Idaho teacher salaries on the rise

This story has been updated to include the salary average from a school in the area that was omitted from the original version of this story.

The average teacher salary in Idaho increased by 9.1% to $61,516 this school year, according to the Idaho Department of Education.

Average salaries are up $5,151 since the 2022-23 school year. And average salaries have increased by 28% over the past 10 years, since the inception of the career ladder.

In north central Idaho, the highest average salaries are among teachers in the Genesee School District, who are averaging $73,246 this school year. The rest of the top five in the region are Lapwai ($69,875), Lewiston ($68,649), Moscow ($67,644) and Highland of Craigmont ($67,401).

The lowest average salaries in the region are at Salmon River of Riggins ($52,168) and a first-year charter school, Pinecrest Academy of Lewiston ($50,103).

This year’s results include base salary plus extra pay, an amount determined by individual districts and charter schools. The average was calculated by dividing the state’s 17,949 full-time teachers by total salaries of approximately $1 billion, plus $18 million in extra pay.

The average teacher salary, without extra pay, is $60,510.

Despite the recent increases, Idaho teachers still earn 8.5% less than the national average of $66,745.

And when adjusted for inflation, the average salary of classroom teachers declined by an estimated 6.4% over the past decade, according to latest data from the National Education Association.

Four districts and 12 charters pay average teacher salaries over $70,000. Blaine County School District pays the highest, at an average of $90,942. The top 16 are: 1, Blaine County, $90,942; 2, The Kootenai Bridge Academy, $81,716; 3, Legacy Public Charter, $79,000; 4, Isucceed Virtual High, $76,835; 5, Victory Charter, $74,980; 6, Liberty Charter, $74,974; 7, Island Park Charter, $74,492; 8, Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy, $73,455; 9, Meridian Technical Charter, $73,438; 10, Genesee, $73,246; 11, Vision Charter, $73,112; 12, McCall-Donnelly, $72,906; 13, Gem Prep: Online, $72,815; 14, Boise, $72,228; 15, Upper Carmen Public Charter, $71,143; 16, Idaho Virtual Education Partners, $70,800.

A striking disparity exists between the highest-paying and lowest-paying districts and charters. Teachers employed in the 16 lowest paying earn 49% less than the 16 highest. Those districts are: Rolling Hills Public Charter, $52,642; Salmon River, $52,168; Pathways in Education, Nampa, $52,091; Peace Valley Charter, $51,672; The Village Charter, $51,013; Jerome, $50,871; Doral Academy of Idaho, $50,860; Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy, $50,804; Kootenai Classical Academy, $50,618; Grace, $50,528; Idaho Science and Technology Charter, $50,309; Pinecrest Academy, Lewiston, $50,103; Gooding, $49,400; Cascade, $49,340; McCall Community, Inc., $47,997; Oneida County, $45,512.

The data also shows that tiny Prairie Elementary School District, which is located in southeastern Idaho, increased by 41%, from $44,375 to $62,588; both Marsing and Parma saw significant increases: 28.4% and 24.9%, respectively.

While the overall average was higher than last year, seven districts and charters decreased: Elevate Academy, Nampa (-2.6%), Idaho Virtual High School (-4%), Fern-Waters Public Charter (-9.7%), West Bonner County School District (-.4%), Rolling Hills Public Charter (-.3%), Grace Joint School District (-.2%) and Oneida County (-2.4%).

Regional teachers salaries

These are the average teachers salaries in the five-county area of north central Idaho, listed from highest to lowest. The data is from the Idaho Department of Education and compiled by Idaho Education News.

Genesee — $73,246

Lapwai — $69,875

Lewiston — $68,649

Moscow — $67,644

Highland-Craigmont — $67,401

Whitepine-Deary/Bovill — $63,729

Nezperce — $63,542

Kamiah — $61,350

Potlatch — $61,334

Orofino — $60,767

Cottonwood — $60,257

Troy — $60,186

Moscow Charter — $59,616

Kendrick — $58,347

Culdesac — $57,910

Mountain View-Grangeville/Kooskia/Elk City — $57,851

Palouse Prairie Educational Organization-Moscow — $56,076

Salmon River-Riggins — $52,168

Pinecrest Academy-Lewiston — $50,103