 |
| Catoosa County | $61,267 | 10,426 | $17,796 |
| Thomaston-Upson County | $61,253 | 4,060 | $17,211 |
| Wayne County | $60,963 | 5,172 | $16,791 |
| Lee County | $60,911 | 6,333 | $13,988 |
| Telfair County | $60,721 | 1,586 | $15,980 |
| Barrow County | $60,655 | 14,882 | $16,207 |
Showing 1–100 of 179 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 Georgia
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Randolph County | $45,827 | 642 |
| Hancock County | $46,311 | 703 |
| Evans County | $49,071 | 1,818 |
| Macon County | $51,317 | 1,114 |
| Meriwether County | $51,453 | 2,323 |
| Twiggs County | $52,099 | 717 |
| Clay County | $52,605 | 200 |
| Richmond County | $52,647 | 29,589 |
| Emanuel County | $52,817 | 4,059 |
| Calhoun County | $53,479 | 467 |
Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.
Nationwide peers near Georgia's large K-12 scale
Two nationwide peer sets for Georgia: closest on estimated average teacher salary ($61,790 here) and closest on total student enrollment (1,708,936 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.
Georgia teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in Georgia?
Across 179 Georgia public school districts with reliable data, the average teacher salary is $61,790 (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 Georgia school district pays teachers the most?
Cobb County reports the highest average teacher salary in Georgia at $81,518, while Randolph County sits at the lower end at $45,827.
How does Georgia teacher pay compare to the national average?
Georgia's average of $61,790 is materially below the national average of $70,245 (-12.0%), ranking #35 of the 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate.
How many school districts are in Georgia?
Georgia has 180 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 1,708,936 students.
How much do teachers make in Georgia?
District-average teacher pay in Georgia sits in a comparatively narrow band, from $45,827 in Randolph County to $81,518 in Cobb County. 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 Georgia?
No Georgia district with reliable data reports an estimated average teacher salary at or above $100,000; the state's highest is Cobb County at $81,518. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does Georgia rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Within the separate enrollment-weighted state comparison, BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parity (96.5, US=100) adjusts Georgia's nominal estimate of $67,559 from #32 to $70,014 and #33. 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.
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Disclaimer & data sources
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher for Georgia
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |