Teacher Salary
Schedules

2026-27 · State salary guide

Illinois teacher salary schedules 2026-27

Midwest landscape with a school, trees and warm sunlight.
Average salary
$78,495NEA 2024-25
Starting salary
$46,655NEA 2024-25
State minimum
$43,543See state terms
Districts sourced
10Official schedules

Illinois teachers averaged $78,495 in 2024-25 per NEA, and the average starting salary was $46,655.

Illinois teachers averaged $78,495 in 2024-25 per NEA, and the average starting salary was $46,655. State law sets a minimum teacher salary of $43,543 for 2026-27, rising to $45,080 in 2027-28. Among the ten largest districts, 2026-27 bachelor's starting pay runs from $48,856 in Schaumburg District 54 to about $74,600 in Chicago, and most schedules top out between about $109,000 and $144,000 in their highest lane. Pay is set by union contracts, and several districts print figures that include the board-paid TRS pension contribution.

Last verified · View sources

Compare district salaries

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. — means not supplied.

Illinois district salary comparison
Official source
Chicago Public SchoolsChicago2026-27$74,612$79,780$124,168$129,335$139,672Schedule ↗ for Chicago Public Schools
School District U-46Elgin2026-27$60,689—$111,136——Schedule ↗ for School District U-46
Rockford Public Schools 205Rockford2026-27$51,872$58,479$78,304$87,116—Schedule ↗ for Rockford Public Schools 205
Indian Prairie School District 204Aurora2026-27$58,039$70,430$74,687$118,878$143,808Schedule ↗ for Indian Prairie School District 204
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202Plainfield2026-27$57,246$68,305$66,437$113,136$130,970Schedule ↗ for Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202
Community Unit School District 300Algonquin2026-27$58,474$64,462$103,838$114,475$140,457Schedule ↗ for Community Unit School District 300
Oswego Community Unit School District 308Oswego2026-27$53,245$57,827$63,719$81,571$126,685Schedule ↗ for Oswego Community Unit School District 308
Naperville Community Unit School District 203Naperville2026-27$57,813$65,011$64,425$100,353—Schedule ↗ for Naperville Community Unit School District 203
Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54Schaumburg2026-27$48,856$54,230$89,894$116,757—Schedule ↗ for Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54
Valley View Community Unit School District 365URomeoville2026-27$53,607$59,537$109,436$121,549—Schedule ↗ for Valley View Community Unit School District 365U

10 districts shown

The district picture

Starting pay to top pay

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
Indian Prairie School District 2042026-27

BA start $58,039

Top $143,808

Community Unit School District 3002026-27

BA start $58,474

Top $140,457

Chicago Public Schools2026-27

BA start $74,612

Top $139,672

Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2022026-27

BA start $57,246

Top $130,970

Oswego Community Unit School District 3082026-27

BA start $53,245

Top $126,685

Valley View Community Unit School District 365U2026-27

BA start $53,607

Top $121,549

Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 542026-27

BA start $48,856

Top $116,757

School District U-462026-27

BA start $60,689

Top $111,136

Naperville Community Unit School District 2032026-27

BA start $57,813

Top $100,353

Rockford Public Schools 2052026-27

BA start $51,872

Top $87,116

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
DistrictYearBA startTop pay
Indian Prairie School District 2042026-27$58,039$143,808
Community Unit School District 3002026-27$58,474$140,457
Chicago Public Schools2026-27$74,612$139,672
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2022026-27$57,246$130,970
Oswego Community Unit School District 3082026-27$53,245$126,685
Valley View Community Unit School District 365U2026-27$53,607$121,549
Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 542026-27$48,856$116,757
School District U-462026-27$60,689$111,136
Naperville Community Unit School District 2032026-27$57,813$100,353
Rockford Public Schools 2052026-27$51,872$87,116

Experience & progression

How pay grows by step

Bachelor’s lane · 5 districts with numeric step data

$0k$35k$70k$105k$140k06131925Experience stepChicago Public Schools: step 1, $74,612Chicago Public Schools: step 2, $74,612Chicago Public Schools: step 3, $75,652Chicago Public Schools: step 4, $76,942Chicago Public Schools: step 5, $78,388Chicago Public Schools: step 6, $80,718Chicago Public Schools: step 7, $83,653Chicago Public Schools: step 8, $86,849Chicago Public Schools: step 9, $90,152Chicago Public Schools: step 10, $93,562Chicago Public Schools: step 11, $96,917Chicago Public Schools: step 12, $100,148Chicago Public Schools: step 13, $103,012Chicago Public Schools: step 14, $105,587Chicago Public Schools: step 15, $107,929Chicago Public Schools: step 16, $108,764Chicago Public Schools: step 17, $111,944Chicago Public Schools: step 18, $116,150Chicago Public Schools: step 19, $118,784Chicago Public Schools: step 20, $120,186Chicago Public Schools: step 21, $122,189Chicago Public Schools: step 22, $123,289Chicago Public Schools: step 23, $123,289Chicago Public Schools: step 24, $123,289Chicago Public Schools: step 25, $124,168School District U-46: step 1, $60,689School District U-46: step 2, $63,344School District U-46: step 3, $65,999School District U-46: step 4, $68,654School District U-46: step 5, $71,309School District U-46: step 6, $73,964School District U-46: step 7, $76,620School District U-46: step 8, $79,275School District U-46: step 9, $81,930School District U-46: step 10, $84,585School District U-46: step 11, $87,240School District U-46: step 12, $89,895School District U-46: step 13, $92,550School District U-46: step 14, $95,205School District U-46: step 15, $97,861School District U-46: step 16, $100,516School District U-46: step 17, $103,171School District U-46: step 18, $105,826School District U-46: step 19, $108,481School District U-46: step 20, $111,136Rockford Public Schools 205: step 1, $51,872Rockford Public Schools 205: step 2, $54,074Rockford Public Schools 205: step 3, $56,278Rockford Public Schools 205: step 4, $58,479Rockford Public Schools 205: step 5, $60,683Rockford Public Schools 205: step 6, $62,886Rockford Public Schools 205: step 7, $65,090Rockford Public Schools 205: step 8, $67,291Rockford Public Schools 205: step 9, $69,495Rockford Public Schools 205: step 10, $71,697Rockford Public Schools 205: step 11, $73,899Rockford Public Schools 205: step 12, $76,103Rockford Public Schools 205: step 20, $78,304Indian Prairie School District 204: step 1, $58,039Indian Prairie School District 204: step 2, $58,910Indian Prairie School District 204: step 3, $59,793Indian Prairie School District 204: step 4, $60,690Indian Prairie School District 204: step 5, $61,904Indian Prairie School District 204: step 6, $63,142Indian Prairie School District 204: step 7, $64,405Indian Prairie School District 204: step 8, $65,693Indian Prairie School District 204: step 9, $67,007Indian Prairie School District 204: step 10, $68,849Indian Prairie School District 204: step 11, $70,743Indian Prairie School District 204: step 12, $72,688Indian Prairie School District 204: step 13, $74,687Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 0, $57,246Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 1, $58,106Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 2, $58,977Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 3, $59,862Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 4, $60,760Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 5, $61,671Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 6, $62,597Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 7, $63,536Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 8, $64,489Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 9, $65,456Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: step 10, $66,437
  • Chicago Public Schools2026-27
  • School District U-462026-27
  • Rockford Public Schools 2052026-27
  • Indian Prairie School District 2042026-27
  • Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2022026-27
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
Bachelor’s lane by published step
DistrictStepAnnual pay
Chicago Public Schools1$74,612
Chicago Public Schools2$74,612
Chicago Public Schools3$75,652
Chicago Public Schools4$76,942
Chicago Public Schools5$78,388
Chicago Public Schools6$80,718
Chicago Public Schools7$83,653
Chicago Public Schools8$86,849
Chicago Public Schools9$90,152
Chicago Public Schools10$93,562
Chicago Public Schools11$96,917
Chicago Public Schools12$100,148
Chicago Public Schools13$103,012
Chicago Public Schools14$105,587
Chicago Public Schools15$107,929
Chicago Public Schools16$108,764
Chicago Public Schools17$111,944
Chicago Public Schools18$116,150
Chicago Public Schools19$118,784
Chicago Public Schools20$120,186
Chicago Public Schools21$122,189
Chicago Public Schools22$123,289
Chicago Public Schools23$123,289
Chicago Public Schools24$123,289
Chicago Public Schools25$124,168
School District U-461$60,689
School District U-462$63,344
School District U-463$65,999
School District U-464$68,654
School District U-465$71,309
School District U-466$73,964
School District U-467$76,620
School District U-468$79,275
School District U-469$81,930
School District U-4610$84,585
School District U-4611$87,240
School District U-4612$89,895
School District U-4613$92,550
School District U-4614$95,205
School District U-4615$97,861
School District U-4616$100,516
School District U-4617$103,171
School District U-4618$105,826
School District U-4619$108,481
School District U-4620$111,136
Rockford Public Schools 2051$51,872
Rockford Public Schools 2052$54,074
Rockford Public Schools 2053$56,278
Rockford Public Schools 2054$58,479
Rockford Public Schools 2055$60,683
Rockford Public Schools 2056$62,886
Rockford Public Schools 2057$65,090
Rockford Public Schools 2058$67,291
Rockford Public Schools 2059$69,495
Rockford Public Schools 20510$71,697
Rockford Public Schools 20511$73,899
Rockford Public Schools 20512$76,103
Rockford Public Schools 20520$78,304
Indian Prairie School District 2041$58,039
Indian Prairie School District 2042$58,910
Indian Prairie School District 2043$59,793
Indian Prairie School District 2044$60,690
Indian Prairie School District 2045$61,904
Indian Prairie School District 2046$63,142
Indian Prairie School District 2047$64,405
Indian Prairie School District 2048$65,693
Indian Prairie School District 2049$67,007
Indian Prairie School District 20410$68,849
Indian Prairie School District 20411$70,743
Indian Prairie School District 20412$72,688
Indian Prairie School District 20413$74,687
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2020$57,246
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2021$58,106
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2022$58,977
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2023$59,862
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2024$60,760
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2025$61,671
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2026$62,597
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2027$63,536
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2028$64,489
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 2029$65,456
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 20210$66,437

The wider picture

Salary in context

Illinois average$78,495
NEA 2024-25 · Source
State minimum$43,543
See state minimum terms below · Source
National average$74,495
Reporting year not published · Source
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
MeasureAmountContext
Illinois average$78,495NEA 2024-25
State minimum$43,543See state minimum terms below
National average$74,495Reporting year not published

State minimum salary

$43,543

Illinois minimum teacher salary under 105 ILCS 5/24-8 (as amended by PA 103-515), indexed each year to CPI-U and certified by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA), not ISBE: $42,411 for 2025-26, $43,543 for 2026-27 (2.67% increase, certified July 15, 2025) and $45,080 for 2027-28 (3.53% increase, certified July 15, 2026). CGFA's own copies (cgfa.ilga.gov) failed to load due to a certificate error, so the letters were read from the Illinois State Library's archived copies. No ISBE page publishing the figure was found. NEA average salary is FY 2024-25 (Rankings & Estimates); starting salary is the NEA Teacher Salary Benchmark, FY 2024-25.

Read the state minimum source ↗

Before you compare offers

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 Illinois 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.

Sources and last checked

Last verified

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