Partner Teachers must apply in order to receive differentials, but may not apply until after they have been hired and placed on payroll as an appointed teacher. To ensure that you receive pay retroactively from the date you earned the additional credits, you must apply within six months of earning the credit.

Qualifying for differentials

Differentials are included in the Teachers' Salary Schedule.

Here is a brief summary of the differentials as they appear on the chart:

C1: This is the basic salary for those who have only a bachelor’s degree.

C1+PD: This column applies only to teachers hired before 1970.

C2: This is called the first differential. It requires 30 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree requirement. These may be all excess undergraduate credits, all graduate credits, or a combination of both.

C2+ID: This column, the intermediate differential (ID), applies to people who have earned their first differential and in addition have 60 credits beyond the bachelor’s.

C2+PD: This is called the promotional differential or PD. It requires 36 credits in an approved subject matter area; those 36 credits may be undergraduate, graduate, or a combination. Generally speaking, you qualify when you get your master’s degree.

C2+ID+PD: This is for people who have met the requirements for the first differential, the intermediate differential and the promotional differential.

C6+PD: This is the second differential. It can be achieved in several ways:

• With a master’s degree plus another 30 credits that were taken after the date of your bachelor’s but not as part of your master’s credits. The credits can be from undergraduate or graduate courses.
• With professional development courses and/or activities approved by the chancellor.
• By getting National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification.

Applying for differentials

Differentials are not automatically awarded. You must apply for them in order to receive a salary raise. To ensure you receive your differential from the date you earn the additional credits, you must apply within six months of earning the credit.

• Differentials are paid as of Feb. 1, July 1 and Sept. 1, respectively, for work you’ve completed in the previous fall, spring and summer semesters.
• For example, if you complete your coursework by Jan. 31 and file by July 31, the DOE will pay your differential in the fall semester with arrears back to Feb. 1.

The DOE’s differential application process

The DOE’s Office of Salary Services (OSS), uses an online salary differential application process for all teachers.

You must have a DOE email address to access the online application. Partner Teachers may not apply for salary increases until after they have been hired and placed on payroll at a school. 

Salary differential online application

Once the online application is completed, the application must be printed. A tracking number is assigned to the application. Transcripts still must be submitted to the DOE.

Original transcripts along with the application are to be submitted to 65 Court Street, Room 102, Brooklyn, New York 11201. Teachers who hand-deliver their application will get a receipt. The DOE strongly suggests that teachers send their applications return receipt if they cannot hand-deliver them.

Teachers will electronically receive a Certificate of Salary Status when the differential is processed.

With this new online process, teachers no longer need to resubmit their transcripts each time they apply for another differential.

If you have any questions regarding applying for a salary step or a differential, please contact the Office of Salary Services directly at 718-935-4000.