As a North Carolina teacher, you’ll earn a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits and opportunities to grow your career. Read this page and download our salary report for all the details!
In North Carolina, teachers earn a base salary set by the state. Most counties offer additional pay on top of that. That means your salary will depend on your location, as well as your degree and experience.
In 2022, North Carolina's average teacher starting salary was $37,676, including both state and county pay.
Average salary refers to what all teachers make, on average. That includes people who have been in the job for years. North Carolina’s average teacher salary in 2022 was $54,863 (including state + county pay). (1)
Want more salary info? Our free Salary & Benefits Report has salaries from a range of districts all over North Carolina — so you can see specific numbers from your region!
There are a number of ways to increase your salary, including advanced degrees, leading extracurriculars and pursuing advanced certifications or meeting performance benchmarks.
You’ve got options to earn even more as a teacher. Here are a few ways you can boost your pay:
Need to take a teaching test? We'll cover up to $500 in test prep and test registration fees.
You can:
Salary numbers are important, but you may be wondering how teaching compares to other skilled professions.
A North Carolina teacher’s salary is comparable to or even higher than many other fields. Plus, teachers are contracted to work about 190 days each year — compared to 260 work days in most other fields. (3)
From career opportunities to student loan forgiveness to specific district salary information, our Salary & Benefits Report has even more details about how to make the most of your teaching career.
Even better — it’s completely free.
Sign up for access to everything we offer, right from your dashboard.
It’s all FREE and brought to you by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and our statewide partners.