How much are teachers paid in San Diego CA, and what are the other benefits?
Executive summary
San Diego teacher pay estimates vary widely by data source and employer: aggregated sites show averages from roughly $49k–$64k (Talent.com $48,672; ZipRecruiter $49,465; Salary.com $57,964–$64,838) while employer-specific and crowd-sourced data for San Diego Unified put typical teacher pay much higher — Glassdoor reports averages near $73k–$80k with ranges from about $50k to $108k [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]. San Diego Unified offers a comprehensive benefits package including fully paid family health coverage and contractual gains such as a 15% raise and six weeks birthing-parent leave in its recent agreement [5] [7] [8].
1. Conflicting salary numbers, same city — why the spread
Public salary estimates for “teachers in San Diego” differ because sources use different populations and methods: national aggregators (ZipRecruiter, Talent.com, Salary.com) report citywide averages or entry-level ranges—ZipRecruiter lists $49,465 for a generic teacher and $57,012 for entry-level [1] [2], Salary.com gives $57,964 for a public school teacher and $64,838 as a broader teachers’ average [3] [4], while Glassdoor’s submissions for San Diego Unified specifically show averages near $73k–$80k and a wide interquartile spread roughly $57k–$96k [6] [5]. Different job titles (elementary vs. high school), experience, district salary schedules and self-reported samples drive the variance [9] [10].
2. What district schedules and “official” pay show — San Diego Unified context
District-level salary schedules exist and are the clearest official source for classroom pay; San Diego Unified posts salary schedules and benefits information on its HR pages [11]. Historical published salary ranges for SDUSD showed starting salaries around $50,744 up to more than $107k with steps for advanced degrees and experience, indicating that a teacher’s pay can more than double across steps and qualifications [12]. Available sources do not publish a single SDUSD 2025 base schedule number in these search results, but the district’s own pages are listed as the source for detailed schedules [11].
3. Recent contract gains and benefits that matter for total compensation
A 2023 contract between San Diego Unified and the teacher union included a 15% raise, maintained fully paid family health coverage, and added six weeks of birthing-parent/maternity leave — changes the district touted as key recruitment and retention tools [7]. The district is a member of CA Schools VEBA for health benefits administration, and its benefits pages point readers to the 2025 Employee Benefits Information Guide for plan specifics [8]. Glassdoor and Indeed employee reviews also highlight strong health insurance and good benefits as a reason compensation feels competitive inside SDUSD [13] [14].
4. Other employers in the region and role differences affect pay and perks
Not all San Diego teachers work for SDUSD. Pay at county education offices, private schools, nonprofits and charter schools differs; the San Diego County Office of Education advertises “competitive salaries” and a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees, though specifics vary by role [15]. PayScale and Salary.com show different averages for elementary and high-school roles — PayScale lists average high school pay around $63,885 and elementary around $60,057, demonstrating role-based variance [9] [10]. Independent sites like Indeed and Glassdoor sometimes report much higher averages for specific employers or subpopulations, reflecting that employer and position matter more than city alone [16] [5].
5. How to read the numbers if you’re comparing offers or planning a career
Use district salary schedules (SDUSD HR pages) as the primary source for step placement and negotiated raises, then layer on union contracts and benefits guides [11] [8] [7]. Aggregators provide useful market context but report broad, sometimes conflicting averages: Salary.com and ZipRecruiter give mid-to-high $50ks for generic teachers [3] [2] [1], while Glassdoor’s SDUSD sample centers in the $70ks–$80ks range and reports higher percentiles above $100k [6] [5]. Available sources do not mention other district-specific supplemental pay (e.g., stipends for coaching or extra duties) beyond what’s summarized in union/district coverage [7].
6. Trade-offs and unstated incentives in public reporting
Employer-published benefits pages and union press around contracts emphasize wins (healthcare, leave, raises) that strengthen recruitment narratives; independent aggregator sites can undercount negotiated benefits and step increases because they report raw averages from job posts or anonymous users [7] [8] [2]. Crowd-sourced sites (Glassdoor, Indeed) reflect employee perceptions and can skew higher or lower depending on who reports; district HR documents and union agreements are necessary to verify specific pay scales and benefit entitlements [5] [11] [7].
If you want precise figures for a particular slot (entry BA step, MA + 8 years, special education, SDUSD vs. charter), consult the San Diego Unified salary schedules page and the 2025 Employee Benefits Information Guide linked by the district, then compare with published union contract summaries [11] [8] [7]. Available sources do not provide a single definitive “San Diego teacher salary” without specifying district, level and step [11] [5].