Pennsylvania ranks second among the best-paying school districts across the US. Influential teachers’ unions and excellent working and academic environments are among the top reasons that make PA a favorite among teachers looking for jobs.
However, teachers’ salaries vary from district to district, years in the profession, and academic qualifications.
As of 2015 and 2016, an average teacher in Pennsylvania earned an average of $65,205. The Pennsylvania Department of Education says that salaries can rise to $100,000 or go down to $24901 depending on the area’s cost of living, individuals’ education level, and experience.
Here’s an insight into Pennsylvania’s best places to teach and which school districts pay their teachers the most.
How Many School Districts Are There In PA?
In Pennsylvania, there are 504 public school districts. They comprise 120 charter schools and 3,287 schools. Each year, these schools oversee the graduation of over 125,000 high school seniors.
However, the school districts vary in size, with some having 200 students while others admitting over 140,000 students.
All the public schools in PA are funded and operate under the local school boards and the General Assembly. The locals elect the members of these boards for a term of 4 years. Wondering how the schools are run?
All the public schools have a principal who works under the superintendent of schools appointed by the school district board. The public schools in PA include:
- Elementary
- Intermediate
- Middle school
- Junior high
- High school
- Technical schools
- Charter schools
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are the largest districts in PA and have 34,000 and 187,000 students, respectively. Other district schools in Urban-area are available in Lancaster, Bethlehem, Reading, Erie, and Allentown.
It spread to the other schools in suburban and small districts across Pennsylvania. However, 10% of the small districts have fewer than 1,000 students, with the highest admission rate being 1,450.
On the contrary, suburban districts have the highest enrollment. For instance, three school districts in Bucks County alone have a higher enrollment rate than Pittsburgh.
How Much Do Teachers Make In PA?
By May 2021, the average salary of a public school teacher was $59,133, with the range falling between $68,267 and $51,624. However, the salaries vary depending on the type of school, the city, additional skills, and your level of expertise.
Here’s a chronological list of the top seven paying cities in Pennsylvania:
- Scranton
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Harrisburgh
- Reading
- Allentown
- Pottstown
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What School District In PA Has The Highest Paid Teachers?
Although teachers hardly get into this profession for the money, it’s worth knowing which districts offer lucrative salaries.
From 2016 to 2017, the Pennsylvania Department of Education listed $66,265 as the average salary for teachers. The average starting wage for the teachers in 2013 was $36,141.
However, the same year, teachers from the Lower Merion School District got the highest salaries in Pennsylvania.
The average income for the teachers in this school district was $99,253. The second-best paying district was Council Rock School District which paid its teachers an average of $96,116.
Does the highlighted salary include additional income? It only made all the mentioned figures up of base salaries. In Pennsylvania, teachers work under individual contracts, which allow them to negotiate for better wages.
A teacher with other professional skills, such as coaching or counseling, can gain more than others, irrespective of the school district.
How Does Teachers’ Salary Differ In PA?
Teachers in the rural district receive the minor compensation for their profession. Research done by Research for Action clearly shows that teachers working in suburban school districts receive the highest payment and are followed by urban communities.
The study further explains that union contracts, living costs, teacher accreditation, and merits create the variables in salary. Besides salary, teachers enjoy pension schemes and health coverage.
What Is The Best School District In Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is home to hundreds of successful school districts in the US. In 2019, over 100 districts in this state recorded graduation rates of above 90%.
Below is a list of the top 5 school districts in Pennsylvania.
#1. Tredyffrini-EasttownSchool District
The school district ranks as the best-performing public school system in all of Pennsylvania. The community has eight public schools that have a combined acceptance of 6,000 students.
Among the 2019 graduates, 48 students qualified for the National AP Scholars. About 99% of the high school graduates proceeded with their education in universities and colleges.
#2. Radnor Township School District
For years, the Radnor Township school district has remained on the list of the best school districts in PA.
The district comprises three elementary schools, one middle school, and a single high school. Radnor High School, the only one in this school district, recorded an average ACT score of 28.
#3. Mt. Lebanon School District
In the 2019 academic year, the school district rose to position three in PA. The Mt. Lebanon district comprises ten schools with a student population of 5,531 students.
Most of its schools boast of different accolades won over recent years. Some of these accolades include ASBO Meritorious Budget Award and Green Ribbon School Honor.
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#4. Haverford Township School District
The district has only seven public schools that have a capacity of about 6,500 students. The community ranks fourth in Pennsylvania State. Because of its outstanding academic performance, 21 of its students have qualified for the semi-finals in the National Merit Scholarship program.
Also, the College Board’s AP Honor Roll has given it a spot from its exemplary performance.
#5. Upper St. Clair School District
The district has two middle schools, one high school, and three elementary schools. For several years, the district has performed exemplary compared to others in Pennsylvania. Of all its 2019 graduates, 95% of them went to post-secondary school.
Top 10 Highest Paid School Districts in Pennsylvania | Best Places
Although most school districts pay their teachers handsomely, some do it better than others in Pennsylvania. Here is the list of the best-salaried school districts in PA:
#1. Danville Area School District
The Danville Area School District is a rural, mid-sized public school district in Pennsylvania that covers parts of two counties.
The school’s population has an educational attainment rate of 89.8% high school graduates and 27.4% college graduates. While the teachers are paid an average of about $100,002, it is one of PA’s 500 public school districts.
#2. Lower Merion School District
Lower Merion School District, or LMSD, is a government-funded school region in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth serve the school district.
LMSD is one of Pennsylvania’s most seasoned school regions, established in 1836. It is the most affluent school area in the state, just as one of the richest in the country.
Teachers within this school district pocket an average salary of $95,292. The district lies in the broader Montgomery County.
#3. Central Montco Technical High School
Central Montco Technical High School (CMTHS) offers various programs that equip students for business or further training in universities, colleges, and technical schools.
In addition to occupation-specific training, CMTHS energizes the advancement of urban obligations, employable abilities, and polished skills.
All programs are capability-based and custom-fitted to every student’s necessities and interests.
This district school devotes itself to helping the area’s business and industry by offering programs to fulfill labor force needs. The average teacher’s salary in this school is $95,235.
#4. Council Rock School District
The Council Rock School District, typically known as CRSD, is situated in southeastern Pennsylvania’s lower Bucks County. The District’s authoritative workplaces are housed in one of the Borough of Newtown’s old-fashioned structures.
The Chancellor Center, recently known as the Chancellor Street School, was built in 1871 and rebuilt in 2003.
The region’s general enlistment was 11,157 as of May 2015. It spends more than $12,000 each year per student, excluding special education students.
The school district is in Bucks County. Its teachers get an average of $95,130 as compensation.
#5. Centennial School District
The Centennial School System is a public school district in Bucks County, Pennsylvania that serves the Borough of Ivyland, Upper Southampton Township, and Warminster Township.
One High School, two Middle Schools, three Elementary Schools, and one Alternative School are part of the district.
Among the most competitively paid district schools in Bucks County, Centennial is the second. Its teachers earn salaries averaging $93,969, and it is one of the highest-paid school districts in PA.
#6. Neshaminy School District
The Neshaminy School District is a school district in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with its headquarters in Middletown Township.
Students come from a variety of racial, ethnic, and financial backgrounds.
A nine-member School Board of Directors represents the Neshaminy School District.
The average base income for teachers in this school district is $91,722. The district is within Bucks County.
#7. Middle Bucks Institute of Technology
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology is a vocational-technical school in Pennsylvania that serves the Centennial, Central Bucks, New Hope/Solebury, and Council Rock School Districts.
Teachers in this school earn an average salary of $91,247. The district falls under Bucks County.
#8. Upper Merion Area School District
Upper Merion Area School District, PA, is a well-rated public school. It serves 4,264 students in grades K-12, with a 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
According to state test results, 57 percent of kids are proficient in math, and 69 percent of pupils are proficient in reading.
This school ranks as the highest-paid school district in PA, as the average income for professional teachers here is $90,798. The school district lies in the greater Montgomery County.
#9. Lower Moreland Township District
Lower Moreland Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
The school district ranks at the top as it remunerates its teachers with an average salary of $87,049.
#10. Radnor Township School District
Radnor Township School System is a school district with three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school that serves Radnor Township, Pennsylvania.
Some residents enroll their children in local private schools because of the Main Line’s predominantly affluent demographic (of which the Radnor Township School District is a part).
Those who enroll their children in the Radnor Township School District do so because of the district’s strong reputation, including multiple blue-ribbon schools. On average, the teachers earn about $85,732.
FAQs
However, the same year, teachers from the Lower Merion School District got the highest salaries in Pennsylvania.
The average income for the teachers in this school district was $99,253. The second-best paying district was Council Rock School District which paid its teachers an average of $96,116.
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District is the best public school system in Pennsylvania.
$20.17 per hour
The number crunchers found the National Education Association pegged the average starting salary for Pennsylvania teachers at $44,674 a year.
Conclusion
Teaching is a fantastic profession in Pennsylvania. With the state’s rising population and economic prosperity, the demand for more experienced teachers is unending.
The above details will ease your teaching job search and help you identify the best school districts in Pennsylvania.
References
- https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2016/10/13/the-25-highest-paying-school-districts-in.html
- https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2019/08/05/pennsylvania-school-rankings-2020-see-where-your-district-landed/1922164001/
- https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/education/2017/05/the_60_pa_school_districts_paying_their_teachers.html
- https://www.education.pa.gov/Schools/Pages/Public-Schools.aspx
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Pennsylvania
- https://www.rtsd.org/domain/986
- https://www.haverford.k12.pa.us/about
- https://patch.com/pennsylvania/newhope-lambertville/50-pennsylvania-school-districts-where-teachers-are-paid-most
