15 Highest Paid School Districts In California

A good education can open doors to a lifetime of opportunities. A group of data shows that the value of a degree increases over time. Bachelor’s degree holders earn almost $26,000 more per year than high school graduates.

If students decide that pursuing a college degree is not the best post-secondary option, a good school will provide them with the tools and support they need to make that decision. A good school will also provide the foundational skills you will need to succeed in the workforce.

When deciding where to buy a home, many families prioritize the school district. However, in today’s wildly competitive housing market, this consideration and ability to choose is not a luxury that all families can afford.

Here, we’ve compiled a list of the highest paid school districts in California using Niche rankings, as a lot of recent studies suggest that increased spending per student correlates with higher academic achievement.

Niche ranks school districts based on academics (SAT/ACT scores and state proficiency tests), teacher salaries, expenses per student, and access to extracurricular activities. Before we begin, let’s look at a few reasons you should study in California. Cheers!

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Why Should You Study In California?

Geography and Climate

California’s natural beauty and mild climate make it a popular choice for many college students. Because of the state’s size, different regions experience a wide range of climate conditions, including hot deserts and snowy mountains.

However, major cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles are generally mild all year.

California is also well-known for its natural splendor. Mountain ranges, deserts, forests, and beaches can all be found in the state.

Residents of California can also visit some of the country’s most beautiful national parks like Yosemite National Park, Redwood National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park.

Cultural Variation

The state is known throughout the country for its cultural and racial diversity. In 2014, Latino overtook whites as the state’s largest ethnic group.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, they will account for 39% of the state’s population in 2021. Asian and Pacific Islander residents account for 15% of the state’s population, while African Americans account for 6%.

California’s major cities and college towns are generally large and always improving. It is well known as a center of liberalism in the United States.

Many LGBTQ-friendly schools can be found in California, including developing universities.

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Activities for Outdoor Recreation

California also has a diverse landscape that provides numerous opportunities for outdoor activities. Surfing, skiing, hiking, and camping are all easily accessible to students, often within a short drive of major cities. Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks are among the most visited in the United States.

The Sierra Nevada Mountains provide some of the most popular skiing and snowboarding opportunities in California.

Lake Tahoe is home to several popular ski resorts, including Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and Heavenly Ski Resort. California is also home to some of the best beaches on the West Coast.

Possibilities in Technology

California is also known as a tech hub. It provides numerous professional and educational opportunities for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Stanford University and Berkeley are well known for graduating prominent figures in the tech industry and producing startup technology ventures.

Internships and other learning opportunities at some of the country’s top technology companies, including Apple and Google, are available to students studying in California.

Internships and other professional connections can often help students find work after college. California also has some coding boot camps, which are another route into the tech industry.

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Academic Possibilities

California is home to many of the country’s top universities. Berkeley and UCLA are among the best public colleges in the United States and are part of the UC System. The California State University System, which enrolled over 485,550 students across 23 campuses in 2020, is also located in the state.

Students from all over the country attend private colleges such as Stanford, the University of Southern California, and the California Institute of Technology.

Pomona and Harvey Mudd are two smaller, more selective liberal arts colleges in California. Students in California can also attend coding boot camps, vocational schools, and community colleges.

Green Industries

In the expansion of green jobs and the green economy, California is a national leader. The state has passed legislation to reduce carbon emissions and create new jobs in environmentally friendly industries. Wind power, solar power, and biofuels are major sectors of California’s green economy.

Unsurprisingly, many of California’s best colleges are also among the greenest in the country. Environmental science and sustainability studies academic programs prepare students to pursue a wide range of environmental careers after graduation. California is also one of the top states for green jobs, providing students with numerous career options.

School Districts In California

California school districts are classified into three types, they include:

  • The Unified districts: This includes all Elementary and High Schools in the same geographic area.
  • The Elementary school districts: This includes only K-6 or K-8 schools and may have several elementary districts within one high school district’s geographic area.
  • The High School Districts: This includes one or more high schools in the same geographic area.

The Elementary school districts may or may not include the word Elementary in their names. The words Joint and/or Union are sometimes included in the name of the district. 

A joint school district educates students from multiple counties. A union elementary school district was formed by combining two previous school districts, whereas a union high school district serves students from multiple elementary school districts.

In California, the most common district grade configurations are elementary (K-8), high (9-12), and unified (K-12). There are some K-6 elementary districts and a few 7-12 high school districts. Districts may merge or consolidate and the number of districts may change on an annual basis.

Having known about the different school districts in California, let’s take a look at some of the highest paid school districts in California.

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15 Highest Paid School Districts In California

#1 Carmel Unified School District

Carmel Unified School District is one of the highest paid school districts in California. It’s a highly regarded public school district in Carmel, California.

Carmel Unified School has about  2,335 students in grades K-12 and a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. According to state test results, 69% of students are good in math and 79% in reading.

Average Graduation Rate: 95%

Average Teacher Salary: $121,948

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#2 Saint Helena Unified School District

Saint Helena Unified School District is part of the highest paid school district in California. It is a highly regarded public school district in St. Helena.

It has 1,187 students in grades K-12, with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. According to state test results, 50% of students are at least good in math and 67% are good at reading.

Average Graduation Rate: 92%

Average Teacher Salary: $134,288

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#3 Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District

Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District is a highly rated public school district in Truckee, California. It is not only highly rated but also one of the highest paid school districts in California you can find.

The school has 3,945 students in grades K-12, with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1. According to state test results, 53% of students are good in math and 60% in reading.

Average Graduation Rate: 88%

Average Teacher Salary: $106,017

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#4 Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is another highly rated public school district in Santa Monica, California. It has 9,929 K-12 students with a student-teacher ratio of 21 to 1.

According to state test results, 61% of students are good at math and 74% are good at reading. Due to the school’s high average graduation rate, it’s now highly sorted after and therefore came out as one of the highest paid school districts in California.

Average Graduation Rate: 94%

Average Teacher Salary: $105,691

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#5 Solana Beach Elementary School District

Solana Beach Elementary School District is a public school district in Solana Beach, California. It has 2,720 K-6 students with a student-teacher ratio of 20 to 1. According to state test results, 82% of students are good at math and 86% are good at reading.

Average Teacher Salary: $141,209

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#6 Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District

Again, on our list of the highest paid school districts in California is the Rancho Santa Fe Elementary school district. It’s a highly regarded public school district in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

It has 547 K-8 students with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. According to state test results, 83% of students are good at math and 90% are good at reading.

Average Teacher Salary: $106,781

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#7 Arcadia Unified School District

Arcadia Unified School District is a highly rated public school district in Arcadia, California. Due to its high graduation rate and other considerable factors, Niche ranked it among the highest paid school districts in California.

It has 8,946 K-12 students with a student-teacher ratio of 24 to 1. According to state test results, 75% of students are good at math and 77% are good at reading.

Average Graduation Rate: 99%

Average Teacher Salary: $111,323

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#8 Beverly Hills Unified School District

Beverly Hills Unified School District is a highly regarded public school district in Beverly Hills, California. It has 3,313 students in grades K-12, with a 14-to-1 student-teacher ratio. According to state test results, 64% of students are good at math and 75% are good at reading.

Average Graduation Rate: 92%

Average Teacher Salary: $105,670

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#9 La Canada Unified School District

La Canada Unified School District is a highly rated public school district in La Canada, California. It has 3,988 K-12 students with a student-teacher ratio of 24 to 1. According to state test results, 85% of students are good at math and 89% are good at reading. It is one of the highest paid school districts in California with a high graduation rate of 99%.

Average Graduation Rate: 99%

Average Teacher Salary: $94,097

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#10 Pacific Grove Unified School District

Pacific Grove Unified School District is a highly rated public school district in Pacific Grove, California. It has 1,899 K-12 students with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1. According to state test results, 65% of students are good at math and 78% are good at reading.

Average Graduation Rate: 92%

Average Teacher Salary: $133,421

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#11 Laguna Beach Unified School District

Laguna Beach Unified School District is a highly rated public school district in Laguna Beach, California. It has 2,634 students in grades K-12, with an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio.

According to state test results, 78% of students are good at math and 83% are good at reading. Its quality education made it a sort of school that qualifies to be on this list of the highest paid school districts in California.

Average Graduation Rate99%

Average Teacher Salary

$127,138

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#12 San Dieguito Union High School District

San Dieguito Union High School District is a highly rated public school district in Encinitas, California. It serves 13,001 students in grades 7-12 and has a student-teacher ratio of 25 to 1.

According to state test results, 72% of students are good at math and 79% are good at reading.

Average Graduation Rate: 95%

Average Teacher Salary: $110,214

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#13 San Marino Unified School District

SMUSD serves its diverse community through a variety of programs, supportive environments, and innovative student learning opportunities. It encourages individual student excellence, collaboration, and discovery.

Also, it encourages students to assume responsibility as members of a diverse, global community.

As one of the highest paid school districts in California, the SMUSD seeks and values community involvement, and exceptional, highly trained, and dedicated personnel. It also seeks personal responsibility and accountability, service to others, and continuous improvement.

Average Graduation Rate: 95%

Average Teacher Salary: $90,822

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#14 South Pasadena Unified School District

South Pasadena Unified School District is a highly rated public school district in South Pasadena, California. It has 4,718 K-12 students with a student-teacher ratio of 24 to 1.

According to state test results, 79% of students are good at math and 84% are good at reading. Any list of the highest paid school districts in California will be incomplete without this school district.

Average Graduation Rate: 92%

Average Teacher Salary: $97,105

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#15 Del Mar Union Elementary School District

Del Mar Union Elementary School District is a top-rated public school district in San Diego, California. It has 3,853 K-6 students with a student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1. According to state test results, 84% of students are good at math and 86% are good at reading.

Average Teacher Salary: $128,937

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Conclusion

Although California is a state with a high cost of living and a higher-than-average student-to-teacher ratio, it has one of the best qualities of education in its various districts.

Most of them are the highest paid school districts in California with a high graduation rate. This article gives you a list of a few of the highest paid school districts in California you can get into if you wish to study in such districts.

Frequently Asked Questions On The Highest Paid School Districts In California

Which school is one of the highest paid school districts in California?

Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District in Silicon Valley had the highest teacher pay, with teachers earning an average of $136,500.

Which city in California pays the most to teachers?

The highest-paying metropolitan areas in California for elementary school teachers include Riverside, Modesto, Anaheim, and Los Angeles/ Long Beach.

What is the highest paying district in California?

The highest-paying district is Montecito Union Elementary District, which serves a wealthy community near Santa Barbara and has an average salary of $101,066.2

What types of teachers are in high demand?

ESL teachers are among the most in-demand teachers.

Why are ESL teachers in high demand?

They are in high demand because one in every five children speaks a language other than English at home. This means that approximately 21% of students in every public school classroom may struggle to understand the lesson.

Is California a good place to work as a teacher?

Despite its high cost of living and higher-than-average student-to-teacher ratio, California was ranked 13th as the best state for teachers, owing in large part to its high average wages for all types of teachers.

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