San Mateo County teacher salaries by district, 2024-25
The average salary on teacher schedules in San Mateo County is $115,726 across 19 reporting districts, $12,174 above the California average. Sort, filter and search every one of them below.
What is the average teacher salary in San Mateo County?
- Median district
- $104,943
- Half the county's districts pay a lower average
- Districts reporting
- 19
- all in the table below
- Full-time equivalents
- 3,959
- on teacher schedules in the county
What stands out in San Mateo County teacher salaries
Depending on the district, the average salary runs from $89,457 to $147,525.
That's the full range among the 19 San Mateo County districts with at least 20 full-time equivalents.
Most San Mateo County districts pay more than the middle California district.
15 of the 19 districts in the table average more than $94,573, the median California district.
Pay roughly doubles from the first step to the top.
Across the county's districts, the typical lowest salary is $68,157 and the typical top salary is $131,013.
Cabrillo Unified reported the largest raise on last year: 6%.
Of the 18 districts that reported a raise above 0%, the median was 3.5%.2
Which San Mateo County districts have the highest teacher salaries?
By average salary, starting salary and the top of the scale, among districts with at least 20 full-time equivalents.
Highest average salary
- Menlo Park City Elementary182 full-time equivalents$147,525
- Portola Valley Elementary43 full-time equivalents$140,555
- Hillsborough City Elementary106 full-time equivalents$140,475
- San Mateo Union High523 full-time equivalents$139,477
- Sequoia Union High636 full-time equivalents$137,566
- San Mateo County Office of Education41 full-time equivalents$124,680
- San Carlos Elementary146 full-time equivalents$109,174
- Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary221 full-time equivalents$109,040
- Brisbane Elementary33 full-time equivalents$105,505
- San Mateo-Foster City611 full-time equivalents$104,943
San Mateo County average, $115,726
Highest starting salary, full credential
- Sequoia Union High$86,466
- Portola Valley Elementary$85,145
- San Mateo Union High$82,756
- Menlo Park City Elementary$79,286
- Hillsborough City Elementary$77,220
Highest salary on the schedule
- Hillsborough City Elementary$167,849
- Menlo Park City Elementary$161,960
- Sequoia Union High$160,056
- Portola Valley Elementary$160,041
- San Mateo Union High$157,234
How much do teacher salaries vary across San Mateo County?
All 19 reporting districts by average salary. The middle district pays $104,943, $10,370 above the middle California district's $94,573.
Middle district: $104,943
Each bar counts the districts whose average salary falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the median district.
Compare teacher salaries in every San Mateo County district
Average, lowest and highest salary on each district's teacher schedule. Click a column to sort it.
Showing all 19 districts, highest average salary first.
| Menlo Park City Elementary | $147,525 | $79,286 | $161,960 | 3.5% | 182 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portola Valley Elementary | $140,555 | $85,145 | $160,041 | 4% | 43 |
| Hillsborough City Elementary | $140,475 | $77,220 | $167,849 | 2.25% | 106 |
| San Mateo Union High | $139,477 | $82,756 | $157,234 | 4% | 523 |
| Sequoia Union High | $137,566 | $86,466 | $160,056 | 5.5% | 636 |
| San Mateo County Office of Education | $124,680 | $58,893 | $140,753 | 3.5% | 41 |
| San Carlos Elementary | $109,174 | $69,387 | $131,013 | 2.25% | 146 |
| Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary | $109,040 | $69,896 | $131,974 | 3% | 221 |
| Brisbane Elementary | $105,505 | $67,814 | $131,255 | 3.5% | 33 |
| San Mateo-Foster City | $104,943 | $65,604 | $128,965 | 5% | 611 |
| Millbrae Elementary | $103,937 | $64,110 | $125,046 | 2% | 101 |
| Ravenswood City Elementary | $102,665 | $70,064 | $156,418 | 2.58% | 124 |
| La Honda-Pescadero Unified | $100,598 | $71,359 | $128,319 | 4% | 23 |
| Jefferson Elementary | $100,124 | $68,157 | $127,245 | 3% | 220 |
| South San Francisco Unified | $97,383 | $67,889 | $125,220 | 3% | 468 |
| San Bruno Park Elementary | $91,903 | $60,000 | $118,936 | 5% | 102 |
| Jefferson Union High | $91,761 | $65,207 | $112,085 | 2.44% | 212 |
| Cabrillo Unified | $91,301 | $61,528 | $117,755 | 6% | 145 |
| Bayshore Elementary | $89,457 | $65,704 | $129,021 | 0% | 23 |
No district matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
A raise of 0% can also mean the district left that question blank; the state's file doesn't tell the two apart. Districts without a link have fewer than 20 full-time equivalents, too few for a page of their own. Districts with fewer than 5 are left out to protect privacy.
Questions about teacher pay in San Mateo County
What is the average teacher salary in San Mateo County?
$115,726 a year in 2024-25: the average across everyone on the teacher salary schedules of 19 reporting districts in San Mateo County. That's $12,174 above the California average of $103,552. The median San Mateo County district pays $104,943 on average.
Which San Mateo County school district pays teachers the most?
Among districts with at least 20 full-time equivalents, Menlo Park City Elementary has the highest average salary, $147,525, followed by Portola Valley Elementary ($140,555) and Hillsborough City Elementary ($140,475).
Which San Mateo County school district pays teachers the least?
Among districts with at least 20 full-time equivalents, Bayshore Elementary has the lowest average salary, $89,457, followed by Cabrillo Unified ($91,301) and Jefferson Union High ($91,761).
How much do teachers earn on the first step in San Mateo County?
Across the county's districts, the median lowest salary on the schedule is $68,157 and the median top salary is $131,013. In some districts the first step is for teachers who don't yet hold a full credential; each district page shows which column it is.
How much did teacher pay in San Mateo County rise last year?
Of the 18 districts that reported a raise above 0%, the median raise on the salary schedule was 3.5%. Another 1 show 0%, which in the state's file can also mean the question was left blank.
Average teacher salaries in San Mateo County compared to nearby counties
Average salary on teacher schedules in each county that borders San Mateo County, and how much more or less it pays.3
- Santa Clara County$122,256 average, 29 reporting districts$6,530 more than San Mateo County
- Alameda County$107,969 average, 19 reporting districts$7,757 less than San Mateo County
- San Francisco County$103,472 average, 1 reporting district$12,254 less than San Mateo County
- Santa Cruz County$87,290 average, 11 reporting districts$28,436 less than San Mateo County
Keep exploring teacher pay in California
Sources for the San Mateo County figures
Salaries are the annual amounts on each district's certificated salary schedule. Following the state's definitions, they leave out extended-year pay, bonuses and extra-curricular pay such as coaching. Counts are full-time equivalents and can include counselors, nurses and librarians paid on the same schedule. The county average, medians and rankings are our own arithmetic on these figures, using the same method as the state's published averages.
- Each district's report to the California Department of Education, Form J-90 database, 2024-25: salary schedules and full-time equivalents.
- California Department of Education, Selected Certificated Salaries and Related Statistics, 2024-25, Table I: each district's raise on last year.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024: which counties border each other.