North Carolina Teacher Salary

In North Carolina, you’ll receive retirement funds through the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System. The longer you’ve worked in the school system, the more you’ll receive in retirement. You can retire with full benefits if you: 

• Are 65 and have contributed to the retirement system for five years.
• Are 60 and have put in 25 years of service.
• Have completed 30 years of service at any age. (5)

Vacation days will depend on your district, but in general you can expect: 

• Spring break
• December holiday break
• National holidays off
• Paid personal & sick days during the school year

As you probably know, teachers also get a long summer break. Teachers use this time to travel, explore professional development, relax or work elsewhere. Some districts offer summer positions for teachers, such as summer school classes or curriculum development jobs.

Want to continue your education or pursue professional development? Many North Carolina school districts provide funds for tuition reimbursement and professional development (such as conferences or trainings) for teachers. 

Building your skills can increase both your knowledge and your pay. It also helps districts retain top-notch educators—so it’s a win-win for everyone.  

You don’t have to wait for your district to help cover your continuing education. You'll find grants, scholarships and fellowships for North Carolina teachers and teacher candidates with our Financial Aid Explorer.

Stepping into a classroom could mean stepping out of debt. There are a number of loan forgiveness opportunities for teachers. These programs cancel your remaining student loans—meaning you don’t have to pay them back!—in exchange for a commitment to teach for several years.

Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program

The Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program benefits public school teachers with federal student loans. To qualify, you’ll need to: 

• Teach in a school that serves low-income students.

• Teach full-time for five consecutive academic years.

• Have taken out your loans before the end of your five years of service.

Teachers in certain shortage areas, including math, science and special education can receive up to $17,500. If you teach a different subject, you can still get up to $5,000 in forgiven loans. 

Perkins Loan Forgiveness

You can get up to 100% of your Perkins loans forgiven if you teach a shortage area subject in a school that serves low-income students. 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you’ve worked full-time in a public service field for 10 years, you may qualify to have your remaining student loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Qualifying fields include government service, nonprofits and public education.

Buying a house is expensive, but there are resources to help teachers find a home in the community where they teach.

Good Neighbor Next Door

The federal government created Good Neighbor Next Door to contribute to community revitalization and to support people in service professions. The U.S. Department of Housing and Development offers a discount of 50% from the list price of qualifying homes.

Teacher Next Door Program

The Teacher Next Door Program is designed to help classroom teachers buy a home and become homeowners in the communities where they work. The program offers a wide range of support for educators, including:

• Housing grants
• Down payment assistance 
• Home loans
• Preferred interest rates

Homes for Heroes

Homes for Heroes assists educators by making the home buying, selling or refinancing process easier (and saving teachers money in the process)! Learn more about Homes for Heroes.

The world’s best brands offer discounts to teachers. Think J. Crew, Madewell, Apple, Jo-Ann Fabrics, AC Moore and Marriott Hotels. That means plane tickets take you further. Cell phone bills and gym memberships cost less. Your wardrobe has more options. And new technology is so much more affordable. Discounts may vary by specific location, but this national list is a good starting place to find some teacher perks.