KCPS just announced a new teacher raise. How does it compare to area school districts?

Teachers with Kansas City Public Schools are getting a raise.

The school district superintendent Jennifer Collier announced that first-year teacher salaries will increase from $46,650 to $48,150. Current teachers will also see a pay raise in their annual salary.

Before the raise, teachers in Missouri were among the lowest paid in the nation, according to the National Education Association. The average starting teacher salary is $34,052 a year, which the NEA ranked as the lowest starting wage in the country. The average teacher salary in the state is $52,481, ranking 47th in the U.S.

In Kansas, the average starting salary is $40,130; the average teacher salary is $54,988. The national average starting salary is $42,844, and the average teacher salary is $66,745.

Data from Kansas City area schools aligns with those state-level numbers: KC Public Schools’ starting salary is above all of the nearby districts on the Missouri side, but close to or lower than several districts in Kansas.

What school districts around Kansas City pay the most — and least? Here’s what the most recent data says.

How much do Kansas City area school teachers make?

Teacher salaries vary around the Kansas City area, and the years vary on the available data. Most schools have their 2023-2024 school year salaries posted, while a few have already posted their salaries for 2024-2025.

Every school district in the Kansas City area has raised their starting salaries since The Star’s 2022 report, but the amount varies by district.