Benefits of Working in B.C.
Salary and Benefits
Explore how salaries and benefits work across B.C.’s education sector. From school district pay structures to comprehensive benefits and pension plans, here’s an overview of what you can expect when working in B.C.’s public, independent, First Nations, and offshore schools.
Public School Districts
Salary and benefits in B.C.’s public school districts vary by employee group, school board and region.
Teachers and support staff belong to local unions, and each school board negotiates its own collective agreement with these unions. These agreements outline salary, benefits, and other employment conditions, which can differ across districts.
Educational leaders, directors and management staff – often referred to as exempt staff – are not unionized. Their employment contracts are negotiated individually with each school district.
Some rural and remote communities offer additional financial allowances to teachers. These incentives vary by district and are not available in every community.
Benefits Overview
Employees in B.C.’s education sector enjoy a wide range of comprehensive and competitive benefits.
Leaves
Employees have access to a variety of paid and unpaid leave options, such as:
- Compassionate care and bereavement leave
- Maternity and parental leave
- Education leave
- Union or personal leave
Health Benefits
Health and welfare plans usually include:
- Dental coverage
- Basic medical and extended health benefits
- Group life insurance
- Long-term disability
- Sick leave
Pension
B.C.’s public education sector offers highly competitive, defined-benefit pension plans that provide stable, reliable income in retirement.
Teachers’ Pension Plan (TPP)
Open to certified teachers (including teachers-on-call), principals, vice-principals, directors of instruction, superintendents, assistant superintendents, associated professionals and certified professionals.
Your pension is calculated based on years of service and your highest five years of salary—not your personal contributions or market performance. Benefits are paid for life and may continue for a spouse or eligible dependent.
Municipal Pension Plan (MPP)
Available to eligible non-teaching employees, including support staff and many exempt staff. This is also a defined-benefit plan, offering predictable lifetime retirement income.
Professional Development
Each school district allocates funding to support teacher professional development. Funding may be a districtwide lump sum or a percentage of a teacher’s annual salary. Depending on the activity and district policy, teachers may be paid or unpaid while participating in professional development.