Compare · New York vs North Carolina
New York City Department of Education vs Wake County Public School System
Side by side from the two published grids: UFT teacher salary schedule effective Sept. 14, 2026 (3.5% pay increase) and 2026-2027 Classroom Teacher Salary Schedules. 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); Wake County Public School System starts at $55,339.90 and tops out at $89,917.60 (2026-27).
- Difference at the lowest cell: $15,974.10 in favor of New York City Department of Education; at the highest cell: $60,318.40 in favor of New York City Department of Education.
New York City Department of Education
Wake County Public School System
| Measure | New York City Department of Education | Wake County Public School System |
|---|---|---|
| School year | 2026-27 | 2026-27 |
| Effective date | September 14, 2026 | July 1, 2026 |
| Lowest cell (starting salary) | $71,314 | $55,339.90 |
| Bachelor's column start | $71,314 | $55,339.90 |
| Bachelor's column top | $132,532 | $73,399.20 |
| Master's column start | – | $61,101.50 |
| Master's column top | – | $81,072.30 |
| Highest cell | $150,236 | $89,917.60 |
| Steps to the highest cell | 28 | 32 |
| Columns x steps | 8 x 28 | 4 x 32 |
| Work days | – | – |
| Starting cell per work day | – | – |
| NCES enrollment 2023-24 | 845,509 | 161,481 |
Step ladder on the bachelor's (or lowest) column
New York City Department of Education: BAC1. 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 | New York City Department of Education | Wake County Public School System |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1A: $71,314 | 0: $55,339.90 |
| 2 | 3A: $73,332 | 4: $56,942.50 |
| 3 | 5B: $75,312 | 9: $60,001.80 |
| 4 | 7A: $79,779 | 14: $65,379.70 |
| 5 | 8A+L5: $90,706 | 19: $67,593.80 |
| top row | 8B+L22: $132,532 | 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.