Lowest published bachelor’s starting pay → highest published maximum across degree lanes in the districts below. Years and eligibility vary.
Average salary
$60,704NEA 2024-25
Starting salary
$45,252NEA 2024-25
State minimum
$27,500See state terms
Districts sourced
9Official schedules
North Dakota teachers averaged $60,704 in 2024-25, with an average starting salary of $45,252, according to the NEA.
North Dakota teachers averaged $60,704 in 2024-25, with an average starting salary of $45,252, according to the NEA. State law sets only a flat $27,500 minimum, so real pay comes from district schedules, most of them negotiated agreements. Among the largest districts, 2026-27 bachelor's starting pay runs from $43,050 in West Fargo to $55,550 in Mandan.
McKenzie County Public School District 1 · 2026-27 · Annual base salary by published step. Darker cells indicate higher pay; every cell shows its amount.
Dickinson Public Schools · 2026-27 · Annual base salary by published step. Darker cells indicate higher pay; every cell shows its amount.
Step
Bachelor’s
Master’s
Doctorate
0
$48,922
$54,422
Not published
1
$49,697
$55,197
Not published
2
$50,472
$55,972
Not published
3
$51,247
$56,747
Not published
4
$52,022
$57,522
Not published
5
$52,797
$58,297
Not published
6
$53,572
$59,072
Not published
7
$54,347
$59,847
Not published
8
$55,122
$60,622
Not published
9
Not published
$61,397
Not published
10
Not published
$62,172
Not published
11
Not published
$62,947
Not published
12
Not published
$63,722
Not published
13
Not published
$64,497
Not published
14
Not published
$65,272
Not published
15
Not published
$66,047
Not published
16
Not published
$66,822
Not published
17
Not published
$67,597
Not published
18
Not published
$68,372
Not published
19
Not published
$69,147
Not published
20
Not published
$69,922
Not published
21
Not published
$70,697
Not published
22
Not published
$71,472
Not published
23
Not published
$72,247
Not published
24
Not published
$73,022
Not published
25
Not published
$73,797
Not published
District pay rankings.
Ranked by highest published maximum across degree lanes. Annual base pay, by education level. Years and contract terms can differ; open each schedule before comparing.
Select a column heading to sort. Scroll the table horizontally for more columns. Missing values are marked “Not published”.
Largest districts included in this guide, sorted by published top pay. Starting pay is the bachelor’s entry rate; top pay is the highest published maximum across degree lanes.
━ Bachelor’s start▨ Top pay · all degree lanes
Mandan Public Schools2026-27
BA start $55,550
Top $107,585
Bismarck Public Schools2026-27
BA start $53,713
Top $95,142
Grand Forks Public Schools2026-27
BA start $51,477
Top $90,951
McKenzie County Public School District 12026-27
BA start $52,300
Top $87,352
Williston Basin School District 72026-27
BA start $48,481
Top $81,730
Minot Public Schools2026-27
BA start $48,030
Top $79,915
Fargo Public Schools2026-27
BA start $47,393
Top $77,440
West Fargo Public Schools2026-27
BA start $43,050
Top $73,940
Dickinson Public Schools2026-27
BA start $48,922
Top $73,797
Jamestown Public SchoolsYear not published
Schedule not published
Annual base salary on a shared zero-based scale. Top pay can require advanced qualifications and many years of service. Missing values are not zero.View district chart data
Published district pay
District
Year
BA start
Top pay
Mandan Public Schools
2026-27
$55,550
$107,585
Bismarck Public Schools
2026-27
$53,713
$95,142
Grand Forks Public Schools
2026-27
$51,477
$90,951
McKenzie County Public School District 1
2026-27
$52,300
$87,352
Williston Basin School District 7
2026-27
$48,481
$81,730
Minot Public Schools
2026-27
$48,030
$79,915
Fargo Public Schools
2026-27
$47,393
$77,440
West Fargo Public Schools
2026-27
$43,050
$73,940
Dickinson Public Schools
2026-27
$48,922
$73,797
Jamestown Public Schools
Not published
Not published
Not published
Experience & progression
How pay grows by step
Bachelor’s lane · 5 districts with numeric step data
Bismarck Public Schools2026-27
West Fargo Public Schools2026-27
Fargo Public Schools2026-27
Grand Forks Public Schools2026-27
Minot Public Schools2026-27
Lines connect published observations, not estimated salaries for missing steps. A step is not always a year of service. District placement rules and schedule years vary.View step progression data
Average pay describes the workforce; a minimum is a floor subject to state rules. These measures can cover different years and are not equivalent starting offers.View salary context data
State and national salary measures
Measure
Amount
Context
North Dakota average
$60,704
NEA 2024-25
State minimum
$27,500
See state minimum terms below
National average
$74,495
Reporting year not published
State minimum salary
$27,500
NDCC 15.1-27-39 requires a minimum salary of $27,500 for a full-time teacher on a 9-month contract (in place since 2014-15). It is a single floor, not a step schedule. District enrollment figures are 2024-25 fall enrollment from the Department of Public Instruction's 2025 Financial Facts.
Match the school year, degree lane and credited experience. The published maximum is not a promise of starting placement. Confirm contract days, supplements and eligibility in each district’s official schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find North Dakota district salary schedules?
Use the district comparison table on this page to open a district guide and its official salary schedule. Each source is linked with a verification date.
Does a master’s degree change the salary?
Check the master’s lane in the district’s published schedule. Degree supplements and placement rules vary; a missing value here does not mean there is no additional pay.
