Russell Independent School District teacher salaries

Russell Independent is an independent school district in Kentucky with 132 teachers (full-time equivalents).1 A new teacher with a bachelor's degree starts at $41,535, or $46,038 with a master's. The schedule tops out at $73,350 for Rank I teachers with 30 years of experience.

What is the average teacher salary at Russell Independent?

Lowest on the schedule

$41,535

Rank III, 0 years

Average classroom teacher salary1

$60,215

  • about the same as the Kentucky district average

Highest on the schedule

$73,350

Rank I, 30 years

Teachers (full-time equivalents)
132
Starting salary, bachelor's
$41,535
112th highest of 171 districts
Schedule raise on last year
0%
typical change across the schedule
Average pay rank in Kentucky
75th
of 171 districts

Russell Independent's teacher salary schedule, 2025-261

Annual salary by rank (columns) and years of experience (rows), as Russell Independent reported it to the Kentucky Department of Education. Rows that repeat the same salaries are folded together.

YearsRank IIIRank IIRank I
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30 to 40

Swipe the table sideways for more columns.

Tap any salary to see it on the pay climb chart below.

Russell Independent also reports a second salary lane for some ranks, such as 15 graduate hours past a degree or a doctorate. The state's file doesn't say which, so it isn't shown here.

What Rank I, II and III mean for a Kentucky teacher's pay

Kentucky places every teacher in a rank by their education. Higher ranks pay more at every year of experience.2

Rank III
Requires a bachelor's degree and a regular teaching certificate. At Russell Independent it starts at $41,535 and reaches $62,826 after 30 years.
Rank II
Requires a master's degree in an approved field, National Board certification or equivalent continuing education. At Russell Independent it starts at $46,038 and reaches $67,841 after 30 years.
Rank I
Requires Rank II plus a second master's, National Board certification or 30 more graduate hours. At Russell Independent it starts at $50,842 and reaches $73,350 after 30 years.

How fast does teacher pay grow at Russell Independent?

On Rank III, pay rises for 30 years, from $41,535 to $62,826. Pick a rank and years of experience to see the salary and how far it is from the top.

$53,404

a year with 10 years of experience. This rank tops out at $62,826 after 30 years.

$73,350$41,535
0 years40 years
Chosen rankOther ranks

Does Russell Independent pay teachers more than the typical Kentucky district?

Line up all 171 Kentucky districts by average classroom teacher salary. The one in the middle pays $59,250: half pay less, half pay more.

Yes

Russell Independent's average of $60,215 ranks 75th of 171, above the middle district.

Russell Independent
$60k$80k

Middle district: $59,250

Each bar counts the districts whose average classroom teacher salary falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle district.

Questions about Russell Independent teacher salaries

How much do teachers make at Russell Independent?

Classroom teachers at Russell Independent School District averaged $60,215 in 2025-26, as the district reported it to the Kentucky Department of Education. Its salary schedule runs from $41,535 to $73,350.

What is the starting salary for a new teacher at Russell Independent?

$41,535 for a new teacher with a bachelor's degree (Rank III, 0 years of experience) and $46,038 with a master's degree (Rank II), on the 2025-26 schedule.

What is the highest teacher salary at Russell Independent?

$73,350 a year, for a Rank I teacher with 30 or more years of experience. That's the top of the 2025-26 schedule.

Is teacher pay at Russell Independent high for Kentucky?

Its average classroom teacher salary ranks 75th of 171 Kentucky school districts. The average across all districts is $59,855.

More Kentucky teacher salaries

Sources for the Russell Independent figures

Salaries are the annual amounts on the district's certified salary schedule, as reported to the state; a district's own published schedule can differ, for example when it covers a different number of work days. The average classroom teacher salary includes pay for contracted extra days and extra duties. Teacher counts are full-time equivalents, so two half-time teachers count as one. Ranks, medians and the raise on last year are our own arithmetic on these figures.

  1. Kentucky Department of Education, School District Personnel Information, 2025-26: Certified Salary Schedule, Average Classroom Teacher Salaries and Yearly FTE for Teachers.
  2. Kentucky Revised Statutes 161.1211, rank classification of teachers, as amended by 2020 Ky. Acts ch. 113 (SB 174): what each rank requires.

How we read the data