A 2008-2009 report on teacher's salaries revealed that Atwater Elementary School District has the most teachers in the county earning more than $75,000 -- the highest average salary for the county.
Last week, Ed-Data, the state education data collecting service, released a report showing average teachers' salaries for every district in the state by county.
Merced City Elementary School District posted the second-highest average annual teacher salary at $72,129.
District Average salary
Atwater $76,966
Delhi $63,392
Dos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified $57,833
Gustine Unified $58,564
Hilmar Unified $59,826
Le Grand Union High $57,805
Livingston Union Elementary $68,245
McSwain Union Elementary $66,672
Merced City Elementary $72,129
Merced County Office of Education $58,215
Merced River Union Elementary $49,818
Merced Union High School $67,726
Plainsburg Union Elementary $38,243
Planada Elementary $62,472
Snelling-Merced Falls Union Elementary $45,521
Weaver Union $61,081
Winton Elementary $61,720
Plainsburg Union Elementary School District had the highest number of teachers earning $38,243 -- the lowest average salary. The district's total enrollment is 114 students, one of the county's smallest districts.
These salaries don't reflect a school district's salary range. For example, one district could have the highest-paid teacher in the state, but also have more first-year teachers than any other school district. In turn, that would reflect a lower average salary, according to the reporting agency.
Teacher salaries are set locally through negotiations between the teachers' union and a school district's board of trustees. Funds are set aside in the district's budget for salaries.
Out of four other high school districts in the state with comparable enrollment, Merced Union High School District's average teacher salary of $62,726 was lower than those three other districts in Riverside, Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties.
Merced Union High School District is right in the middle in terms of teacher's pay, out of the state's 22 other high school districts, said Raynee Daley, MUHSD Assistant Superintendent-human resources.
"We have a strong relationship with the teachers' union," Daly said. "I think we are fairly competitive."
The two school districts in the state that offered the largest number of teachers the highest salary are Los Angeles Unified School District, $66,435, and Alameda City Unified School District with $64,092.
Reporter Jamie Oppenheim can be reached at (209) 385-2407 or joppenheim@mercedsun-star.com.
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