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State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022

Teacher Salary in Pennsylvania

According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 519 public school districts in Pennsylvania.

$84,555
Est. state avg salary
-1.4%
vs national
#20
National rank
519
Districts
$84,555/year (est.)

Pennsylvania's estimated average teacher salary is $84,555, below the national average of $85,759, ranking #20 of 51 states and territories, across 519 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).

  • middle third nationally (#20 of 51)
  • $102,356 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
  • -1.4% vs the national average
  • +14.1% since FY2019
  • #19 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 96.3)

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

Pennsylvania reports 519 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $84,555. That places the state in the middle third of US teacher-pay rankings - #20 of 51, below the national average of $85,759 (-1.4%). The state's public schools serve 1,504,434 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: Farrell Area SD reports the highest estimated average salary at $144,335, while Tri-Valley SD sits at the lower end at $41,980 - a spread of $102,356 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 #20 national rank signals where Pennsylvania 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

Pennsylvania's nominal average teacher salary ranks #20 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (96.3, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $87,844, ranking #19 of 51 , 1 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.

$75,000$80,000$85,000$90,000$95,000 FY2019FY2020FY2021FY2022 $78,440 $89,499 ▲ +14.1%

Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania

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

Est. avg salary

What this shows Farrell Area SD leads Pennsylvania 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 $144,335

Farrell Area SD

Est. avg teacher salary
2 $127,713

Lower Merion SD

Est. avg teacher salary
3 $121,031

New Hope-Solebury SD

Est. avg teacher salary

Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment Per-Pupil Exp
Wyoming Valley West SD $91,503 4,760 $18,131
Palisades SD $91,278 1,361 $33,008
Catasauqua Area SD $91,257 1,479 $28,007
Pittston Area SD $91,098 3,134 $17,929
Souderton Area SD $91,079 6,065 $22,927
Pottsgrove SD $90,923 3,031 $22,211
Pocono Mountain SD $90,570 8,098 $27,397
Hempfield Area SD $90,492 5,288 $18,266
East Stroudsburg Area SD $90,316 6,389 $25,485
Spring-Ford Area SD $90,314 7,820 $22,390
Lackawanna Trail SD $90,272 965 $23,453
North Hills SD $90,263 4,554 $19,209
Northeastern York SD $90,063 3,848 $25,161
Conewago Valley SD $90,063 3,741 $17,474
Deer Lakes SD $90,045 1,797 $21,511
Hempfield SD $89,920 7,024 $18,706
Upper Perkiomen SD $89,636 3,221 $22,251
West Jefferson Hills SD $89,502 3,248 $18,151
Central York SD $89,402 5,518 $17,981
Homer-Center SD $89,399 792 $22,662
Northampton Area SD $89,315 5,278 $22,498
Clairton City SD $89,283 802 $24,940
Belle Vernon Area SD $89,204 2,365 $16,508
Wilson SD $89,197 6,291 $18,389
Towanda Area SD $89,162 1,506 $18,811
Carbon Career & Technical Institute $89,017 373 $25,282
West Mifflin Area SD $88,913 2,440 $23,865
Penns Manor Area SD $88,796 737 $25,460
Shaler Area SD $88,710 3,883 $24,454
Boyertown Area SD $88,465 6,658 $18,090
Southeast Delco SD $88,418 4,053 $24,263
Hatboro-Horsham SD $88,334 4,250 $27,502
Avonworth SD $88,299 1,892 $19,049
Keystone Central SD $88,190 3,621 $23,904
Elizabethtown Area SD $88,146 3,663 $18,553
Reynolds SD $87,975 979 $21,399
Eastern Lebanon County SD $87,872 2,379 $22,263
South Fayette Township SD $87,811 3,437 $17,911
Leechburg Area SD $87,686 611 $27,822
Purchase Line SD $87,577 821 $24,263
Spring Grove Area SD $87,562 3,858 $20,764
Downingtown Area SD $87,398 13,059 $19,123
Jim Thorpe Area SD $87,262 1,772 $26,029
Wyoming Area SD $87,199 2,055 $19,761
Brentwood Borough SD $87,095 1,120 $25,441
Tulpehocken Area SD $87,075 1,316 $27,322
Southern York County SD $87,035 2,862 $23,613
Pennsbury SD $86,907 9,648 $23,468
Hamburg Area SD $86,882 2,049 $25,403
Allentown City SD $86,854 16,075 $22,334
Selinsgrove Area SD $86,733 2,413 $18,820
Twin Valley SD $86,668 3,053 $23,420
Owen J Roberts SD $86,544 5,453 $21,473
Dallas SD $86,457 2,452 $19,004
Delaware Valley SD $86,427 4,322 $20,799
Lake-Lehman SD $86,267 1,622 $21,514
Blairsville-Saltsburg SD $86,245 1,389 $27,234
Cocalico SD $86,026 2,972 $25,638
Keystone Oaks SD $85,969 1,868 $21,912
Northern Lehigh SD $85,799 1,521 $22,980
North Pocono SD $85,704 2,860 $21,496
Bethlehem Area SD $85,648 13,022 $23,782
Mohawk Area SD $85,626 1,463 $16,923
Highlands SD $85,617 2,248 $19,981
Laurel SD $85,558 1,007 $19,696
West Chester Area SD $85,489 12,080 $21,571
Bangor Area SD $85,464 2,755 $21,351
Governor Mifflin SD $85,401 4,023 $20,625
Burrell SD $85,336 1,758 $18,065
Cornell SD $85,018 513 $32,587
Wyalusing Area SD $84,870 1,254 $19,911
Wilkes-Barre Area SD $84,766 6,343 $24,364
Northwestern Lehigh SD $84,645 1,978 $22,124
Eastern York SD $84,536 2,257 $21,223
Pequea Valley SD $84,504 1,410 $31,217
Central Valley SD $84,417 2,284 $17,814
Phoenixville Area SD $84,381 4,043 $23,369
South Allegheny SD $84,367 1,417 $25,746
Connellsville Area SD $84,313 3,561 $21,860
Hazleton Area SD $84,240 10,500 $18,138
Marple Newtown SD $84,104 3,676 $27,663
West Shore SD $84,058 7,505 $18,474
Susquehanna Community SD $83,978 788 $23,723
Conrad Weiser Area SD $83,976 2,437 $26,323
Cornwall-Lebanon SD $83,931 4,967 $16,686
Hermitage SD $83,925 2,030 $16,822
Abington Heights SD $83,919 3,387 $15,553
Armstrong SD $83,882 4,631 $22,631
Central Greene SD $83,843 1,485 $23,553
Woodland Hills SD $83,711 3,220 $35,139
Hanover Public SD $83,670 1,982 $18,472
Manheim Central SD $83,453 2,841 $28,961
Red Lion Area SD $83,420 4,894 $18,819
Scranton SD $83,351 9,262 $19,284
Chichester SD $83,255 3,049 $31,512
Williamsport Area SD $83,189 4,686 $20,506
Brandywine Heights Area SD $82,966 1,285 $29,932
Muncy SD $82,809 957 $20,313
Sayre Area SD $82,796 958 $23,050
Whitehall-Coplay SD $82,794 4,138 $21,413

Showing 101–200 of 506 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 Pennsylvania

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment
Tri-Valley SD $41,980 892
Fannett-Metal SD $44,837 407
Mount Carmel Area SD $46,501 1,496
Blacklick Valley SD $49,413 612
Turkeyfoot Valley Area SD $51,327 273
Saint Marys Area SD $51,339 1,881
Glendale SD $52,495 675
Salisbury-Elk Lick SD $52,751 260
North Star SD $53,302 1,000
Conemaugh Valley SD $54,016 695

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

Compare Nearby-Ranked States

Illinois
$86,298
Rank #17
New Hampshire
$85,585
Rank #18
Wyoming
$84,775
Rank #19
Virginia
$84,524
Rank #21

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.

Pennsylvania teacher salary FAQ

What is the average teacher salary in Pennsylvania?

Across Pennsylvania's 519 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $84,555 (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 Pennsylvania school district pays teachers the most?

Farrell Area SD reports the highest average teacher salary in Pennsylvania at $144,335, while Tri-Valley SD sits at the lower end at $41,980.

How does Pennsylvania teacher pay compare to the national average?

Pennsylvania's average of $84,555 is below the national average of $85,759 (-1.4%), ranking #20 of 51 US states and territories.

How many school districts are in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has 519 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 1,504,434 students.

Can teachers earn $100,000 in Pennsylvania?

41 of 506 Pennsylvania districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Farrell Area SD at $144,335. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.

How does Pennsylvania rank after adjusting for cost of living?

Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (96.3, US=100), Pennsylvania's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $87,844, ranking #19 of 51 states and territories, higher than its #20 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. Pennsylvania'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.