Highest teacher salaries in California, by school district, 2024-25

Mountain View-Los Altos Union High pays California's highest average teacher salary: $181,322 in 2024-25, against a state average of $103,552. It also leads for starting pay ($106,025) and the top of the scale ($205,547).

Where is the highest average teacher salary in California?

The 25 districts with the highest average salary paid on the teacher schedule.

Highest average teacher salary

  1. Mountain View-Los Altos Union HighSanta Clara County$181,322
  2. Saint Helena UnifiedNapa County$169,801
  3. Fremont Union HighSanta Clara County$158,950
  4. Santa Clara UnifiedSanta Clara County$149,175
  5. Menlo Park City ElementarySan Mateo County$147,525
  6. Palo Alto UnifiedSanta Clara County$145,938
  7. Laguna Beach UnifiedOrange County$143,700
  8. Montecito Union ElementarySanta Barbara County$141,414
  9. Los Gatos-Saratoga Union HighSanta Clara County$141,136
  10. Los Gatos Union ElementarySanta Clara County$141,021
  11. Portola Valley ElementarySan Mateo County$140,555
  12. Hillsborough City ElementarySan Mateo County$140,475
  13. Carmel UnifiedMonterey County$140,436
  14. Calistoga Joint UnifiedNapa County$140,386
  15. San Mateo Union HighSan Mateo County$139,477
  16. Saratoga Union ElementarySanta Clara County$138,858
  17. Sequoia Union HighSan Mateo County$137,566
  18. Santa Clara County Office of EducationSanta Clara County$136,809
  19. Tamalpais Union HighMarin County$130,716
  20. Chaffey Joint Union HighSan Bernardino County$130,666
  21. San Leandro UnifiedAlameda County$129,418
  22. Reed Union ElementaryMarin County$128,930
  23. Arcadia UnifiedLos Angeles County$128,864
  24. Brawley Union HighImperial County$128,213
  25. San Rafael City HighMarin County$126,827

Highest starting teacher salary in California

What a new teacher with a full credential earns on step 1 of the lowest column. Teachers without a full credential are often paid less.

Highest starting salary, full credential

  1. Mountain View-Los Altos Union HighSanta Clara County$106,025
  2. Fremont Union HighSanta Clara County$105,395
  3. Santa Clara UnifiedSanta Clara County$95,734
  4. New Haven UnifiedAlameda County$92,140
  5. Calistoga Joint UnifiedNapa County$91,566
  6. Palo Alto UnifiedSanta Clara County$91,546
  7. Saint Helena UnifiedNapa County$89,803
  8. San Leandro UnifiedAlameda County$89,138
  9. Los Gatos Union ElementarySanta Clara County$88,781
  10. Sequoia Union HighSan Mateo County$86,466
  11. Los Gatos-Saratoga Union HighSanta Clara County$85,896
  12. Portola Valley ElementarySan Mateo County$85,145
  13. Fremont UnifiedAlameda County$84,804
  14. Saratoga Union ElementarySanta Clara County$84,239
  15. Pleasanton UnifiedAlameda County$83,338
  16. San Mateo Union HighSan Mateo County$82,756
  17. Campbell UnionSanta Clara County$82,477
  18. Hayward UnifiedAlameda County$82,468
  19. Mountain View WhismanSanta Clara County$81,726
  20. Dublin UnifiedAlameda County$81,666
  21. Santa Clara County Office of EducationSanta Clara County$81,491
  22. Cupertino UnionSanta Clara County$80,475
  23. SunnyvaleSanta Clara County$80,296
  24. San Francisco UnifiedSan Francisco County$79,468
  25. Menlo Park City ElementarySan Mateo County$79,286

Which California districts pay teachers the most at the top of the scale?

The highest salary on each district's teacher schedule: the top step of the highest column, for the most experienced teachers with the most college units.

Highest salary on the schedule

  1. Mountain View-Los Altos Union HighSanta Clara County$205,547
  2. Saint Helena UnifiedNapa County$185,413
  3. Fremont Union HighSanta Clara County$177,052
  4. Laguna Beach UnifiedOrange County$173,453
  5. Santa Clara UnifiedSanta Clara County$171,568
  6. Palo Alto UnifiedSanta Clara County$168,598
  7. Hillsborough City ElementarySan Mateo County$167,849
  8. Oxnard Union HighVentura County$166,909
  9. Los Gatos-Saratoga Union HighSanta Clara County$165,138
  10. Central Union HighImperial County$163,382
  11. Riverside County Office of EducationRiverside County$163,148
  12. Brawley Union HighImperial County$162,343
  13. Carmel UnifiedMonterey County$162,162
  14. Menlo Park City ElementarySan Mateo County$161,960
  15. Sequoia Union HighSan Mateo County$160,056
  16. Portola Valley ElementarySan Mateo County$160,041
  17. San Leandro UnifiedAlameda County$159,691
  18. Newport-Mesa UnifiedOrange County$159,400
  19. Brawley ElementaryImperial County$159,391
  20. Los Gatos Union ElementarySanta Clara County$159,362
  21. Calistoga Joint UnifiedNapa County$159,013
  22. San Mateo Union HighSan Mateo County$157,234
  23. Ravenswood City ElementarySan Mateo County$156,418
  24. Montecito Union ElementarySanta Barbara County$156,008
  25. Saratoga Union ElementarySanta Clara County$155,101

Highest teacher salary after 10 years in California

Salary at step 10 of the BA+60 column (a bachelor's plus 60 semester units), as each district reported it to the state. A common point of comparison for a mid-career teacher.

Highest salary at BA+60, step 10

  1. Mountain View-Los Altos Union HighSanta Clara County$168,713
  2. Fremont Union HighSanta Clara County$150,294
  3. Santa Clara UnifiedSanta Clara County$144,716
  4. San Mateo Union HighSan Mateo County$133,495
  5. Palo Alto UnifiedSanta Clara County$133,012
  6. Sequoia Union HighSan Mateo County$131,749
  7. Los Gatos-Saratoga Union HighSanta Clara County$129,749
  8. Saint Helena UnifiedNapa County$129,536
  9. Hillsborough City ElementarySan Mateo County$129,395
  10. Calistoga Joint UnifiedNapa County$129,036
  11. Menlo Park City ElementarySan Mateo County$128,366
  12. Los Gatos Union ElementarySanta Clara County$126,602
  13. Laguna Beach UnifiedOrange County$125,604
  14. Portola Valley ElementarySan Mateo County$125,118
  15. Santa Clara County Office of EducationSanta Clara County$123,791
  16. Carmel UnifiedMonterey County$123,532
  17. Saratoga Union ElementarySanta Clara County$122,341
  18. Brawley Union HighImperial County$122,258
  19. Tamalpais Union HighMarin County$122,187
  20. San Leandro UnifiedAlameda County$121,277
  21. Milpitas UnifiedSanta Clara County$121,024
  22. Campbell UnionSanta Clara County$121,005
  23. Oxnard Union HighVentura County$120,859
  24. Mountain View WhismanSanta Clara County$119,513
  25. San Dieguito Union HighSan Diego County$118,499

Do high school districts pay California teachers more?

High school districts are 10% of the districts ranked here but 9 of the 25 with the highest average salary. The middle one averages $105,989, against $96,903 for unified districts and $96,809 for elementary districts.

High school districts
$105,989
middle district's average, of 64; 9 in the top 25
Unified districts
$96,903
middle district's average, of 293; 8 in the top 25
Elementary districts
$96,809
middle district's average, of 263; 7 in the top 25

Which California counties have the highest average teacher salary?

Every county with a county page, by average salary on teacher schedules across all its reporting districts. The dashed line marks the California average of $103,552.

  1. Santa Clara$122,256
  2. Imperial$116,162
  3. San Mateo$115,726
  4. Napa$114,784
  5. Marin$113,855
  6. Orange$113,241
  7. Riverside$112,963
  8. Alameda$107,969
  9. San Bernardino$106,829
  10. Merced$104,127
  11. Los Angeles$103,494
  12. San Francisco$103,472
  13. Santa Barbara$103,010
  14. Placer$102,887
  15. San Diego$102,646
  16. Ventura$102,094
  17. Stanislaus$101,976
  18. Contra Costa$100,497
  19. Kings$99,483
  20. Tulare$98,604
  21. Monterey$98,016
  22. Fresno$97,655
  23. Sacramento$97,349
  24. Sonoma$96,756
  25. El Dorado$93,377
  26. San Joaquin$93,152
  27. San Benito$92,802
  28. Inyo$92,016
  1. Sutter$90,867
  2. Kern$90,536
  3. Yuba$89,730
  4. Nevada$88,370
  5. Butte$88,229
  6. San Luis Obispo$87,948
  7. Santa Cruz$87,290
  8. Mono$86,696
  9. Colusa$85,610
  10. Solano$85,497
  11. Glenn$85,464
  12. Calaveras$85,107
  13. Yolo$85,096
  14. Madera$84,104
  15. Shasta$83,961
  16. Tehama$81,629
  17. Mendocino$81,150
  18. Lake$77,718
  19. Trinity$77,504
  20. Siskiyou$76,554
  21. Del Norte$76,339
  22. Mariposa$76,208
  23. Tuolumne$75,369
  24. Plumas$75,135
  25. Lassen$74,666
  26. Sierra$73,576
  27. Humboldt$73,055
  28. Modoc$72,061

The highest-paying school district for teachers in each California county

By average salary on the teacher schedule, among the county's districts with their own page.

Questions about the highest teacher salaries in California

Which California school district has the highest average teacher salary?

Mountain View-Los Altos Union High in Santa Clara County, with an average of $181,322 on its teacher schedule in 2024-25. Saint Helena Unified ($169,801) and Fremont Union High ($158,950) follow.

Where do new teachers earn the most in California?

For a teacher with a full credential, the highest starting salary is at Mountain View-Los Altos Union High: $106,025 on step 1. Fremont Union High ($105,395) and Santa Clara Unified ($95,734) follow.

What is the highest teacher salary in California?

The highest salary on any reporting California district's teacher schedule is $205,547, at Mountain View-Los Altos Union High, for the most experienced teachers in its highest column.

Which California county has the highest average teacher salary?

Santa Clara County, at $122,256 across all its reporting districts, followed by Imperial County ($116,162) and San Mateo County ($115,726). The California average is $103,552.

Sources for the California rankings

Rankings cover the 661 districts with at least 20 full-time equivalents on the teacher schedule, the ones with a page of their own. Salaries are the annual amounts on each district's certificated salary schedule; they leave out bonuses and extra-curricular pay such as coaching. County averages include every reporting district. Rankings and medians are our own arithmetic on these figures.

  1. California Department of Education, Selected Certificated Salaries and Related Statistics, 2024-25, Table I: average salary paid and salary at BA+60, step 10.
  2. Each district's report to the California Department of Education, Form J-90 database, 2024-25: salary schedules, from which the starting salary and the highest salary come.

How we read the data