Compare · New York vs Illinois
New York City Department of Education vs Chicago Public Schools
Side by side from the two published grids: UFT teacher salary schedule effective Sept. 14, 2026 (3.5% pay increase) and 208-day teachers salary schedule, 2026-27 (CTU contract Appendix A-1A). 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); Chicago Public Schools starts at $69,730.69 and tops out at $131,796.65 (2026-27).
- Difference at the lowest cell: $1,583.31 in favor of New York City Department of Education; at the highest cell: $18,439.35 in favor of New York City Department of Education.
New York City Department of Education
Chicago Public Schools
| Measure | New York City Department of Education | Chicago Public Schools |
|---|---|---|
| School year | 2026-27 | 2026-27 |
| Effective date | September 14, 2026 | July 1, 2026 |
| Lowest cell (starting salary) | $71,314 | $69,730.69 |
| Bachelor's column start | $71,314 | – |
| Bachelor's column top | $132,532 | – |
| Master's column start | – | – |
| Master's column top | – | – |
| Highest cell | $150,236 | $131,796.65 |
| Steps to the highest cell | 28 | 25 |
| Columns x steps | 8 x 28 | 6 x 25 |
| Work days | – | 208 |
| Starting cell per work day | – | $335.24 |
| NCES enrollment 2023-24 | 845,509 | 322,809 |
Step ladder on the bachelor's (or lowest) column
New York City Department of Education: BAC1. Chicago Public Schools: Lane 1. 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 | Chicago Public Schools |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1A: $71,314 | 1: $69,730.69 |
| 2 | 3A: $73,332 | 5: $75,222.59 |
| 3 | 5B: $75,312 | 10: $89,871.54 |
| 4 | 7A: $79,779 | 15: $100,868.63 |
| 5 | 8A+L5: $90,706 | 20: $113,585.39 |
| top row | 8B+L22: $132,532 | 25: $117,306.97 |
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.