In the wake of the Nashville shooting, a heated exchange broke out on Thursday between New York Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman and Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie. The argument concerned Bowman’s frustration over the lack of serious legislation to deal with the nation’s ever-escalating series of mass shootings. (See how many school shootings have occurred every year since 1980.) Part of the discussion centered on Massie’s solution to the crisis, namely that school teachers and staff should be armed. Bowman contested that “more guns lead to more death.”
To introduce guns into schools would likely be a highly divisive measure for what is already an often-disaffected workforce. Public school teachers are among the most dissatisfied and overwhelmed segments of the U.S. labor force. A recent Gallup poll revealed that 44% of faculty and staff in K-12 schools feel burned out at work either “always” or “very often,” the largest share of any industry. The nation-leading burnout rate is fueling a wave of resignations, as teacher quits were up 41% in June 2022 over the previous year.
The problem is likely to get worse before it gets better. According to a survey conducted by the American Federation of Teachers union, about two-in-five teachers plan to quit in the next two years.
The reasons for the phenomenon are not difficult to understand. For one, public school teachers have long been underpaid. According to the National Education Association, the average starting salary of teachers in the United States is just $41,770. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and divisive culture wars have only added to the job’s challenges.
Still, there are parts of the country where teachers are far more likely to report higher levels of job satisfaction. In these places, teachers are generally well paid, teacher retention rates are often high, and schools are relatively well staffed.
Using data compiled by Niche, an education research platform, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 best public school districts for teachers in 2023. Niche ranked school districts based on a weighted index of eight measures, including teacher absenteeism, average salary, and student-teacher ratios, among others. A full description of each measure and its weighting is available here.
In the majority of school districts on this list, the average teacher salary – calculated by Niche using data from the Department of Education on total teacher pay and number of full-time teachers – tops $100,000 annually. Additionally, in most of these districts, the student-teacher ratio is well below the national average of 17:1.
Both teacher compensation and staffing levels are directly related to school budgets, which are often sourced from local property taxes. And many of the districts on this list are in wealthy areas with a strong tax base. Places like Scarsdale, New York, and Westport, Connecticut, where most households earn over $200,000 annually, are home to districts on this list. (Here is a look at the richest school district in every state.)
The districts on this list are located mostly in the Midwest and the Northeast, including nine in Illinois and 21 in New York. That these districts are concentrated in a handful of states is no coincidence. State governments have considerable leverage over education policy – including levels of investment – and as a result, overall school quality can vary considerably from one state to the next. (Here is a look at how much each state spends on public schools.)
Click here to see the best places to teach in America.
50. Arcadia Unified School District
> Location: Arcadia, Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $111,323
> Student-teacher ratio: 24:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 23.1%
> Graduation rate: 99%
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49. Orange City School District
> Location: Moreland Hills, Cuyahoga County, OH (Cleveland area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $122,167
> Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 73.7%
> Graduation rate: 92%
48. Harborfields Central School District
> Location: Greenlawn, Suffolk County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $118,461
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 22.7%
> Graduation rate: 98%
47. Yorktown Central School District
> Location: Yorktown, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $126,097
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 21.5%
> Graduation rate: 97%
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46. Laguna Beach Unified School District
> Location: Laguna Beach, Orange County, CA (Los Angeles area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $127,138
> Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 35.2%
> Graduation rate: 99%
45. South Orangetown Central School District
> Location: Blauvelt, Rockland County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $128,246
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 23.2%
> Graduation rate: 94%
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44. North Shore Central School District
> Location: Sea Cliff, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $133,273
> Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 40.4%
> Graduation rate: 93%
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43. Rye City School District
> Location: Rye, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $120,868
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 17.0%
> Graduation rate: 98%
42. Herricks Union Free School District
> Location: Herricks, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $127,165
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 41.4%
> Graduation rate: 97%
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41. Lakewood City School District
> Location: Lakewood, Cuyahoga County, OH (Cleveland area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $96,201
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 0.0%
> Graduation rate: 87%
40. Young Elementary School District
> Location: Young, Gila County, AZ
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $96,017
> Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 0.0%
> Graduation rate: N/A
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39. School District of Clayton
> Location: Clayton, St. Louis County, MO (St. Louis area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $88,702
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 33.2%
> Graduation rate: 99%
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38. Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District
> Location: Truckee, Nevada County, CA (Reno area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $106,017
> Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 0.0%
> Graduation rate: 88%
37. Bethpage Union Free School District
> Location: Bethpage, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $117,999
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 15.2%
> Graduation rate: 98%
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36. Half Hollow Hills Central School District
> Location: Dix Hills, Suffolk County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $120,922
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 19.3%
> Graduation rate: 95%
35. North Allegheny School District
> Location: McCandless Township, Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $94,667
> Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 28.7%
> Graduation rate: 94%
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34. Hopkinton Public Schools
> Location: Hopkinton, Middlesex County, MA (Boston area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $94,714
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 15.9%
> Graduation rate: 98%
33. Carmel Unified School District
> Location: Carmel, Monterey County, CA
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $121,948
> Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 24.6%
> Graduation rate: 95%
32. Solana Beach Elementary School District
> Location: Solana Beach, San Diego County, CA (San Diego area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $141,209
> Student-teacher ratio: 20:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 9.1%
> Graduation rate: N/A
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31. Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District
> Location: North Merrick, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $122,554
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 22.4%
> Graduation rate: 96%
30. Dover-Sherborn Regional School District
> Location: Dover, Norfolk County, MA (Boston area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $103,440
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 17.7%
> Graduation rate: 92%
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29. Edgemont Union Free School District
> Location: Greenville, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $130,413
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 23.8%
> Graduation rate: 95%
28. East Williston Union Free School District
> Location: Old Westbury, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $127,752
> Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 13.7%
> Graduation rate: 95%
27. Westport School District
> Location: Westport, Fairfield County, CT (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $96,938
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 15.3%
> Graduation rate: 99%
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26. Fox Chapel Area School District
> Location: O’Hara Township, Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $105,523
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 39.8%
> Graduation rate: 96%
25. Bronxville Union Free School District
> Location: Bronxville, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $152,309
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 8.1%
> Graduation rate: 95%
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24. Byram Hills Central School District
> Location: North Castle, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $129,879
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 28.2%
> Graduation rate: 99%
23. Community High School District 128
> Location: Vernon Hills, Lake County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $99,134
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 22.4%
> Graduation rate: 98%
22. Township High School District No. 214
> Location: Arlington Heights, Cook County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $94,876
> Student-teacher ratio: 17:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 17.4%
> Graduation rate: 93%
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21. Dublin City Schools
> Location: Dublin, Franklin County, OH (Columbus area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $96,723
> Student-teacher ratio: 20:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 0.0%
> Graduation rate: 93%
20. Chappaqua Central School District
> Location: New Castle, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $152,494
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 36.7%
> Graduation rate: 97%
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19. Solon City School District
> Location: Solon, Cuyahoga County, OH (Cleveland area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $99,698
> Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 26.3%
> Graduation rate: 96%
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18. Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District
> Location: Briarcliff Manor, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $131,263
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 45.4%
> Graduation rate: 95%
17. Maine Township High School District No. 207
> Location: Park Ridge, Cook County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $112,299
> Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 23.2%
> Graduation rate: 94%
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16. Roslyn Union Free School District
> Location: East Hills, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $125,756
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 11.1%
> Graduation rate: 98%
15. New Canaan Public Schools
> Location: New Canaan, Fairfield County, CT (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $102,239
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 14.5%
> Graduation rate: 98%
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14. Evanston Township High School District No. 202
> Location: Evanston, Cook County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $99,049
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 44.2%
> Graduation rate: 92%
13. Township High School District No. 113
> Location: Highland Park, Lake County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $113,372
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 23.3%
> Graduation rate: 95%
12. Niles Township Community High School District No. 219
> Location: Skokie, Cook County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $96,028
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 21.1%
> Graduation rate: 93%
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11. Great Neck Public Schools
> Location: Lake Success, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $141,805
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 25.8%
> Graduation rate: 96%
10. Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District
> Location: Woodmere, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $132,739
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 5.7%
> Graduation rate: 96%
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9. Region 4-Lakes Country Service Cooperative
> Location: Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, MN
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $126,703
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 0.0%
> Graduation rate: 25%
8. Syosset Central School District
> Location: Syosset, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $144,055
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 13.6%
> Graduation rate: 98%
7. Jericho Union Free School District
> Location: Oyster Bay, Nassau County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $155,481
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 42.3%
> Graduation rate: 98%
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6. Greenwich Public Schools
> Location: Greenwich, Fairfield County, CT (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $152,915
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 7.1%
> Graduation rate: 96%
5. Educational Service Unit No. 03
> Location: La Vista, Sarpy County, NE (Omaha area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $147,656
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 16.7%
> Graduation rate: N/A
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4. Scarsdale Union Free School District
> Location: Scarsdale, Westchester County, NY (New York City area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $156,140
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 18.9%
> Graduation rate: 99%
3. Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125
> Location: Lincolnshire, Lake County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $93,403
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 21.7%
> Graduation rate: 96%
2. New Trier Township High School District No. 203
> Location: Northfield, Cook County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $110,628
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 18.9%
> Graduation rate: 98%
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1. Glenbrook High Schools District 225
> Location: Glenview, Cook County, IL (Chicago area)
> Avg. full-time teacher salary: $103,463
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Teachers missing 10+ days per year for sick/personal leave: 20.1%
> Graduation rate: 97%
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