Part of your pay depends on voters
The referendum supplement must be renewed by Pinellas voters. Voter-approved referendum supplement, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027, re-certified yearly from tax collections.
Pinellas pays new teachers $60,405, the highest starting salary of the 9 Florida districts we track: $12,054 more than Hillsborough and $9,405 more than Pasco next door. A $12,905 voter-approved referendum supplement is built into that pay; without it, Pinellas would start at $47,500. Experience counts for little at hire: 30+ years adds just $7,125.
What this means: If you can choose between nearby districts, the same first-year job pays about $12,054 more in Pinellas than in Hillsborough. Much of that gap depends on the referendum, which voters have to renew.
What this means: Each year of experience you bring is worth about $238 at hire. A 20-year veteran moving to Pinellas starts at $65,155, while a Pinellas teacher with the same 20 years earns $68,314, so experience earned inside the district counts for more.
The referendum supplement must be renewed by Pinellas voters. Voter-approved referendum supplement, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027, re-certified yearly from tax collections.
If you were hired after July 1, 2011, the degree must be in your certification area to earn the supplement.
A teacher with 30+ years is placed at $67,530, only 11.8% above a brand-new teacher.
A master's in your certification area adds $2,251 a year in Pinellas. Over a 30-year career that's $67,530 before taxes.
Instructional staff hired during the 2026-27 school year (placed by verified experience) · 198-day contract
| Years of experience | Bachelor's |
|---|---|
| 0 | $60,405 |
| 1 | $60,643 |
| 2 | $60,880 |
| 3 | $61,118 |
| 4 | $61,355 |
| 5 | $61,593 |
| 6 | $61,830 |
| 7 | $62,068 |
| 8 | $62,305 |
| 9 | $62,543 |
| 10 | $62,780 |
| 11 | $63,018 |
| 12 | $63,255 |
| 13 | $63,493 |
| 14 | $63,730 |
| 15 | $63,968 |
| 16 | $64,205 |
| 17 | $64,443 |
| 18 | $64,680 |
| 19 | $64,918 |
| 20 | $65,155 |
| 21 | $65,393 |
| 22 | $65,630 |
| 23 | $65,868 |
| 24 | $66,105 |
| 25 | $66,343 |
| 26 | $66,580 |
| 27 | $66,818 |
| 28 | $67,055 |
| 29 | $67,293 |
| 30+ | $67,530 |
Professional Service Contract and Continuing Contract instructional staff · 198-day contract
From year 15 to year 41, bachelor's pay rises from $66,459 to $89,786: about $897 a year.
| Years of experience | Bachelor's | Bachelor's + 15 | Master's | Specialist | Doctorate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | $66,459 | $67,285 | $68,710 | $69,918 | $71,105 |
| 16 | $66,535 | $67,361 | $68,786 | $69,994 | $71,181 |
| 17 | $66,897 | $67,723 | $69,148 | $70,356 | $71,543 |
| 18 | $67,078 | $67,904 | $69,329 | $70,537 | $71,724 |
| 19 | $67,486 | $68,312 | $69,737 | $70,945 | $72,132 |
| 20 | $68,314 | $69,140 | $70,565 | $71,773 | $72,960 |
| 21 | $68,686 | $69,512 | $70,937 | $72,145 | $73,332 |
| 22 | $69,062 | $69,888 | $71,313 | $72,521 | $73,708 |
| 23 | $69,441 | $70,267 | $71,692 | $72,900 | $74,087 |
| 24 | $69,865 | $70,691 | $72,116 | $73,324 | $74,511 |
| 25 | $70,383 | $71,209 | $72,634 | $73,842 | $75,029 |
| 26 | $70,848 | $71,674 | $73,099 | $74,307 | $75,494 |
| 27 | $71,365 | $72,191 | $73,616 | $74,824 | $76,011 |
| 28 | $72,061 | $72,887 | $74,312 | $75,520 | $76,707 |
| 29 | $72,914 | $73,740 | $75,165 | $76,373 | $77,560 |
| 30 | $73,751 | $74,577 | $76,002 | $77,210 | $78,397 |
| 31 | $75,458 | $76,284 | $77,709 | $78,917 | $80,104 |
| 32 | $77,165 | $77,991 | $79,416 | $80,624 | $81,811 |
| 33 | $78,872 | $79,698 | $81,123 | $82,331 | $83,518 |
| 34 | $80,579 | $81,405 | $82,830 | $84,038 | $85,225 |
| 35 | $82,286 | $83,112 | $84,537 | $85,745 | $86,932 |
| 36 | $83,992 | $84,818 | $86,243 | $87,451 | $88,638 |
| 37 | $85,699 | $86,525 | $87,950 | $89,158 | $90,345 |
| 38 | $87,613 | $88,439 | $89,864 | $91,072 | $92,259 |
| 39 | $88,441 | $89,267 | $90,692 | $91,900 | $93,087 |
| 40 | $89,268 | $90,094 | $91,519 | $92,727 | $93,914 |
| 41 | $89,786 | $90,612 | $92,037 | $93,245 | $94,432 |
New teachers start at $60,405 in 2026-27 for a 198-day contract. The highest published teacher salary is $94,432.
Yes, $2,251 a year, if the degree is in your certification area. Specialist degrees add $3,459 and Doctorates add $4,646.
A voter-approved local tax that adds $12,905 to teacher salaries in 2026-27. It is already included in the salary schedule.
The School Board approved it on September 22, 2026. Schedules are negotiated every year.
Districts negotiate pay every year. We'll email you when the new schedule is out, with what changed for your experience level. No spam.
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Effective 2026-07-01. Board approved 2026-09-22. Official documents:
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