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Dallas-Fort Worth Teacher Salary

As a DFW teacher, you’ll get a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits and opportunities to grow your career. We’ll tell you everything you need to know.

Did you know you can earn over $60,000 as a first-year teacher in Dallas-Fort Worth? That’s one of the highest starting salaries in the nation! (1

On this page, find everything you need to know about salary and benefits for DFW teachers.

Jump to: 

How Much Do Teachers Make In DFW?

Salaries vary by school district, but in general, your salary will depend on your experience and credentials. Let’s take a look.

There are lots of ways to increase your teaching salary — including earning an advanced degree, leading extracurriculars and meeting performance benchmarks.

Salaries for High-Performing Teachers

Programs like the Teacher Incentive Allotment or Dallas ISD’s Teacher Excellence Initiative are designed to reward educators for effective teaching. You can earn close to — or even over — six figures!

A DFW elementary school teacher works one-on-one with a student on a math workbook

 

Dallas ISD bases teacher salaries primarily on job performance and an annual evaluation — rather than a traditional, experience-based salary schedule. If you receive a high evaluation, your salary could increase significantly the following year!

In other districts, you can still boost your salary through job performance. The Teacher Incentive Allotment lets districts designate “Recognized,” “Exemplary,” and “Master” high-performing teachers. These designations come with a salary bonus — sometimes for thousands of dollars! (3)

Find out if your district participates in the Teacher Incentive Allotment.

Other Ways to Increase Your Teaching Salary

An example of how a teacher could increase salary. A middle school math teacher in Cedar Hill ISD could earn a $56K base salary plus stipends and bonuses for a master’s and five years’ experience + teaching in a shortage area + the Teacher Incentive Allotment + working as the yearbook sponsor, adding up to a total salary of $66,175.

Job performance and experience are two of the best ways to increase your salary — but they’re not your only options!

You could also: 

  • Teach a shortage area subject. Some districts offer extra stipends for teachers in high-need subject areas, like math, science or bilingual education. 
  • Earn an advanced credential. Many districts offer higher pay to teachers with advanced degrees (like a master’s or doctorate), or who earn their National Board Certification
  • Lead an extracurricular. You can earn stipends if you lead certain extracurriculars, such as yearbook, choir or athletics. Stipends vary depending on your activity and district, but pay often ranges from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

Ask your district if they offer incentives or extra pay in any of these areas! 

How much do similar professions make?

A bar chart of DFW average salaries. The chart says: Registered Nurse - $78K; Teacher - $62K; Paralegal - $59K; Graphic Designer - $49K; Bookkeeper - $47K; Community Health Worker - $38K. Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Salary numbers are important, but you may be wondering how teaching compares to other professions. 

A DFW teacher’s salary is comparable to or even higher than many other fields. Plus, teachers are contracted to work about 190 days each year — compared to 260 work days in most other fields. (4)

Benefits for DFW Teachers

As a teacher, you can expect comprehensive health insurance — plus a retirement plan, vacation time and more.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, jobs for teachers will grow by 11% between 2018 and 2028. That’s almost 3x higher than projected teaching job growth at the national level! (6

Grow Your Career

A DFW high school computer science teacher helps a student in the computer lab

As an educator, you can grow your career — and your salary — both in and out of the classroom. 

Build your classroom career 

As you gain experience, you can grow into specialized leadership roles, such as a mentor teacher or peer observer position.

Mentor teachers help student teachers and early career teachers build their skills. Mentors also earn extra pay! 

Grow outside the classroom

After you have some experience under your belt, you might be curious about shifting your career focus. School or district leadership positions can be a great next step.

Principals, curriculum coordinators and superintendents help schools and districts run smoothly. These roles also have their own salary schedules — often over six figures! 

Want to learn more about career growth for teachers? Visit our Teacher Career Path Guide for more ideas and options.

Take Your Next Step

A smiling future DFW teacher talks to a career coach on the phone

Have more questions about teaching in Dallas-Fort Worth? A TeachDFW coach can tell you all about teacher salaries, teaching programs and more. Visit our coaching page to set up a free session!

Talk to a Coach

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References

  1. “Teacher Pay and Student Spending: How Does Your State Rank?” National Education Association. April 26, 2022.  https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank
  2. May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_19100.htm#25-0000 
  3. Allotments, TIA Texas. https://tiatexas.org/allotments/ 
  4. Salary Finder. CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/wages/find-salary.aspx 
  5. Retirement Eligibility Requirements, Teacher Retirement System of Texas.  https://www.trs.texas.gov/TRS%20Documents/benefits_handbook.pdfhttps://www.trs.tex
  6. Career Exploration and Trends, Texas Workforce Commission. https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/career-exploration-trends