Short answer
How do Charlotte-Mecklenburg teachers move to a higher salary schedule?
CMS places teachers by completed years of experience and the licensure level NC DPI determines, on "A," "M," advanced "S" and doctorate "D" schedules plus National Board versions. Credits short of a degree do not change the schedule. Graduate pay requires a degree relevant to the subject taught, with at least one course completed before August 1, 2013, reviewed by the CMS Licensure department.
Source: CMS, Master's Degree or Higher Pay and CMS, Salary Schedules. Checked .
TeacherPayGuide is not affiliated with or endorsed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. This guide summarizes the district's published documents as read on ; those documents and the district's human resources office decide your placement. It is general information, not legal or employment advice. Disclaimer Report an error
How is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg teacher salary schedule organized?
The district's salary schedules page says, "Pay for certified educators is based on an individual's number of completed years of experience and licensure level," as determined by NC DPI. The 2026-2027 Certified Salary Schedules, approved July 22, 2026, list state rate codes from A00 upward by years of experience. Each row shows a state monthly amount, an annual state base, an annual local supplement and 10-, 11- and 12-month totals. There are four schedules, "A," "M," advanced "S" and doctorate "D," each with a National Board version.
The state base comes from DPI's FY2026-27 State Salary Schedules. The North Carolina state guide explains how the state schedules work, and our guide to reading a salary schedule covers grids in general.
Which units count toward a Charlotte-Mecklenburg schedule change?
None on their own. The state schedule and the CMS local supplement have no column for credits short of a degree. What can move a teacher from the "A" schedule is a qualifying graduate degree, and the rules are the state's.
- The 2013 cutoff: to be eligible, "you must have completed a course toward your degree prior to August 1, 2013," and the degree must be "relevant to the subject area you will be teaching," the CMS advanced-degree page says. G.S. 115C-302.10 sets the same limit in statute.
- The assignment test: the CMS licensure FAQs say salary at the graduate level can be authorized "only when the teacher's assignment for much of the day (50% or more) is in the area to which the graduate degree applies."
- Two routes: the same FAQs describe a degree that leads to licensure and is automatically recognized, or a relevant degree approved by NCDPI through a Grad Pay request. Both need the pre-August 2013 course.
- Other groups: the same statute and the CMS page also allow graduate pay for "certified school nurses and instructional support personnel in positions for which a master's degree is required for licensure," and for those who were already paid on that schedule before the 2014-2015 school year.
- Administration degrees: a classroom teacher with a master's in administration must meet the same criteria (CMS).
For a teacher who started graduate work after July 2013, a new degree does not change CMS pay under these rules. Our article on master's degrees versus loose credits covers the trade-off in states that pay for credits.
Does Charlotte-Mecklenburg require approval before you take a course?
For pay, the review is of the degree. The CMS advanced-degree page says eligibility is "reviewed and approved by the Licensure department in compliance with state regulations," and tells teachers to contact their licensure case manager. The CMS licensure FAQs say a teacher who meets the criteria should reach out to the school's License Case Manager "to begin a review of your transcripts and other related documents."
For renewal, 16 NCAC 06C .0363(d) requires each public school unit to "adopt policies and procedures for ensuring that the activities completed for renewal credit" meet the rule's criteria (rule), so ask your License Case Manager how a college course will be recorded before you enroll. Our article on pre-approval forms covers what to keep.
When are transcripts due, and when does the new schedule take effect?
CMS does not publish a filing deadline or an effective date for graduate pay on its advanced-degree page. The process runs through the License Case Manager and, for a Grad Pay request, NCDPI. For experience credit, the CMS licensure FAQs say that once an application is processed, CMS aligns the pay rate with the state licensure and salary system, and NCDPI makes the final decision. Ask your License Case Manager about timing before you submit, and keep copies of official transcripts. Our transcript deadlines article has tips.
Do the same units count toward North Carolina license renewal?
Yes, and in CMS this is where stand-alone coursework matters most. North Carolina's Continuing Professional License renews every five years with 8 CEUs, and DPI's renewal page lists college or university courses, documented with official transcripts, among the activities that count. The CMS licensure FAQs say teachers track their own credits for the renewal period in the district's MyTalent transcript and, in April of the renewal year, receive an email from NCDPI on how to complete renewal. The North Carolina renewal section has the full rules, and our explainer on clock hours, CEUs and semester credits covers conversions.
Where can CMS teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, CMS included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: license renewal, an added endorsement or a degree program. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from CMS's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg pays teachers on North Carolina's state salary schedule plus a local supplement, by years of experience and license level. Neither has a column for credits short of a degree, and graduate pay requires a relevant degree with a course completed before August 1, 2013 (see units that count). Units can still count toward North Carolina license renewal; see the renewal section.
| Question | What CMS says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | CMS: A relevant graduate degree; with a course completed before August 1, 2013 | 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 | CMS: Not published; ask your License Case Manager | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | CMS: Licensure department review of the degree; through your License Case Manager | 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
For renewal, or for a future move to a district that pays for units, many providers issue graduate-level units through accredited universities. 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)
- Credits for Teachers: self-paced, 6 months, units through Valley City State, Adams State, UMass Global or CSU Pueblo; from $349 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Dominican CA Online: self-paced, units through Dominican University of California; $477 for 3 credits (price notes)
- For Teachers By Teachers: self-paced, units through CSU Pueblo or UMass Global; $285 CSU Pueblo for 3 credits (price notes)
- Fresno Pacific University CE: self-paced, up to 1 year, units through Fresno Pacific University; ≈$475 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 CMS has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg salary questions teachers ask
Does CMS pay more for credits beyond a bachelor's degree?
No. Pay depends on years of experience and licensure level, and the schedules have no column for credits short of a degree.
Can I get master's pay in CMS for a degree I started recently?
Not under the current rules. Graduate pay requires at least one course toward the degree completed before August 1, 2013, and the degree must be relevant to the subject you teach.
Who reviews graduate pay in CMS?
The CMS Licensure department, through your school's License Case Manager. Degrees outside a licensure program go to NCDPI as a Grad Pay request.
How do CMS teachers track renewal credits?
The CMS licensure FAQs say to review your MyTalent transcript for the five-year renewal period and compare it with DPI's requirements.
Where can CMS teachers take graduate-level courses for license renewal?
CMS does not raise pay for units short of a degree, so check the renewal rules on this page and confirm with human resources or the state agency before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, Credits for Teachers, Dominican CA Online, For Teachers By Teachers and Fresno Pacific University CE. 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 Schedules, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Checked
- 2026-2027 Certified Salary Schedules, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Checked
- Master's Degree or Higher Pay, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Checked
- CMS-Specific FAQs (updated April 8, 2026), CMS Licensure. Checked
- FY2026-27 State Salary Schedules, NC Department of Public Instruction. Checked
- G.S. 115C-302.10, Salaries, North Carolina General Assembly. Checked
- Renew or update your professional educator's license, NC Department of Public Instruction. Checked
- 16 NCAC 06C .0363, Renewal requirements, NC Office of Administrative Hearings. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error