PlainTeacher

State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022

Teacher Salary in Michigan

According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 577 public school districts in Michigan.

$74,751
Est. state avg salary
-12.8%
vs national
#33
National rank
577
Districts
$74,751/year (est.)

Michigan's estimated average teacher salary is $74,751, materially below the national average of $85,759, ranking #33 of 51 states and territories, across 577 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).

  • middle third nationally (#33 of 51)
  • $76,742 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
  • -12.8% vs the national average
  • +14.6% since FY2019
  • #29 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 93.6)

What does the NCES F-33 data show for Michigan?

Michigan reports 577 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $74,751. That places the state in the middle third of US teacher-pay rankings - #33 of 51, materially below the national average of $85,759 (-12.8%). The state's public schools serve 1,245,711 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: Ecorse Public Schools reports the highest estimated average salary at $113,891, while Bentley Community School District sits at the lower end at $37,148 - a spread of $76,742 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 #33 national rank signals where Michigan 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

Michigan's nominal average teacher salary ranks #33 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (93.6, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $79,872, ranking #29 of 51 , 4 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.

$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,000 FY2019FY2020FY2021FY2022 $55,471 $63,596 ▲ +14.6%

Michigan's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022

Source: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey (consistent estimated basis, all years) As of FY2022

Highest-paying districts in Michigan

Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)

Est. avg salary

What this shows Ecorse Public Schools leads Michigan 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, FY2022 As of FY2022

Top 3 districts

1 $113,891

Ecorse Public Schools

Est. avg teacher salary
2 $106,992

Brighton Area Schools

Est. avg teacher salary
3 $103,420

Macomb ISD

Est. avg teacher salary

Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment Per-Pupil Exp
Adrian Public Schools $67,984 2,757 $16,184
Maple Valley Schools $67,984 926 $15,323
Allegan Public Schools $67,838 2,215 $15,457
Reed City Area Public Schools $67,812 1,374 $13,324
Brimley Area Schools $67,709 484 $17,012
Corunna Public Schools $67,687 1,611 $15,169
Tri County Area Schools $67,658 1,737 $21,165
Akron-Fairgrove Schools $67,588 344 $24,058
Marshall Public Schools $67,577 2,626 $14,914
St. Louis Public Schools $67,442 978 $14,303
Edwardsburg Public Schools $67,442 2,647 $11,793
Bellaire Public Schools $67,407 299 $19,385
Bullock Creek School District $67,402 1,714 $14,193
Fruitport Community Schools $67,372 2,614 $17,872
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools $67,334 943 $17,965
Breitung Township School District $67,297 1,927 $12,031
Cheboygan Area Schools $67,271 1,550 $12,613
Tecumseh Public Schools $67,269 2,498 $13,515
Montrose Community Schools $67,242 1,423 $13,755
Niles Community Schools $67,126 3,397 $12,930
Gladstone Area Schools $67,092 1,513 $11,635
Bark River-Harris School District $67,081 717 $12,821
Vicksburg Community Schools $67,063 2,569 $16,601
Plainwell Community Schools $67,043 2,658 $14,747
Croswell-Lexington Community Schools $67,032 1,955 $13,373
St. Joseph Public Schools $67,026 2,941 $12,939
Fenton Area Public Schools $67,016 3,193 $13,729
Williamston Community Schools $66,925 1,824 $13,872
McBain Rural Agricultural Schools $66,893 1,008 $13,265
Rockford Public Schools $66,867 7,697 $15,605
Northwest Community Schools $66,843 3,608 $12,501
Marlette Community Schools $66,820 727 $14,502
Dowagiac Union School District $66,781 2,000 $15,582
Montague Area Public Schools $66,771 1,341 $16,042
Hartland Consolidated Schools $66,770 5,234 $14,607
Dansville Schools $66,742 778 $13,857
Les Cheneaux Community Schools $66,667 208 $20,457
Standish-Sterling Community Schools $66,565 1,485 $13,973
Mattawan Consolidated School $66,516 3,585 $13,919
Oscoda Area Schools $66,405 1,159 $14,154
Lawton Community School District $66,397 1,009 $13,278
Ithaca Public Schools $66,396 1,022 $14,439
Orchard View Schools $66,353 2,194 $15,886
Ravenna Public Schools $66,267 1,039 $16,512
Holton Public Schools $66,237 810 $16,396
Quincy Community Schools $66,213 1,135 $12,534
Bloomingdale Public School District $66,160 1,104 $14,616
Reese Public Schools $66,127 774 $14,873
Dexter Community School District $66,103 3,411 $16,750
Lake City Area School District $66,091 1,147 $13,835
Reeths-Puffer Schools $66,079 3,505 $14,157
Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools $65,916 705 $19,170
Carson City-Crystal Area Schools $65,858 818 $14,924
Bedford Public Schools $65,858 4,106 $14,847
North Branch Area Schools $65,846 2,399 $11,578
Tawas Area Schools $65,816 1,160 $12,615
Hillsdale Community Schools $65,785 1,299 $13,557
Manistee Area Public Schools $65,735 1,230 $17,315
Jenison Public Schools $65,682 5,105 $19,372
Centreville Public Schools $65,548 869 $15,267
Bad Axe Public Schools $65,502 876 $13,780
Muskegon Public Schools of the City of $65,472 3,445 $23,400
Tahquamenon Area Schools $65,373 522 $16,881
Mendon Community School District $65,356 461 $16,488
Shelby Public Schools $65,286 1,155 $17,130
Deckerville Community School District $65,224 567 $14,827
Bellevue Community Schools $65,206 607 $16,526
Portland Public Schools $65,168 2,048 $14,530
Swan Valley School District $65,153 1,788 $13,605
Manistique Area Schools $65,037 715 $14,578
Wakefield-Marenisco School District $65,005 264 $14,511
Oakridge Public Schools $64,873 1,902 $16,954
Hartford Public Schools $64,871 1,336 $13,111
Britton Deerfield Schools $64,674 435 $14,051
Cadillac Area Public Schools $64,672 3,185 $15,399
Summerfield Schools $64,647 592 $13,927
Ida Public School District $64,642 1,456 $12,303
Whittemore-Prescott Area Schools $64,576 698 $14,917
LakeVille Community School District $64,503 1,088 $15,410
Richmond Community Schools $64,433 1,515 $24,517
Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools $64,423 1,942 $13,601
Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Area K-12 School $64,275 322 $12,394
Coloma Community Schools $64,184 1,178 $15,103
Mount Clemens Community School District $64,161 824 $21,323
Gull Lake Community Schools $63,992 3,177 $18,744
Marcellus Community Schools $63,978 667 $14,609
Athens Area Schools $63,950 511 $13,922
Ovid-Elsie Area Schools $63,867 1,396 $14,829
Byron Area Schools $63,742 700 $14,620
Clinton Community Schools $63,566 1,230 $13,355
Hancock Public Schools $63,561 651 $14,897
Gwinn Area Community Schools $63,528 1,002 $14,620
Potterville Public Schools $63,470 749 $14,948
Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw $63,437 1,360 $15,604
Constantine Public School District $63,433 1,343 $12,604
Lake Linden-Hubbell School District $63,365 366 $14,183
Beal City Public Schools $63,333 666 $16,168
Breckenridge Community Schools $63,313 605 $23,245
Pellston Public Schools $63,091 440 $21,200
Watervliet School District $62,989 1,456 $13,937

Showing 301–400 of 512 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 Michigan

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment
Bentley Community School District $37,148 783
Houghton Lake Community Schools $42,264 1,191
Alcona Community Schools $43,442 690
Carney-Nadeau Public Schools $46,860 280
Whiteford Agricultural School District of the Counties of Le $47,150 786
Bangor Township Schools $47,637 2,552
Eastpointe Community Schools $47,731 2,367
Fitzgerald Public Schools $47,875 2,175
Walkerville Public Schools $48,166 302
Essexville-Hampton Public Schools $49,370 1,538

Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.

Compare Nearby-Ranked States

North Carolina
$76,187
Rank #30
Georgia
$75,303
Rank #31
Texas
$74,920
Rank #32
Montana
$73,667
Rank #34

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.

Michigan teacher salary FAQ

What is the average teacher salary in Michigan?

Across Michigan's 577 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $74,751 (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 Michigan school district pays teachers the most?

Ecorse Public Schools reports the highest average teacher salary in Michigan at $113,891, while Bentley Community School District sits at the lower end at $37,148.

How does Michigan teacher pay compare to the national average?

Michigan's average of $74,751 is materially below the national average of $85,759 (-12.8%), ranking #33 of 51 US states and territories.

How many school districts are in Michigan?

Michigan has 577 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 1,245,711 students.

Can teachers earn $100,000 in Michigan?

3 of 512 Michigan districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Ecorse Public Schools at $113,891. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.

How does Michigan rank after adjusting for cost of living?

Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (93.6, US=100), Michigan's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $79,872, ranking #29 of 51 states and territories, higher than its #33 nominal-salary rank. This is a relative state-level price-level comparison, not take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.

Related

All states → | Rankings → | Compare districts →
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher Editorial

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. Michigan'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.