Illinois · reported schedule
Lincoln ESD 156 teacher salary
- Lincoln ESD 156 starts a teacher with a bachelor's degree at $51,931 and tops that lane at $76,424 after 19 years.
- With a master's the schedule starts at $61,485 and reaches $100,150 after 24 years.
- The highest salary anywhere on the schedule is $109,246, reached at 26 years of service.
- Lincoln ESD 156 enrolls 740 students.
- These are the reference points Illinois collects from the district, for 2025-26. They are not the full step grid.
What the schedule pays
| Lane | Starting | Maximum | Years to max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | $51,931 | $76,424 | 19 |
| Master's | $61,485 | $100,150 | 24 |
| Master's + 30 | $65,645 | $109,246 | – |
The district reports its current agreement expiring 6/2027.
Where it stands in the state
Of the 873 Illinois districts reporting a starting figure, Lincoln ESD 156's $51,931 ranks 205th; the median is $47,000, so it is $4,931 above it.
Its top reported figure, $109,246, ranks 221st of 866 against a median of $92,247.
A master's degree adds $9,554 at the start (18.4%).
The bachelor's lane grows 47.2% over 19 years, about $1,289 a year.
Illinois districts of similar size, by the figures they report
| District | Students | Starting | Top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln ESD 156 | 740 | $51,931 | $109,246 |
| Forrestville Valley CUSD 221 | 739 | $45,457 | $90,914 |
| Indian Creek CUSD 425 | 736 | $50,736 | $89,643 |
| Dakota CUSD 201 | 749 | $42,758 | $103,367 |
| Central CUSD 3 | 731 | $42,411 | $80,903 |
| Central A & M CUD 21 | 750 | $45,500 | $81,605 |
Where this comes from
Illinois State Board of Education, Teacher Salary Study publishes Every district's salary schedule in reference points (Teacher Salary Study 2025-26), which every Illinois district files each year. The full step-and-lane grid is published by the district itself; this page carries the figures the state collects, which is what the salary-estimate sites do not have.