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The district that had the highest average pay among its middle school principals was Laguna Beach Unified with an average salary of $190,432.
Salaries for teachers vary widely based on geographic region. According to the National Education Association, there is roughly a $40,000 pay difference between teachers in California and Mississippi.
While California ranks second in average salaries according to the NEA, the Learning Policy Institute estimates that 80 percent of its school districts are experiencing teacher shortages. Because of these shortages, 34 percent of newly-hired teachers have substandard teaching credentials.
Top 100 average middle school principal pay by districts
| Rank | District | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laguna Beach Unified | $190,432 |
| 2 | Santa Clara Unified | $176,810 |
| 3 | Palo Alto Unified | $176,596 |
| 4 | Los Gatos Union Elementary | $175,629 |
| 5 | Carmel Unified | $175,531 |
| 6 | Hillsborough City Elementary | $174,355 |
| 7 | Cupertino Union | $167,766 |
| 8 | Saint Helena Unified | $166,946 |
| 9 | Moreland | $166,691 |
| 10 | Union Elementary | $165,154 |
| 11 | San Rafael City Elementary | $164,208 |
| 11 | San Rafael City High | $164,208 |
| 13 | Portola Valley Elementary | $164,010 |
| 14 | Porterville Unified | $163,100 |
| 15 | Arcadia Unified | $161,827 |
| 16 | Sunnyvale | $161,707 |
| 17 | Moraga Elementary | $161,391 |
| 18 | Mill Valley Elementary | $160,560 |
| 19 | Menlo Park City Elementary | $160,002 |
| 20 | Los Alamitos Unified | $159,830 |
| 21 | Fremont Unified | $159,339 |
| 22 | Tustin Unified | $158,854 |
| 23 | Kentfield Elementary | $157,990 |
| 24 | San Mateo-Foster City | $157,932 |
| 25 | Burlingame Elementary | $157,470 |
| 26 | Reed Union Elementary | $157,449 |
| 27 | Milpitas Unified | $155,854 |
| 28 | San Dieguito Union High | $155,705 |
| 29 | Ross Valley Elementary | $155,467 |
| 30 | Las Lomitas Elementary | $155,415 |
| 31 | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified | $153,836 |
| 32 | Lafayette Elementary | $153,826 |
| 33 | Campbell Union | $153,377 |
| 34 | Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary | $153,000 |
| 35 | Los Altos Elementary | $152,163 |
| 36 | Berryessa Union Elementary | $151,468 |
| 37 | Pacific Grove Unified | $151,143 |
| 38 | Sweetwater Union High | $151,136 |
| 39 | Larkspur-Corte Madera | $150,488 |
| 40 | Yuba City Unified | $150,125 |
| 41 | Woodside Elementary | $150,124 |
| 42 | Newport-Mesa Unified | $150,113 |
| 43 | Rancho Santa Fe Elementary | $148,921 |
| 44 | Saratoga Union Elementary | $148,429 |
| 45 | Pleasanton Unified | $147,968 |
| 46 | Irvine Unified | $147,385 |
| 47 | Coachella Valley Unified | $147,364 |
| 48 | Hayward Unified | $147,160 |
| 49 | Rowland Unified | $145,110 |
| 50 | Garden Grove Unified | $144,333 |
| 51 | Val Verde Unified | $144,176 |
| 52 | Mountain View Whisman | $144,020 |
| 53 | Poway Unified | $143,470 |
| 54 | Oak Grove Elementary | $143,423 |
| 55 | Riverside Unified | $143,359 |
| 56 | Perris Union High | $143,278 |
| 57 | New Haven Unified | $143,053 |
| 58 | Paramount Unified | $142,745 |
| 59 | Jefferson Elementary | $142,640 |
| 60 | Gilroy Unified | $142,317 |
| 61 | Lawndale Elementary | $142,246 |
| 62 | La Canada Unified | $142,044 |
| 63 | San Bernardino City Unified | $141,977 |
| 64 | Dublin Unified | $141,863 |
| 65 | Capistrano Unified | $141,825 |
| 66 | Dixie Elementary | $141,709 |
| 67 | Moreno Valley Unified | $141,691 |
| 68 | Albany City Unified | $141,656 |
| 69 | Evergreen Elementary | $141,310 |
| 70 | Castro Valley Unified | $141,061 |
| 71 | Cambrian | $141,034 |
| 72 | San Leandro Unified | $140,831 |
| 73 | Live Oak Unified | $140,527 |
| 74 | East Whittier City Elementary | $139,860 |
| 75 | Brawley Elementary | $139,496 |
| 76 | Orinda Union Elementary | $139,475 |
| 77 | Lake Tahoe Unified | $139,328 |
| 78 | Turlock Unified | $139,218 |
| 79 | Walnut Creek Elementary | $138,769 |
| 80 | Burbank Unified | $138,725 |
| 81 | Hughson Unified | $138,290 |
| 82 | Beaumont Unified | $138,212 |
| 83 | San Jacinto Unified | $138,193 |
| 84 | Livermore Valley Joint Unified | $138,131 |
| 85 | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | $138,074 |
| 86 | San Ramon Valley Unified | $138,066 |
| 87 | Saddleback Valley Unified | $138,062 |
| 88 | Hueneme Elementary | $138,051 |
| 89 | Lake Elsinore Unified | $137,757 |
| 90 | Anaheim Union High | $137,671 |
| 91 | Folsom-Cordova Unified | $137,647 |
| 92 | Oxnard | $137,515 |
| 93 | Newark Unified | $137,495 |
| 94 | Montebello Unified | $137,451 |
| 95 | Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified | $137,378 |
| 96 | Rio Elementary | $137,314 |
| 97 | Fountain Valley Elementary | $136,875 |
| 98 | Oakley Union Elementary | $136,846 |
| 99 | Fullerton Elementary | $136,684 |
| 100 | Glendale Unified | $136,644 |
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