State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022
Teacher Salary in Illinois
According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 848 public school districts in Illinois.
- $86,298
- Est. state avg salary
- +0.6%
- vs national
- #17
- National rank
- 848
- Districts
Illinois's estimated average teacher salary is $86,298, near the national average of $85,759, ranking #17 of 51 states and territories, across 848 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).
- upper third nationally (#17 of 51)
- $131,650 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- +0.6% vs the national average
- +12.6% since FY2019
- #22 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 101.2)
What does the NCES F-33 data show for Illinois?
Illinois reports 848 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $86,298. That places the state in the upper third of US teacher-pay rankings - #17 of 51, near the national average of $85,759 (+0.6%). The state's public schools serve 1,860,095 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: Twp HSD 113 reports the highest estimated average salary at $162,736, while Clay City CUSD 10 sits at the lower end at $31,086 - a spread of $131,650 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 #17 national rank signals where Illinois 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
Illinois's nominal average teacher salary ranks #17 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (101.2, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $85,270, ranking #22 of 51 , 5 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.
Illinois's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022
Highest-paying districts in Illinois
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$162,736 Est. avg salary
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$160,543 Est. avg salary
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$159,431 Est. avg salary
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$158,068 Est. avg salary
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$153,064 Est. avg salary
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$150,061 Est. avg salary
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$149,185 Est. avg salary
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$149,184 Est. avg salary
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$146,319 Est. avg salary
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$142,569 Est. avg salary
What this shows Twp HSD 113 leads Illinois 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twp HSD 113 | $162,736 | 3,298 | $40,062 |
| Chsd 128 | $160,543 | 3,359 | $35,806 |
| Lake Forest CHSD 115 | $159,431 | 1,467 | $40,963 |
| Maine Township HSD 207 | $158,068 | 6,335 | $36,226 |
| Adlai E Stevenson HSD 125 | $153,064 | 4,392 | $39,023 |
| Hinsdale Twp HSD 86 | $150,061 | 3,894 | $45,043 |
| Township HSD 214 | $149,185 | 12,073 | $29,458 |
| Niles Twp HSD 219 | $149,184 | 4,619 | $38,493 |
| Argo CHSD 217 | $146,319 | 1,943 | $28,997 |
| Township HSD 211 | $142,569 | 12,121 | $27,388 |
| Evanston Twp HSD 202 | $141,988 | 3,727 | $31,731 |
| Chsd 99 | $140,414 | 4,887 | $29,056 |
| Mundelein Cons HSD 120 | $139,975 | 2,209 | $24,597 |
| Glenbard Twp HSD 87 | $139,663 | 7,914 | $25,663 |
| Oak Park - River Forest SD 200 | $139,615 | 3,383 | $36,834 |
| Northfield Twp HSD 225 | $138,954 | 5,132 | $34,032 |
| Lyons Twp HSD 204 | $137,030 | 3,967 | $26,587 |
| Fenton CHSD 100 | $135,315 | 1,443 | $27,498 |
| Ridgewood CHSD 234 | $135,037 | 839 | $26,747 |
| New Trier Twp HSD 203 | $134,409 | 3,889 | $46,129 |
| DuPage HSD 88 | $131,418 | 3,948 | $24,300 |
| Riverside-Brookfield Twp SD 208 | $128,967 | 1,653 | $21,005 |
| Rich Twp HSD 227 | $128,204 | 2,687 | $51,853 |
| Chsd 218 | $127,808 | 5,403 | $28,029 |
| Reavis Twp HSD 220 | $126,275 | 2,006 | $27,122 |
| Glencoe SD 35 | $123,530 | 1,211 | $33,460 |
| Warren Twp HSD 121 | $123,479 | 3,829 | $21,681 |
| Thornton Fractional Twp HSD 215 | $122,854 | 3,330 | $21,408 |
| Homewood Flossmoor CHSD 233 | $122,085 | 2,789 | $25,050 |
| Bremen CHSD 228 | $121,466 | 5,198 | $25,075 |
| Sunset Ridge SD 29 | $119,527 | 478 | $36,270 |
| Lake Park CHSD 108 | $118,691 | 2,570 | $25,938 |
| Oak Lawn CHSD 229 | $118,644 | 1,862 | $21,676 |
| Cons HSD 230 | $118,360 | 7,787 | $24,254 |
| Zion ESD 6 | $117,176 | 2,223 | $23,675 |
| Northbrook ESD 27 | $115,900 | 1,370 | $29,802 |
| Chsd 155 | $113,782 | 5,598 | $23,625 |
| Thornton Twp HSD 205 | $113,063 | 4,823 | $25,950 |
| Barrington CUSD 220 | $113,006 | 8,161 | $28,851 |
| Dolton SD 149 | $112,861 | 2,333 | $19,939 |
| Lockport Twp HSD 205 | $111,330 | 3,818 | $20,258 |
| Kenilworth SD 38 | $110,784 | 469 | $32,859 |
| Waukegan CUSD 60 | $110,601 | 14,152 | $22,276 |
| CUSD 201 | $110,355 | 1,346 | $29,242 |
| Grayslake CHSD 127 | $110,221 | 2,680 | $29,698 |
| Joliet Twp HSD 204 | $107,600 | 6,958 | $18,682 |
| Elmhurst SD 205 | $107,377 | 8,289 | $28,817 |
| Wilmette SD 39 | $107,283 | 3,394 | $26,830 |
| Lemont Twp HSD 210 | $106,333 | 1,370 | $24,023 |
| Winnetka SD 36 | $106,168 | 1,633 | $37,455 |
| Evergreen Park CHSD 231 | $106,133 | 939 | $23,658 |
| Leyden CHSD 212 | $106,056 | 3,506 | $31,272 |
| Lisle CUSD 202 | $105,367 | 1,492 | $29,387 |
| Naperville CUSD 203 | $105,339 | 16,245 | $22,453 |
| Hinsdale CCSD 181 | $105,165 | 3,685 | $24,444 |
| CCSD 93 | $104,782 | 3,280 | $28,189 |
| Richmond-Burton CHSD 157 | $102,644 | 568 | $27,085 |
| Aptakisic-Tripp CCSD 102 | $102,564 | 2,495 | $21,775 |
| Chsd 117 | $102,525 | 2,646 | $25,549 |
| Wheeling CCSD 21 | $102,525 | 5,832 | $29,020 |
| Glen Ellyn SD 41 | $102,283 | 3,509 | $19,519 |
| Seneca Twp HSD 160 | $101,973 | 385 | $37,112 |
| Lombard SD 44 | $101,931 | 2,960 | $25,963 |
| Fairview SD 72 | $100,707 | 755 | $27,554 |
| Oak Grove SD 68 Green Oaks | $100,494 | 913 | $23,133 |
| Bloom Twp HSD 206 | $100,396 | 2,927 | $21,657 |
| Avoca SD 37 | $100,192 | 729 | $29,804 |
| Belleville Twp HSD 201 | $99,841 | 4,829 | $19,832 |
| East St Louis SD 189 | $99,294 | 4,729 | $27,942 |
| Northbrook/Glenview SD 30 | $98,686 | 1,257 | $33,963 |
| Lincoln Way CHSD 210 | $98,489 | 6,665 | $19,271 |
| CCSD 180 | $98,128 | 466 | $37,090 |
| J S Morton HSD 201 | $97,928 | 8,110 | $19,906 |
| Glenview CCSD 34 | $97,805 | 4,307 | $35,401 |
| Deerfield SD 109 | $97,764 | 2,746 | $27,269 |
| Proviso Twp HSD 209 | $97,546 | 4,708 | $26,797 |
| Lake Bluff ESD 65 | $97,238 | 863 | $26,400 |
| Hononegah CHD 207 | $97,019 | 1,940 | $19,558 |
| Grant CHSD 124 | $96,869 | 1,856 | $22,157 |
| SD 45 DuPage County | $96,833 | 3,156 | $29,500 |
| Lincolnwood SD 74 | $96,401 | 1,237 | $28,529 |
| Lincolnshire-Prairieview SD 103 | $96,282 | 1,859 | $23,931 |
| Park Ridge CCSD 64 | $96,187 | 4,685 | $27,181 |
| Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | $96,019 | 25,815 | $18,626 |
| Posen-Robbins ESD 143-5 | $95,955 | 1,223 | $24,782 |
| Gower SD 62 | $95,831 | 922 | $25,478 |
| Skokie SD 68 | $95,828 | 1,669 | $28,055 |
| Minooka CHSD 111 | $95,679 | 2,902 | $18,413 |
| Northbrook SD 28 | $95,668 | 1,834 | $30,411 |
| Forest Park SD 91 | $95,641 | 711 | $32,046 |
| Chsd 94 | $95,568 | 2,046 | $21,356 |
| Downers Grove GSD 58 | $95,537 | 4,909 | $20,348 |
| Libertyville SD 70 | $95,505 | 2,129 | $23,165 |
| Mendota Twp HSD 280 | $95,447 | 511 | $23,431 |
| CCSD 62 | $95,026 | 4,233 | $27,205 |
| McHenry CHSD 156 | $94,671 | 2,218 | $21,501 |
| LaGrange Highlands SD 106 | $94,609 | 992 | $21,044 |
| McHenry CCSD 15 | $94,358 | 4,069 | $21,159 |
| Marengo CHSD 154 | $94,265 | 673 | $20,477 |
| Batavia USD 101 | $94,014 | 5,441 | $20,117 |
Showing 1–100 of 757 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 Illinois
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Clay City CUSD 10 | $31,086 | 275 |
| Spoon River Valley CUSD 4 | $34,667 | 255 |
| Stewardson-Strasburg CUD 5A | $37,170 | 408 |
| Northwestern CUSD 2 | $39,784 | 331 |
| Cissna Park CUSD 6 | $39,993 | 261 |
| Williamsfield CUSD 210 | $40,131 | 287 |
| Brownstown CUSD 201 | $41,024 | 405 |
| Donovan CUSD 3 | $41,153 | 274 |
| CUSD 4 | $41,241 | 667 |
| Pearl City CUSD 200 | $42,255 | 425 |
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.
Illinois teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in Illinois?
Across Illinois's 848 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $86,298 (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 Illinois school district pays teachers the most?
Twp HSD 113 reports the highest average teacher salary in Illinois at $162,736, while Clay City CUSD 10 sits at the lower end at $31,086.
How does Illinois teacher pay compare to the national average?
Illinois's average of $86,298 is near the national average of $85,759 (+0.6%), ranking #17 of 51 US states and territories.
How many school districts are in Illinois?
Illinois has 848 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 1,860,095 students.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in Illinois?
67 of 757 Illinois districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Twp HSD 113 at $162,736. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does Illinois rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (101.2, US=100), Illinois's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $85,270, ranking #22 of 51 states and territories, lower than its #17 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. Illinois'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 |