Where the numbers come from

Every figure on Public Paycheck comes from a public record published by a government agency. This page names those records, explains what each figure means and what it leaves out.

Where the California teacher salaries come from

School districts and county offices of education report their teacher salary schedules to the California Department of Education each year on Form J-90. The state publishes the answers as a database and a summary report, Selected Certificated Salaries and Related Statistics. We use the 2024-25 edition.

Reporting is voluntary. For 2024-25, 828 districts and county offices responded: 83.05% of them, covering 95.76% of the state's average daily attendance outside charter schools, according to the state's report. Districts that didn't respond don't appear on the site.

District names, types and office cities come from the state's public schools and districts directory, matched by district code. Short names such as LAUSD appear only where we've checked them by hand.

What does "average salary on the teacher schedule" mean?

Average salary on the teacher schedule
The total a district pays everyone on its schedule, divided by the number of full-time equivalents. County and state averages pool every full-time equivalent in the area, the same method the state uses. Our statewide average, $103,552, matches the state's published figure.
Lowest and highest salary
The first and the top amount on the district's schedule. In some districts the lowest amount is for teachers without a full credential; each district page says which column it comes from.
Full-time equivalents
Two half-time teachers count as one. The count covers everyone paid on the teacher schedule, which can include counselors, nurses and librarians.
Median district
The district in the middle when all districts are lined up by average salary: half pay a lower average, half a higher one.
Raise on last year
The change in the salary schedule from the year before, as each district reported it. The state's file shows a blank answer as 0%, so 0% can also mean the district didn't say.

What the salary figures leave out

Following the state's definitions, schedule salaries leave out pay for an extended school year, bonuses such as those for a master's or doctorate, and pay for extra duties such as coaching, drama or music. Where a district reported bonuses, health cover or work days, its page shows them separately, as reported.

Why some districts have no page of their own

  • We never publish names, and every figure covers at least five people. Districts with fewer than 5 full-time equivalents on their schedule aren't named, and on salary grids we hide the count for any cell with fewer than 5. Those people still count towards every total and average.
  • A district gets its own page from 20 full-time equivalents. Districts with 5 to 19 appear only as rows in the comparison tables.
  • Lists of the highest and lowest-paying districts include only districts with their own page, so a district with three teachers can't top a list.
  • All reporting districts, however small, count towards county and state averages and rankings.

Other public records we use

Each page lists the sources behind its own figures at the bottom.

How often the teacher salary figures are updated

Once a year, when the state publishes the next school year's salary data. The site currently shows 2024-25.

Found a mistake in the salary data?

Send us a message with the page and the figure. If what we show differs from the state's file, we'll fix it.