Massachusetts’ Highest Paid School Districts

Are teachers underpaid? This is an often debated topic. Yes, teachers have a lot of vacation time when you take into consideration summer breaks, etc. The wage gap between other college educated professionals is profound. Most teachers teach because of a strong desire to teach and leaving a positive and lasting impact on students, not necessarily salary.

Teacher salaries in Massachusetts vary a lot across school districts. This data comes from the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the 2021-2022 school year. It shows the average pay for full-time teachers, including both regular districts and charter schools. The average is found by dividing total salaries by the number of full-time equivalent teachers.

The 10 Highest Paid School Districts In Mass.

Here are the top 10 districts with the highest average teacher salaries:

1. Concord-Carlisle Regional School District: $117,960
2. Boston Day and Evening Academy Charter School: $116,644
3. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School District: $113,571
4. Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School Springfield: $113,082
5. Weston Public Schools: $110,901
6. Carlisle Public Schools: $110,836
7. UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester: $110,522
8. Concord Public Schools: $108,511
9. Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School: $106,165
10. Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers (Horace Mann Charter): $106,039

Some of the aforementioned schools districts are small - with full-time equivalent teachers only in the single digits - so here are some Massachusetts school districts outside the top ten with higher salaries:

Masconomet Regional: $107,457

Wayland: $105,561

Shawsheen Valley Regional: $105,546

Boston: $104,813 -profiles.doe.mass.edu

Many of these high-paying districts are in wealthier areas like Concord and Weston, where living costs are higher. Charter schools also appear often because they might focus on special programs or smaller classes.

Overall, the state average is about $86,118, so these top spots pay much more. This helps attract good teachers, but not all districts can afford it due to different budgets.