Salary Steps

A salary step is an incremental increase in salary based on previous qualifying professional experience. You’ll earn more money the longer you stay in the system.

For the first eight years in the teacher salary schedule, these are called “steps.” If you teach without interruption, you will move two steps (e.g. 1A and 1B) for each year you work, increasing your earnings up to Step 8B.

All appointed teachers and other UFT pedagogical titles will automatically receive pay increases based on salary steps on your anniversary date and on March 1.

Beyond Step 8B, teachers will receive “longevity” increments — also called “longevities” — after you have taught in New York City for five, 10, 13, 15, 18, 20 and 22 years.

Salary Step FAQ on the DOE website

Salary step online application and related forms

Only newly appointed teachers and other UFT pedagogical titles with prior qualifying professional experience should complete this application.

The DOE’s online Salary Step Application

All newly hired teachers must report their prior work experience in their online application for employment. The information will automatically be submitted to the DOE’s new online salary step application which must be validated by the teacher via the DOE’s payroll portal. If you have no previous work experience, you will automatically be placed on Step 1A and your equated date will be your hiring date for moving up in salary steps.

It takes approximately two to four weeks for the DOE to evaluate your prior work experience if you are a newly appointed teacher. You will receive a Certificate of Salary Status via email informing you of your salary step up to Step 8B if eligible and a new equated date.

Non-appointed teachers will also receive a Certificate of Salary Status via email but will not receive an equated date. The highest salary step that a regular substitute teacher can attain credit for, even if certified, is Step 4A.