The N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI) calculates teacher pay averages by February of each year.  Because NC DPI has not produced the official figure for the current school year, we use a salary estimate produced by analysts at the N.C. General Assembly’s Fiscal Research Division.  The Social Security, retirement, and health insurance figures are based on provisions in the state budget.

Comparisons of teacher pay across states are good for attention-grabbing headlines but often little else.  Even so, we mention the popular National Education Association (NEA) ranking below, noting a few of its many weaknesses and what a proper comparison might show.