SURVEY: NC falls to 46th spot in teacher pay, salaries expected to decrease again

RALEIGH, N.C. (WITN) - A national report is being used to highlight North Carolina’s weakness in not supporting education.

The National Education Association has released its 2026 Educators Pay report, and in it North Carolina is ranked 46th.

The North Carolina Association of Educators has said this spot is three slots lower than it was last year, and the average teacher salary is expected to decline again.

“North Carolina’s placement in these rankings is an embarrassment — and it is the entirely predictable result of a legislature that has been captured by corporations and wealthy donors,” said Tamika Kelly, the president of the association. “This report shows the nation what educators in this state already know: tax cuts for the powerful have come at the direct expense of our public schools and the educators who serve them.”

According to the release, North Carolina spends approximately $13,680 per student, while others on average spend $19,000, which is 40% less.

“When you starve public schools of funding and let teacher pay decline, you are not just failing children — you are undermining the democratic promise that every kid, regardless of zip code or income, deserves an equal shot,” Kelly concluded.

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