Can Teachers Make Six Figures? Where Pay Tops $100,000

Yes, teachers can make six figures: 110 of 444 large-district schedules reach six figures at the maximum of the bachelor’s or master’s lane, including 10 in Washington and 9 in California.

Those figures are schedule maximums, which sit at the top of a pay lane after many steps. Reaching one usually takes many years, and a lane’s conditions can affect who qualifies for its highest pay.

The national average teacher salary is $74,495, while the average starting teacher salary is $48,112. A six-figure schedule maximum is possible, though it does not mean the average teacher in that district earns $100,000.

Key Takeaways

• Six-figure salary schedule maximums exist in many states.
• A district’s top pay can come with added conditions.
• National average teacher pay is below $100,000.

Highest bachelor’s-lane schedule maximums

1. Rochester City School District, NY$171,142
2. Corona-Norco Unified, CA$148,405
3. Prince William County Public Schools, VA$143,263
4. New York City Public Schools, NY$132,532
5. San Diego Unified, CA$132,292

Where Do Salary Schedules Reach Six Figures?

Six-figure maximums appear across the states in the table, with the most districts meeting the threshold in Washington, California, and Illinois.

Across the 444 schedules, 164 reach $100,000 or more in some lane when doctorate lanes are counted. The table’s “any lane” figures include those lanes.

No district reaches six figures on the bachelor’s or master’s lane in Alabama (1 in a doctorate lane), Alaska (3 in a doctorate lane), Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii (1 in a doctorate lane), Idaho, Indiana (1 in a doctorate lane), Iowa, Kansas (2 in a doctorate lane), Kentucky (1 in a doctorate lane), Louisiana, Maine (1 in a doctorate lane), Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada (1 in a doctorate lane), New Hampshire (1 in a doctorate lane), New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota (1 in a doctorate lane), Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia.

What Does It Take to Reach the Top of a Salary Schedule?

To reach a schedule maximum, you follow that district’s pay steps or levels and meet any conditions attached to the lane. Each district sets its own schedule, so check the state page for the rules that apply to a specific job.

A schedule may use steps tied to service, or it may set pay through levels and other conditions. The top figure alone does not tell you how a teacher qualifies for it. For a plain-language explanation of pay lanes and steps, see the teacher salary schedule explained guide.

Which States Have the Most Six-Figure Schedules?

Washington has the most districts reaching six figures on the bachelor’s or master’s lane, followed by California and Illinois.

Washington has 10 qualifying districts, California has 9, and Illinois has 8. Massachusetts and Maryland each have 7, while Delaware, Connecticut, Ohio, and Virginia each have 6.

The count changes when doctorate lanes are included. For example, Delaware has 10 districts reaching six figures in any lane, and South Carolina has 8, compared with 6 and 1 on the bachelor’s or master’s lanes, respectively.

Which Districts Reach Six Figures on the Bachelor's Lane?

The bachelor’s-lane maximum reaches $100,000 or more in 42 districts in the schedules shown here.

Some districts attach extra college-unit or other conditions to the top of this lane. The maximum therefore does not describe the pay every teacher with a bachelor’s degree receives. For the full top-25 ranking, see highest paid teachers in the us.

Which Districts Reach Six Figures With a Master's?

The table below shows the 15 highest master’s-lane maximums of $100,000 or more in districts where the bachelor’s maximum is below that level or not published.

Washington has several of the highest master’s-lane maximums in this group. If you are comparing pay paths that include graduate study, see the teacher salary with masters degree guide.

How Do Some Districts Reach the Top Salary Figures?

Some high schedule figures come from special pay structures, longevity steps, or added conditions written into the schedule.

• Rochester City School District: Rochester Teachers Association Modified Extension Agreement (7/1/2025-6/30/2026), Appendix A: a single salary schedule (4.0% applied to 2024-25), steps 1-35 then 99-1 to 99-23.
• Corona-Norco Unified: Max is Class D year 25 ($148,405); the schedule allows reaching Classes C and D without a master's after long service and 75 units, so the bachelor’s and master’s maximums are the same.
• Dallas ISD: Pay follows TEI effectiveness levels: Unsatisfactory $55,030; Progressing I $68,500, II $69,500; Proficient I $78,000, II $81,000, III $86,000; Exemplary I $89,000, II $93,000; Master $103,000.
• Orange County Public Schools: 2025-26 Instructional Open Salary Range Schedule, ratified 10/24/2025: open range from $50,000 minimum to $117,000 maximum, no fixed steps.
• Prince William County Public Schools: Maximums are the top longevity step LS06 (BA $143,263, MA $150,263, Ed.D. $153,763), which sits above step 30 ($120,461 / $127,461 / $130,961); the steps grid lists steps 1-30 only.

Why Do Most Teachers Earn Less?

Most teachers earn less than $100,000 because a schedule’s top figure is a maximum, while average pay remains below that threshold.

The median top-of-schedule salary across 410 districts is $94,659. The national average teacher salary is $74,495, and the average starting teacher salary is $48,112.

California is the only state where the average teacher salary tops six figures; every other state averages less. When you compare job offers, check the district’s actual lane, maximum, and conditions for reaching that amount.