State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022
Teacher Salary in Virginia
According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 131 public school districts in Virginia.
- $84,524
- Est. state avg salary
- -1.4%
- vs national
- #21
- National rank
- 131
- Districts
Virginia's estimated average teacher salary is $84,524, below the national average of $85,759, ranking #21 of 51 states and territories, across 131 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).
- middle third nationally (#21 of 51)
- $98,814 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- -1.4% vs the national average
- +12.4% since FY2019
- #25 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 102.0)
What does the NCES F-33 data show for Virginia?
Virginia reports 131 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $84,524. That places the state in the middle third of US teacher-pay rankings - #21 of 51, below the national average of $85,759 (-1.4%). The state's public schools serve 1,242,548 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: Falls Church City Pblc Schs reports the highest estimated average salary at $130,006, while Bland Co Pblc Schs sits at the lower end at $31,192 - a spread of $98,814 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 #21 national rank signals where Virginia 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
Virginia's nominal average teacher salary ranks #21 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (102.0, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $82,846, ranking #25 of 51 , 4 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.
Virginia's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022
Highest-paying districts in Virginia
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$130,006 Est. avg salary
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$125,899 Est. avg salary
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$122,177 Est. avg salary
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$106,766 Est. avg salary
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$106,751 Est. avg salary
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$99,512 Est. avg salary
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$98,740 Est. avg salary
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$96,892 Est. avg salary
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$92,600 Est. avg salary
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$90,665 Est. avg salary
What this shows Falls Church City Pblc Schs leads Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg Co Pblc Schs | $66,137 | 3,599 | $30,585 |
| Prince George Co Pblc Schs | $66,116 | 6,139 | $13,162 |
| Bedford Co Pblc Schs | $66,068 | 8,653 | $14,790 |
| Carroll Co Pblc Schs | $65,655 | 3,517 | $14,886 |
| King William Co Pblc Schs | $65,349 | 1,983 | $14,582 |
| Mathews Co Pblc Schs | $64,966 | 903 | $19,205 |
| Page Co Pblc Schs | $64,149 | 3,135 | $14,121 |
| Smyth Co Pblc Schs | $63,697 | 4,050 | $14,247 |
| Lunenburg Co Pblc Schs | $63,570 | 1,607 | $14,100 |
| Essex Co Pblc Schs | $63,339 | 1,393 | $16,660 |
| Pulaski Co Pblc Schs | $62,869 | 4,039 | $14,226 |
| Wise Co Pblc Schs | $62,640 | 5,765 | $13,544 |
| Buchanan Co Pblc Schs | $61,646 | 2,427 | $15,341 |
| Patrick Co Pblc Schs | $61,450 | 2,538 | $14,433 |
| Halifax Co Pblc Schs | $60,609 | 4,587 | $14,349 |
| Appomattox Co Pblc Schs | $60,486 | 2,338 | $13,448 |
| Lee Co Pblc Schs | $60,321 | 2,936 | $16,581 |
| Pittsylvania Co Pblc Schs | $60,110 | 7,914 | $13,816 |
| Washington Co Pblc Schs | $59,882 | 6,731 | $13,938 |
| Galax City Pblc Schs | $58,782 | 1,354 | $15,357 |
| Nottoway Co Pblc Schs | $57,689 | 1,823 | $14,853 |
| Tazewell Co Pblc Schs | $57,681 | 5,418 | $12,499 |
| Norton City Pblc Schs | $55,213 | 826 | $14,556 |
| King and Queen Co Pblc Schs | $53,747 | 825 | $16,699 |
| Craig Co Pblc Schs | $53,098 | 513 | $15,127 |
| Greensville Co Pblc Schs | $48,215 | 2,037 | $11,850 |
| Giles Co Pblc Schs | $40,498 | 3,528 | $11,377 |
| Radford City Pblc Schs | $39,901 | 2,701 | $13,900 |
| Dickenson Co Pblc Schs | $39,703 | 1,965 | $14,203 |
| Bland Co Pblc Schs | $31,192 | 719 | $14,051 |
Showing 101–130 of 130 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 Virginia
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Bland Co Pblc Schs | $31,192 | 719 |
| Dickenson Co Pblc Schs | $39,703 | 1,965 |
| Radford City Pblc Schs | $39,901 | 2,701 |
| Giles Co Pblc Schs | $40,498 | 3,528 |
| Greensville Co Pblc Schs | $48,215 | 2,037 |
| Craig Co Pblc Schs | $53,098 | 513 |
| King and Queen Co Pblc Schs | $53,747 | 825 |
| Norton City Pblc Schs | $55,213 | 826 |
| Tazewell Co Pblc Schs | $57,681 | 5,418 |
| Nottoway Co Pblc Schs | $57,689 | 1,823 |
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.
Virginia teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in Virginia?
Across Virginia's 131 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $84,524 (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 Virginia school district pays teachers the most?
Falls Church City Pblc Schs reports the highest average teacher salary in Virginia at $130,006, while Bland Co Pblc Schs sits at the lower end at $31,192.
How does Virginia teacher pay compare to the national average?
Virginia's average of $84,524 is below the national average of $85,759 (-1.4%), ranking #21 of 51 US states and territories.
How many school districts are in Virginia?
Virginia has 131 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 1,242,548 students.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in Virginia?
5 of 130 Virginia districts with reliable data report an estimated average teacher salary of $100,000 or more, led by Falls Church City Pblc Schs at $130,006. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does Virginia rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (102.0, US=100), Virginia's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $82,846, ranking #25 of 51 states and territories, lower than its #21 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. Virginia'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 |