Compare · California vs North Carolina
Los Angeles Unified vs Wake County Public School System
Side by side from the two published grids: Certificated salary schedule (Form J-90, 2024-25) and 2026-2027 Classroom Teacher Salary Schedules. Green marks the higher figure (fewer steps to the top counts as higher).
- Los Angeles Unified starts at $60,420 and tops out at $122,706 (2024-25); Wake County Public School System starts at $55,339.90 and tops out at $89,917.60 (2026-27).
- Difference at the lowest cell: $5,080.10 in favor of Los Angeles Unified; at the highest cell: $32,788.40 in favor of Los Angeles Unified.
- The two schedules are for different school years, so part of any gap is timing; each page shows its own effective date.
Los Angeles Unified
Wake County Public School System
| Measure | Los Angeles Unified | Wake County Public School System |
|---|---|---|
| School year | 2024-25 | 2026-27 |
| Effective date | January 1, 2025 | July 1, 2026 |
| Lowest cell (starting salary) | $60,420 | $55,339.90 |
| Bachelor's column start | $60,420 | $55,339.90 |
| Bachelor's column top | $76,034 | $73,399.20 |
| Master's column start | – | $61,101.50 |
| Master's column top | – | $81,072.30 |
| Highest cell | $122,706 | $89,917.60 |
| Steps to the highest cell | 30 | 32 |
| Columns x steps | 24 x 30 | 4 x 32 |
| Work days | 183 | – |
| Starting cell per work day | $330.16 | – |
| NCES enrollment 2023-24 | 419,929 | 161,481 |
Step ladder on the bachelor's (or lowest) column
Los Angeles Unified: BA NON-CRED. Wake County Public School System: Bachelor's Degree ("A" License), Not National Board Certified. Rows are the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th step rows of each grid and its last row; steps are labeled as each district labels them.
| Row | Los Angeles Unified | Wake County Public School System |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1: $60,420 | 0: $55,339.90 |
| 2 | 5: $64,641 | 4: $56,942.50 |
| 3 | 10: $76,034 | 9: $60,001.80 |
| 4 | – | 14: $65,379.70 |
| 5 | – | 19: $67,593.80 |
| top row | – | 31+: $73,399.20 |
Schedules differ in what they include (some districts fold supplements or pension pickups into the grid, some do not) and in the length of the work year, so a cell-to-cell comparison is a starting point, not a ranking of total pay. More: all comparisons, rankings.