Salary and Benefits

Earn what you deserve while doing what you love.

No other career offers more personal fulfillment, but teachers deserve financial security, too. Newark Public Schools offers a compensation and benefits package that rewards effective teachers, giving teachers the freedom to do what they love. 

Salary

Our teachers receive one of the highest starting salaries in the country. For the 2018-19 school year, the starting salary for a teacher in Newark Public Schools is $53,000; teachers with more experience can earn more than $95,000! And unlike most school districts, we put our money where our mouth is when it comes to valuing great teaching. Build a track record of success in the classroom and you’ll be eligible for bonuses of up to $5,000 every year. Click here to download our 2018-19 Salary Scale.

Teachers selected to join a school in our renew schools initiative will receive extra professional development opportunities and earn an additional yearly stipend of between $3,000 and $4,500. In addition, teachers who complete an education program that is aligned to our district priorities can receive a one-time award of up to $10,000, and another $10,000 after completing three additional years of service in the district. Together, this means our top-performing teachers can earn more than $100,000 a year.

Benefits

As a teacher in Newark Public Schools, you’ll receive a robust benefits package in addition to your salary, including medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug plans. Teachers can select between two healthcare plans (HMO or PPO) for themselves and their dependents. Healthcare premium rates are determined by your salary and costs like co-pays are determined by which plan you select. For our prescription plan, you may pay nothing for generic drugs and $20 for brand drugs. And we cover the total premium costs for vision and dental benefits for teachers—that’s right, those are free! Additional benefits include:

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA), where you can set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible medical expenses  
• TransitChek, tax-free commuter benefits for parking and transit expenses
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Tax Sheltered Annuity Plans (403(b), 403(b) Roth, 457(b))
• LegalShield (Prepaid Legal and Identity Theft Program)
• 529 College Savings Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Professional Improvement Funds, to attend conferences or classes aligned to your professional growth
• Career Advancement Opportunities
• Weight Watchers: NPS pay 50% of the Meeting + OnlinePlus Membership Plan or 50% of the OnlinePlus Membership Plan
• Peerfit allows employees to take classes at local fitness studios through the District’s Employee Wellness Program at no cost to the employee

Paid Time Off

All teachers can take up to 17 days of paid time off each year: 5 personal and 12 sick days, if needed. In addition, employees get up to 20 holiday and vacation days off during the school year! 

Retirement 

Newark teachers are enrolled in the New Jersey Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund. As a “defined benefit” plan, after a ten-year vestment schedule, retired Newark teachers can receive monthly pension payments for the rest of their lives. After three years, teachers can borrow from their pension account.