Short answer
How do NYC teachers move to a higher column on the salary schedule?
By applying for salary differentials. C2 needs 30 credits beyond the bachelor's, C2+ID needs 60, C2+PD generally comes with a master's, and C6+PD needs a master's plus 30 more credits taken after the bachelor's and outside the master's. Teachers hired since September 1, 2017 need a minimum number of A+ credits for C6+PD. Apply within six months of earning the credits to be paid from the date you earned them.
Source: Salary differentials, United Federation of Teachers. Checked .
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How is the NYC teacher salary schedule organized?
The UFT's teacher salary schedule for 2022–27 lists steps from 1A through 8B, with longevity rows added at later years of service. Across the top it runs eight columns: C1, C1+PD, C2, C2+ID, C2+PD, C2+ID+PD, C6 and C6+PD. The UFT salary schedule page lists the raises built into the contract for each year through September 2026.
The UFT's differentials page explains the columns. C1 is the base salary for a teacher with only a bachelor's degree. C1+PD applies only to teachers hired before 1970. C2+ID+PD is for teachers who have met the first, intermediate and promotional differentials. The schedule labels the C6 and C6+PD columns MA+30. Career and technical education (CTE) teachers follow a different path. For help with any grid like this, see our guide to reading a salary schedule.
Which units count toward an NYC salary differential?
The UFT differentials page defines each one:
- C2, the first differential: 30 credits beyond the bachelor's degree requirement. "These may be all excess undergraduate credits, all graduate credits, or a combination of both."
- C2+ID, the intermediate differential: the first differential plus 60 credits beyond the bachelor's.
- C2+PD, the promotional differential: 36 credits in an approved subject matter area, undergraduate, graduate or both. "Generally speaking, you qualify when you get your master's degree."
- C6+PD, the second differential: a master's plus 30 more credits taken after the bachelor's but not as part of the master's, or chancellor-approved professional development, or National Board certification.
The A+ rule applies to the second differential. According to the UFT, a teacher hired or rehired on or after September 1, 2019 "must obtain a minimum of 18 A+ credits," unless the teacher already holds an additional doctorate or a master's in an approved related area as determined by the Joint Accreditation Committee. Teachers hired from September 1, 2017 to before September 1, 2019 need 6. Teachers hired before September 1, 2017 are not required to use A+ credits. A+ credits "are approved by a committee of UFT and DOE representatives," while P credits come through the DOE's After School Professional Development Program (ASPDP), says the UFT's A+ and P credit FAQ.
University coursework still counts. The ASPDP FAQ says, "You may continue to count university courses and CLEP tests towards the salary differential, in addition to A+ courses," and that once the A+ minimum is met, the remaining credits can come "through any other approved means." The DOE's salary application guide adds that, as an interim measure, courses required for certain additional New York State certificates, such as a bilingual extension, qualify as A+.
Does NYC require approval before you take a course?
No advance approval of a university course is described for the differentials. The review happens when you apply: teachers upload transcripts to the DOE's online salary application, and members receive a Certificate of Salary Status when the differential is processed, the UFT explains. The approval that matters in advance is A+ status. A+ courses are approved by the joint UFT–DOE committee, and all ASPDP courses have been approved for A+ credit since fall 2019, according to the ASPDP FAQ.
ASPDP has its own rules. Earning A+ or P credit through it means registering, and paying, both ASPDP and the course's education partner; enrollment is capped at 12 credits per semester; and only fully appointed DOE teachers can apply A+ or P credit to a differential (ASPDP FAQ). Our article on pre-approval forms covers what to keep from any approval.
When are transcripts due, and when does the new differential take effect?
Differentials "are not automatically awarded," the UFT says. To be paid from the date you earned the credits, apply within six months of earning them. Differentials are paid as of February 1, July 1 and September 1 for work completed in the previous fall, spring and summer terms. The UFT's example: finish coursework by January 31 and file by July 31, and the DOE pays the differential in the fall with arrears back to February 1.
The application is online and needs a DOE email address. Transcripts are uploaded as scans and do not need to be resubmitted for each later differential (UFT). For ASPDP courses, the UFT's filing FAQ says to select "other" as the school name and enter "ASPDP." The DOE's step-by-step guide walks through the system. Our transcript deadlines article has tips for ordering transcripts early.
Do the same units count toward New York CTLE?
New York teachers with a professional certificate complete 100 hours of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) every five years. Some NYC coursework counts twice: each ASPDP credit equals 15 CTLE clock hours, and the same ASPDP credits can count toward both a differential and CTLE, the ASPDP FAQ says. For university coursework, the New York renewal section explains how credits convert to CTLE hours and which providers count, and the New York state guide compares other districts.
Where can NYC DOE teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, NYC DOE included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: a column move, a stipend, license renewal or an added endorsement. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from NYC DOE's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Before you enroll: For the second differential (C6+PD), teachers hired on or after September 1, 2019 "must obtain a minimum of 18 A+ credits," and teachers hired from September 1, 2017 to before September 1, 2019 need 6, according to the UFT. A+ credits are approved by a joint UFT and DOE committee, so university courses can cover only the remaining credits. Check which of your credits are A+ before you enroll.
| Question | What NYC DOE says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | NYC DOE: Undergraduate or graduate credits, CLEP, A+ and P credits; A+ minimum for C6+PD if hired since 2017 | Semester or quarter units, graduate-level or not, and the university named on the transcript and its accreditor |
| Grade | See units that count | Letter grade or pass/fail on the transcript |
| Deadline | NYC DOE: Within six months of earning the credits; for pay from the date earned | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | NYC DOE: Not described for university courses; A+ status is set by a UFT–DOE committee | Course descriptions or syllabi you can attach to an approval form |
| Price | Not set by the district | All-in price per credit, including any university or first-course fee (compare) |
Graduate-level credit providers, listed with the same facts
With those rules in hand, compare providers on the same points. Providers listed on this site, each with the same facts:
- Teacher Friendly: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $336 first course for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Educators: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $297 for 3 credits (price notes)
- PD Courses (University of La Verne): online or pdf, semester-based, units through University of La Verne; $420 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Teaching Channel: self-paced, units through a choice of eight universities; $489 for 3 credits (price notes)
- TLC Graduate Credits: self-paced, units through CSU Pueblo; $425 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Upward Teachers: self-paced, 1 to 6 months, letter grade, units through UMass Global; $240 sale for 3 credits (price notes)
The provider directory lists 28 providers and programs by what teachers need them for, and Compare sets published prices for 16 of them side by side, with transcripts from 11 universities. A listing on this site does not mean NYC DOE has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
NYC salary differential questions teachers ask
How many credits do I need for the first NYC salary differential?
Thirty credits beyond the bachelor's degree requirement, which can be excess undergraduate credits, graduate credits or a mix.
Do I need A+ credits for my NYC differential?
For the second differential, yes if you were hired on or after September 1, 2017: 18 A+ credits if hired on or after September 1, 2019, and 6 if hired between September 1, 2017 and September 1, 2019. Teachers hired earlier are not required to use them.
When should I apply for an NYC salary differential?
Within six months of earning the credits, so you are paid from the date earned. Differentials are paid as of February 1, July 1 and September 1.
Can ASPDP courses count for both a differential and CTLE?
Yes. The ASPDP FAQ says each ASPDP credit equals 15 CTLE clock hours and the same credits can count toward both.
Where can NYC DOE teachers take graduate-level courses for salary credit or renewal?
NYC DOE decides which courses count, under the rules on this page, so check with human resources before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, PD Courses (University of La Verne), Teaching Channel, TLC Graduate Credits and Upward Teachers. They differ in format, transcript university, grading time and price; the provider directory and the Compare page list 16 providers with the same facts for each.
Sources
- Salary differentials, United Federation of Teachers. Checked
- Teacher salary schedule (2022–27), United Federation of Teachers. Checked
- Teacher salary schedule, United Federation of Teachers. Checked
- How many A+ credits do I need to take to earn my salary differential?, United Federation of Teachers. Checked
- What is the difference between A+ credits and P credits?, United Federation of Teachers. Checked
- How do I apply for a salary differential?, United Federation of Teachers. Checked
- Salary application system: step-by-step guide for differentials, NYC Department of Education. Checked
- ASPDP frequently asked questions, NYC Department of Education. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error