Benefits and Pay

Almost 135,000 people work full-time in New York City’s public school system, with the shared mission of providing our 1.1 million students with an education that gives them the tools to thrive in college, in careers, and as active members of their communities.

Benefits

Department of Education (DOE) employees who work more than 20 hours a week can select from a variety of health insurance plans, several of which require no employee contributions. Coverage for employees and their families begins on the first day of employment. Employees also receive dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits, and are eligible for health benefits after retirement.

The Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York (TRS) provides New York City public school teachers with retirement, disability and death benefit services, while other DOE employees receive similar benefits through the Board of Education Retirement System (BERS) or the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS). Members of TRS and BERS may also participate in Tax-Deferred Annuity programs, which allow members to defer taxes on their contributions and any investment earnings from those contributions until they withdraw the money as income.

DOE employees are eligible for many additional benefits, including commuter benefits, a college savings program, and employee discounts on everything from technology and media to travel and education. In addition, scholarships, financial incentives, and other special programs are available for many employees.

Pay

We offer extremely competitive salaries to newly hired teachers. Salaries are based on prior experience as well as academic coursework and degrees earned. For 2023-24, starting salaries for teachers range from $62,902 (bachelor’s degree, no prior teaching experience) to $86,491 (master’s degree, eight years teaching experience). New teachers with a master’s degree but no prior teaching experience will earn $70,711.Teachers’ salaries increase each year with more experience and educational qualifications. Learn more about all of the requirements and opportunities at the TeachNYC Online Support Center.

We also offer competitive salaries, commensurate with your education, skills, and experience, for employees working in its many other roles – both in our schools and in our administrative offices.

Salary Information

The following salary schedules specify salary information in relation to the employee’s salary step, differential, longevity, salary base, experience, advancement increase, tuition reimbursement, staff development, educational differential, uniform allowance, and job level, where applicable to a given title.

Salary Credit for Prior Related Non-Teaching Experience

If you are teaching in one of the following license areas, you may qualify for related non-teaching experience salary credit:

  • Accounting and Business Practices
  • Attendance Teacher
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Distributive Education
  • Earth Science
  • Home Economics
  • Industrial Arts
  • Library
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Science
  • Special Education Licenses (all)
  • Stenography and/or Typewriting
  • Technical Subjects
  • Shop Subjects/Trades

Teachers in the license areas listed above can receive salary step credit for related non-teaching experience if the experience meets all of the following criteria:

  • It was paid
  • It was full-time
  • You worked at least one full calendar year in the qualifying position
  • The position was reasonably related to your NYC DOE license area
  • You performed the work prior to your date of assignment at the NYC DOE

More Information About Qualifying Non-Teaching Experience

Qualifying non-teaching experience can include work performed in military service, provided that the experience meets the requirements above.

Teachers of some career and technical education subjects (known as "trade teachers") may be eligible for salary step credit based upon experience as practitioners of their trades. One example of this professional experience is completion of the Success Via Apprenticeship (SVA) program - an internship program offered jointly by the United Federation of Teachers and the NYC DOE. If you are a teacher of a career or technical education subject and need additional guidance as to whether or not your prior work experience qualifies you for a salary step increase, please call the Office of Salary Services directly: (718) 935-4000.

Service as a paraprofessional or as a teacher's aide does not qualify for salary credit.

Please contact the Office of Salary Services for information about other titles (for example, guidance counselor, school social worker, school psychologist, or school secretary).