Compare · New York vs California
New York City Department of Education vs Los Angeles Unified
Side by side from the two published grids: UFT teacher salary schedule effective Sept. 14, 2026 (3.5% pay increase) and Certificated salary schedule (Form J-90, 2024-25). Green marks the higher figure (fewer steps to the top counts as higher).
- New York City Department of Education starts at $71,314 and tops out at $150,236 (2026-27); Los Angeles Unified starts at $60,420 and tops out at $122,706 (2024-25).
- Difference at the lowest cell: $10,894 in favor of New York City Department of Education; at the highest cell: $27,530 in favor of New York City Department of Education.
- The two schedules are for different school years, so part of any gap is timing; each page shows its own effective date.
New York City Department of Education
New York · 2026-27 · official document
Los Angeles Unified
California · 2024-25 · official document
| Measure | New York City Department of Education | Los Angeles Unified |
|---|---|---|
| School year | 2026-27 | 2024-25 |
| Effective date | September 14, 2026 | January 1, 2025 |
| Lowest cell (starting salary) | $71,314 | $60,420 |
| Bachelor's column start | $71,314 | $60,420 |
| Bachelor's column top | $132,532 | $76,034 |
| Master's column start | – | – |
| Master's column top | – | – |
| Highest cell | $150,236 | $122,706 |
| Steps to the highest cell | 28 | 30 |
| Columns x steps | 8 x 28 | 24 x 30 |
| Work days | – | 183 |
| Starting cell per work day | – | $330.16 |
| NCES enrollment 2023-24 | 845,509 | 419,929 |
Step ladder on the bachelor's (or lowest) column
New York City Department of Education: BAC1. Los Angeles Unified: BA NON-CRED. 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 | New York City Department of Education | Los Angeles Unified |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1A: $71,314 | 1: $60,420 |
| 2 | 3A: $73,332 | 5: $64,641 |
| 3 | 5B: $75,312 | 10: $76,034 |
| 4 | 7A: $79,779 | – |
| 5 | 8A+L5: $90,706 | – |
| top row | 8B+L22: $132,532 | – |
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.