Every metric is ranked as a percentile within the four Colusa County districts using the standard percentile-rank formula (values below + ½×values equal) ÷ number of districts × 100, which splits ties evenly. The radar plot shows where the selected district lands on each of the six metrics (farther from the center = a larger value relative to county peers). Use the dropdown to switch districts; it also highlights that district's line in the 20-year earnings chart.
The 20-year projection assumes a teacher is hired at Step 1 of the district's lowest credentialed column, advances one step every year, and shifts one column to the right every five years (start of years 6, 11 and 16) among the credentialed columns — a typical pattern as a teacher earns units and a master's degree. Where a step's salary isn't explicitly listed in the contract, it is linearly interpolated between the nearest listed steps in that column; for steps beyond the highest listed step in a column, the highest listed value is held flat.
• Work days: a higher work-day percentile simply means more contracted work days — not necessarily a richer package. • Maxwell Unified: its 2025-26 teacher agreement in our data does not specify sick leave or an employer health-contribution cap, so those axes appear as gaps and Maxwell is excluded from those rankings.
| Metric | Colusa | Maxwell | Pierce | Williams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting pay | $64,855[1] 87.5% pct[2] | $56,377[3] 12.5% pct[4] | $64,665[5] 62.5% pct[6] | $61,702[7] 37.5% pct[8] |
| Mid-career pay | $79,372[9] 62.5% pct[10] | $73,079[11] 12.5% pct[12] | $82,805[13] 87.5% pct[14] | $78,440[15] 37.5% pct[16] |
| Highest pay | $126,014[17] 87.5% pct[18] | $105,615[19] 12.5% pct[20] | $118,530[21] 37.5% pct[22] | $121,155[23] 62.5% pct[24] |
| Sick days / yr | 10[25] 50.0% pct[26] | n/a | 10[27] 50.0% pct[28] | 10[29] 50.0% pct[30] |
| Work days / yr | 186[31] 75.0% pct[32] | 185[33] 25.0% pct[34] | 186[35] 75.0% pct[36] | 185[37] 25.0% pct[38] |
| Health cap / yr (employer) | $11,004.80[39] 16.7% pct[40] | n/a | $14,000[41] 83.3% pct[42] | $11,220[43] 50.0% pct[44] |
Top number in each cell is the contract value; bottom number is its percentile rank within the county.
Projected cumulative gross salary over a 20-year career under the model above[45][46][47][48]. The highlighted line is the district chosen in the dropdown.
| Rank | District | 20-yr cumulative pay | Year 1 | Year 10 | Year 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierce Joint Unified | $1,737,363.86[47] | $64,665 | $82,805 | $113,546.29 |
| 2 | Colusa Unified | $1,667,939.50[45] | $64,855 | $79,372 | $108,925 |
| 3 | Williams Unified | $1,614,376.26[48] | $61,702 | $78,440 | $103,751.92 |
| 4 | Maxwell Unified | $1,522,462.66[46] | $56,377 | $73,079 | $96,668.56 |
Total compensation here = a master's-degree teacher's salary at Step 10 of the district's master's column (so the master's premium is built in) plus the district's annual employer health-insurance contribution cap. Maxwell Unified is shown for reference on salary only, because its 2025-26 agreement in our data has no employer health-contribution cap.
| Rank | District | Master's salary (Step 10) | + Health cap | = Total comp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierce Joint Unified | $82,805[49] | $14,000[41] | $96,805[50] |
| 2 | Colusa Unified | $84,354[51] | $11,004.80[39] | $95,358.80[52] |
| 3 | Williams Unified | $83,216[53] | $11,220[43] | $94,436[54] |
| — | Maxwell Unified | $75,178[55] | n/a | $75,178 (salary only) |
Pierce Joint leads on total package, driven by the county's highest employer health cap ($14,000); Colusa and Williams follow once the health contribution is layered onto salary.
| Provision | Colusa | Maxwell | Pierce | Williams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal leave / yr | 10 days[56] | n/a | 7 days[57] | 8 days[58] |
| Discretionary leave / yr | 10 days[59] | n/a | n/a | 8 days[60] |
| Instructional days / yr | 180 days[61] | 180 days[62] | 180 days[63] | 180 days[64] |
Personal and discretionary leave and the instructional calendar round out the picture beyond the six headline metrics.