SOUTH ORANGE MAPLEWOOD TEACHERS PAY RANKS FOURTH HIGHEST IN ESSEX COUNTY

The South Orange Maplewood School District ranks fourth in the county in teacher salaries, according to a new report highlighted in today's Star-Ledger.

The report from the State Department of Education says the median teacher pay in SOMA was $74,698 in 2014-2015. That is topped only by Livingston, West Orange and Millburn. SOMA's average is actually less than the prior year when it was $77,379.

But it's still on the higher end of the spectrum, according to the report, which reveals that Northern Valley Regional High School District in Bergen County is the highest statewide at $95,418, while East Newark Borough School District has the lowest at $40,922.

The data may be a bit misleading as teachers receive salaries based in part on their years of service and academic degrees attained.