Atlanta Public Schools Salary Schedule: What Teachers and Staff Need to Know

If you work for Atlanta Public Schools (APS)—or you’re thinking about applying—it helps to understand how the APS salary schedule works. Your pay in Atlanta isn’t just a random number; it’s based on a formal structure that takes your job type, education, experience, and certifications into account.

This guide walks you through how APS pay scales are organized, what affects your salary, and how to get accurate, up‑to‑date information as a current or future employee in Atlanta, Georgia.

How the Atlanta Public Schools Salary Schedule Works

APS uses a series of salary schedules (or “pay scales”) that set pay ranges for different positions across the district. These schedules typically apply to:

• Teachers and instructional staff
• School-based administrators (principals, assistant principals)
• Paraprofessionals and support staff
• Central office and administrative roles
• Facilities, transportation, and nutrition staff

For most employees, pay is determined by a combination of:

• Position / job classification
• Education level (bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctorate)
• Years of relevant experience
• Certifications and endorsements
• Full-time or part-time status

APS updates its salary schedules periodically, usually tied to the school year budget approved by the Atlanta Board of Education.

Where to Find the Official APS Salary Schedules

Because salaries can change from year to year, the most reliable source is always APS itself.

You can get current salary schedules by:

• Visiting the Atlanta Public Schools Human Resources section online
• Calling or visiting the district’s main office in downtown Atlanta

Atlanta Public Schools – Central Office
130 Trinity Avenue SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Main Phone: (404) 802‑3500

You can ask for Human Resources Compensation or Talent Management and request the latest teacher and staff salary schedules, or guidance on how your experience would be credited.

Understanding the APS Teacher Salary Schedule

Most people searching for “Atlanta Public Schools salary schedule” are looking for teacher pay. APS, like many Georgia districts, organizes teacher pay in a grid that includes:

• Steps (rows) – usually based on years of credible experience
• Lanes (columns) – based on your degree level and certification

Key Factors That Affect Teacher Pay in Atlanta

Here’s what usually determines your placement on the APS teacher salary schedule:

1. Degree level

   • Bachelor’s (B)
   • Master’s (M)
   • Specialist (Ed.S.)
   • Doctorate (Ed.D. or Ph.D.)

2. Georgia teacher certification

   • You must hold the appropriate Georgia professional certificate or be working under an approved alternative pathway.

3. Years of verified experience

   • APS typically recognizes prior teaching experience from other districts (inside or outside Georgia), once it’s verified.
   • This can move you several “steps” up, increasing your starting salary.

4. Endorsements and specialist roles

   • Certain roles (for example, special education, ESOL, or gifted) may have additional stipends or higher pay bands, depending on APS policies and staffing needs.

5. Contract length

   • Some positions work more days than a standard 190-day teacher contract, which can increase total annual pay.

Simple Example of How a Teacher Schedule Is Structured

Actual numbers change over time, but the layout usually looks something like this:

The idea is straightforward:

• More experience = higher row
• More education = further right column

Even if you don’t know the exact amounts, you can estimate where you’d land by matching your years of service and degree level.

New to Atlanta? How APS Calculates Your Starting Salary

If you’re moving into Atlanta from another Georgia district or from out of state, APS will typically:

1. Review your previous contracts and service records
2. Verify your years of full-time, relevant experience
3. Confirm your Georgia or reciprocal certification
4. Place you on the salary schedule at the appropriate step and lane

To help the process go smoothly:

• ✅ Gather official verification of employment from prior districts
• ✅ Have copies of transcripts for your highest degree(s)
• ✅ Make sure your Georgia certification is active or in progress

The more complete your documentation, the easier it is for APS to place you on the highest eligible step from the start.

APS Pay for Other Roles: Paraprofessionals, Support, and Administration

Not everyone in APS is a classroom teacher. The district also posts salary schedules for:

Paraprofessionals and Instructional Aides

Pay is usually based on:

• Job level or title
• Education (some roles may pay more for college credit or degrees)
• Experience in similar roles

These schedules often use grades and steps, such as Grade 20, Step 1–20, each with a specific pay rate.

School-Based Administrators

Principals, assistant principals, and other certified administrators in APS are typically on their own administrator salary schedules. Pay depends on:

• Role (e.g., elementary vs. high school principal)
• School size or student enrollment
• Years of administrative and teaching experience
• Certifications (leadership and administration)

Central Office and Classified Staff

Roles such as:

• Clerical and office staff
• IT and technology support
• Maintenance and custodial staff
• Transportation (bus drivers, mechanics)
• School nutrition staff

are typically organized into pay grades with minimum and maximum ranges. Placement within the range may take your experience and skills into account.

If you’re unsure which schedule applies to your position, Human Resources can typically tell you the job classification and grade for your role.

Supplements, Stipends, and Extra Duty Pay in APS

Your total pay in Atlanta Public Schools may include more than just your base salary.

Common extra pays include:

• Coaching stipends
  For head and assistant coaches at APS middle and high schools.

• Club and activity sponsorships
  For leading student organizations, academic teams, or arts groups.

• Department chair or grade-level chair stipends
  For additional leadership and planning responsibilities.

• Extended day or extended year pay
  For summer school, after-school programs, or extra contract days.

• Hard-to-staff subjects or schools
  In some years, APS may offer additional incentives for certain critical shortage areas.

These amounts are usually listed in separate supplement schedules, often reviewed and updated year by year.

Payroll Timing and How You’re Paid in APS

If you live and work in Atlanta, it helps to know how paychecks are structured in APS:

• Frequency
  APS employees are commonly paid on a monthly or semi-monthly basis, depending on their role and contract.

• Contract spread
  Many teachers choose to spread their annual pay over 12 months, even though the school year is shorter. This provides steady income through summer.

• Direct deposit
  APS strongly encourages or requires direct deposit, which is standard in metro Atlanta districts.

Payroll-related questions—like tax withholding, benefit deductions, or changes to bank information—can usually be handled through the APS Payroll or Human Resources offices.

Cost of Living Context: What APS Pay Means in Atlanta

When you evaluate the APS salary schedule, it helps to consider Atlanta’s cost of living:

• Housing costs vary widely depending on neighborhood (for example, living near Midtown or Inman Park is generally more expensive than farther south or west).
• Commuting from the suburbs (like East Point, College Park, or Decatur) may affect your transportation costs and time.

People comparing APS pay to other metro Atlanta districts—such as DeKalb, Fulton, or Cobb—often weigh:

• Salary schedule differences
• Benefits (health, retirement, local supplements)
• Workload, commute, and school culture

For an accurate financial picture, it helps to look at base pay + supplements + benefits rather than just one number.

Benefits and Retirement: Part of Your Total Compensation

Salary is only one part of what you earn in APS. As a public school employee in Atlanta, you may also have:

• Health insurance options through the State Health Benefit Plan
• Retirement contributions to the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) or another applicable system, depending on your role
• APS-sponsored benefits such as life insurance, dental, and vision options
• Optional benefits, like flexible spending accounts (FSAs) or additional retirement savings (403(b), 457 plans)

For many teachers and staff, retirement and benefits are a major reason they stay in APS or choose public education in Atlanta over other sectors.

How to Get Personalized Salary Information from APS

If you want exact figures for your situation, your best next step is to contact APS directly with your:

• Current or intended position title
• Highest degree earned
• Years of experience (with documentation)
• Status of your Georgia certification

Useful local contacts:

Atlanta Public Schools – Human Resources / Talent Management
130 Trinity Avenue SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Main District Phone: (404) 802‑3500

When you call, you can request:

• The current salary schedule for your job category
• Instructions on how to submit transcripts and experience verification
• Clarification on where you would likely fall on the step and lane system

If you’re already employed with APS, your school’s front office or principal can often point you to the exact HR contact who handles salary placement and payroll questions.

Quick Takeaways for Atlanta Job Seekers and APS Employees

If you’re considering a job with Atlanta Public Schools:

• Your pay will be based on a published salary schedule, not private negotiation.
• Education level and verified experience strongly affect your starting step.
• Teachers and many staff can increase pay over time through experience, additional degrees, and certain roles or stipends.

If you already work for APS:

• It’s worth confirming which salary schedule and pay grade apply to your position.
• If your experience or credentials have changed, ask HR whether your salary placement should be updated.
• Keep copies of your contracts, transcripts, and certifications—they’re key to making sure you’re placed correctly on the APS pay scales.

By understanding how the Atlanta Public Schools salary schedule works, you can better plan your career, compare opportunities across metro Atlanta, and make informed decisions about working and living in the city.