Lowest published bachelor’s starting pay → highest published maximum across degree lanes in the districts below. Years and eligibility vary.
Average salary
$71,524NEA 2024-25
Starting salary
$48,722NEA 2024-25
State minimum
$43,592See state terms
Districts sourced
9Official schedules
Georgia teachers averaged $71,524 in 2024-25 per NEA, and the average starting salary was $48,722.
Georgia teachers averaged $71,524 in 2024-25 per NEA, and the average starting salary was $48,722. The state salary schedule for 2026-27 sets a floor of $43,592 for a new teacher with a bachelor's (T-4) certificate and $48,706 with a master's (T-5), and every large metro district adds a local supplement well above it. Among the nine largest districts with posted schedules, bachelor's starting pay ranges from $53,910 (Henry) to $62,434 (Atlanta), and the top of the master's lane from $85,565 (Henry) to $103,596 (Atlanta). Savannah-Chatham posts no current teacher schedule.
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
Atlanta Public Schools2026-27
BA start $62,434
Top $128,375
Cobb County School District2026-27
BA start $60,604
Top $125,262
Fulton County Schools2026-27
BA start $60,506
Top $118,572
Gwinnett County Public Schools2026-27
BA start $61,146
Top $114,000
DeKalb County School District2026-27
BA start $60,000
Top $113,300
Cherokee County School District2026-27
BA start $59,438
Top $113,221
Forsyth County Schools2026-27
BA start $56,784
Top $108,987
Clayton County Public Schools2026-27
BA start $57,809
Top $107,490
Henry County Schools2026-27
BA start $53,910
Top $105,144
Savannah-Chatham County Public School SystemYear 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
Atlanta Public Schools
2026-27
$62,434
$128,375
Cobb County School District
2026-27
$60,604
$125,262
Fulton County Schools
2026-27
$60,506
$118,572
Gwinnett County Public Schools
2026-27
$61,146
$114,000
DeKalb County School District
2026-27
$60,000
$113,300
Cherokee County School District
2026-27
$59,438
$113,221
Forsyth County Schools
2026-27
$56,784
$108,987
Clayton County Public Schools
2026-27
$57,809
$107,490
Henry County Schools
2026-27
$53,910
$105,144
Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
Not published
Not published
Not published
Experience & progression
How pay grows by step
Bachelor’s lane · 5 districts with numeric step data
Gwinnett County Public Schools2026-27
Cobb County School District2026-27
DeKalb County School District2026-27
Fulton County Schools2026-27
Forsyth County 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
Georgia average
$71,524
NEA 2024-25
State minimum
$43,592
See state minimum terms below
National average
$74,495
Reporting year not published
State minimum salary
$43,592
GaDOE FY2027 State Salary Schedule (FY27 Initial Amendment 3, 10 months, school year 2026-27): T-4 (bachelor's) $43,592 for 0-2 years rising to $60,787 at 21+ years; T-5 (master's) $48,706 to $68,481; T-6 (specialist) $53,803 to $76,150; T-7 (doctorate) $58,676 to $83,480. Steps are E, 1-7 and L1-L6. The FY2027 state budget has no teacher raise but includes a $2,000 one-time retention supplement. The report is generated by GaDOE but the copy read is hosted on a Georgia school district's site; DECAL's FY2027 Pre-K lead teacher schedule shows the same figures. NEA average salary is FY 2024-25 (Rankings & Estimates, August 2026); starting salary is the NEA Teacher Salary Benchmark, FY 2024-25.
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 Georgia 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.