Short answer
How do Wake County teachers move to a higher salary schedule?
WCPSS pays a state base by years of experience plus a local supplement, on a bachelor's ("A") or master's ("M") schedule. Credits short of a degree do not change the schedule. A graduate degree that matches the teacher's assignment can: the state pays master's level only when a course was finished before August 1, 2013, and when WCPSS Human Resources approves graduate pay that the state does not, the teacher is paid on the Local Graduate Pay ("LGP") schedule, which equals the state master's schedule.
Source: WCPSS 2026-27 Teachers/Certified Staff salary schedules and WCPSS Compensation. Checked .
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How is the Wake County teacher salary schedule organized?
The district's compensation page says its salary schedules are divided by position type and were developed for the 2026-27 school year. The Teachers/Certified Staff schedules list, for every step from 0 to 31 and above, a state base and a local supplement. There are "A" and "M" schedules, National Board versions of each, Local Graduate Pay versions, separate sets for special education classroom teachers, and separate figures for traditional and year-round calendar schools. The year-round figures assume an 11-month schedule.
The state base comes from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's FY2026-27 State Salary Schedules, which set pay by years of experience and license level. The North Carolina state guide explains how the state schedules work.
Which units count toward a Wake County schedule change?
None on their own. Neither the state schedule nor the WCPSS local supplement has a column for credits short of a degree. What can move a Wake teacher from the "A" schedule to master's-level pay is a completed graduate degree, by one of two routes.
- State master's pay: G.S. 115C-302.10 limits the "M" schedule to three groups, including teachers who completed at least one course toward the degree before August 1, 2013 (statute). The WCPSS schedules say eligibility "is based on graduate degrees recognized by NC DPI that match the area of assignment."
- Local Graduate Pay: "If WCPSS Human Resources approves graduate pay and NC DPI does not, then the salary is assigned on the Local Graduate Pay ("LGP") salary schedule, with a bachelor's degree base salary and an increased local supplement combining to equal the state master's degree schedule" (WCPSS schedules). The compensation page says that beginning July 2023, teachers and certified instructional support staff "who completed their first course toward their master's, advanced and doctoral degrees after the state's cutoff date of August 2013, are eligible to be paid for their relevant degrees."
The schedules also add a monthly amount to the "M" schedule for an earned advanced or doctorate certification. Our article on master's degrees versus loose credits covers the trade-off.
Does Wake County require approval before you take a course?
For pay, the review is of the finished degree, not of individual courses. The WCPSS schedules say Local Graduate Pay follows when WCPSS Human Resources approves graduate pay, and that degrees must match the area of assignment. WCPSS does not publish the application steps for that review, so a teacher planning a graduate degree should ask Human Resources how the degree will be matched to the assignment before enrolling.
For license renewal, approval works differently: 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). Our article on pre-approval forms covers what to keep.
When are transcripts due, and when does the new schedule take effect?
WCPSS does not publish a filing deadline or an effective date for graduate pay on its compensation page or in the salary schedules. Ask Human Resources when transcripts are due and when a change takes effect before your degree is conferred, and keep a copy of the official transcript showing the conferral date. Our transcript deadlines article has tips for getting degree posting dates in writing.
Do the same units count toward North Carolina license renewal?
Yes, and in Wake County this is where stand-alone coursework matters most. North Carolina's Continuing Professional License renews every five years with 8 CEUs, split by grade band under 16 NCAC 06C .0360, and DPI's renewal page lists college or university courses, documented with official transcripts, among the activities that count. The North Carolina renewal section has the full rules, and our explainer on clock hours, CEUs and semester credits covers conversions.
Where can WCPSS teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, WCPSS 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 WCPSS's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Wake County pays teachers on North Carolina's state salary schedule plus a local supplement. Neither has a column for credits short of a degree; what can change a teacher's schedule is a relevant graduate degree, through state master's pay or the district's Local Graduate Pay schedule (see units that count). Units can still count toward North Carolina license renewal; see the renewal section.
| Question | What WCPSS says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | WCPSS: A relevant graduate degree; credits short of a degree do not move pay | 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 | WCPSS: Not published; ask Human Resources | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | WCPSS: HR approves graduate pay for the degree; no course-level approval for pay | 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)
- 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)
- Graduate Credit Courses: self-paced, units through Cal Poly Humboldt; $570 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Model Teaching: self-paced, 1 year, units through a choice of six universities, including University of the Pacific; $359 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 WCPSS has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
Wake County salary questions teachers ask
Does Wake County pay more for credits beyond a bachelor's degree?
No. The state schedule and the WCPSS local supplement have no column for credits short of a degree. A relevant graduate degree is what can change the schedule.
What is Local Graduate Pay in Wake County?
When WCPSS Human Resources approves graduate pay and the state does not, the teacher is paid a bachelor's base plus a larger local supplement that together equal the state master's schedule.
Does my master's have to match my teaching assignment?
Yes. The WCPSS schedules say eligibility rests on graduate degrees recognized by NC DPI that match the area of assignment.
Do college courses count toward North Carolina license renewal?
Yes. DPI counts college or university courses documented with official transcripts toward the 8 CEUs needed every five years.
Where can WCPSS teachers take graduate-level courses for license renewal?
WCPSS 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, For Teachers By Teachers, Fresno Pacific University CE, Graduate Credit Courses and Model Teaching. 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
- Compensation, Wake County Public School System. Checked
- 2026-27 Teachers/Certified Staff salary schedules, Wake County Public School System. 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
- 16 NCAC 06C .0360, License renewal for teachers, NC Office of Administrative Hearings. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error