While you're preparing for your children to head back to school, so, too, are their teachers.

And how much do these brave souls who educate our children earn? The colloquial answer is, generally, either not enough or way too much.

But the actual salaries of our teachers can vary as wildly as the public perception of what they make.

The statewide median salary for teachers, regardless of operating type, is $68,985 per year, according to data from the New Jersey Department of Education. Yet, in some counties, teachers in the districts that pay the most make more than double what the teachers in the lowest-paid districts make.

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Here's a look at the median salary in the highest and lowest paid districts in each county:

Atlantic

Lowest paid district: Charter~tech High School

Operating type: Charter school

Student to teacher ratio: 9.4

Median salary: $52,770

Highest-paid district: Margate City

Operating type: K-8 district with fewer than 400 students

Students per teacher: 7.2

Median salary: $96,145

Difference: $43,375

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 82%

Bergen

Lowest paid district: Bergen Arts And Sciences Charter School

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 14

Median salary: $49,000

Highest-paid district: Northern Valley Regional

Operating type: High school district

Students per teacher: 10

Median salary: $107,787

Difference: $58,787

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 120%

The Asbury Park Press sifts through spreadsheets and databases to give you a clear look at the issues you care about in your community. Check back to APP.com to see how your town ranks against the rest. Or better yet, consider subscribing.

Burlington

Lowest paid district: Riverbank Charter School Of Excellence

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 10.8

Median salary: $44,750

Highest-paid district: Pemberton Township

Operating type: K-12 district with more than 3,501 students

Students per teacher: 10.4

Median salary: $86,119

Difference: $41,369

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 92%

Camden

Lowest paid district: Hope Community Cs

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 9.5

Median salary: $48,880

Highest-paid district: Eastern Camden County Reg

Operating type: High school district

Students per teacher: 14

Median salary: $84,882

Difference: $36,002

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 74%

Cape May

Lowest paid district: Dennis Township

Operating type: K-8 district with 401 to 750 students

Students per teacher: 8.5

Median salary: $51,637

Highest-paid district: Ocean City

Operating type: K-12 district with 1801 to 3500 students

Students per teacher: 11.5

Median salary: $90,875

Difference: $39,238

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 76%

Cumberland

Lowest paid district: Millville Public Charter School

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 11.5

Median salary: $45,000

Highest-paid district: Hopewell Township

Operating type: K-8 district with 401 to 750 students

Students per teacher: 11.9

Median salary: $71,817

Difference: $26,817

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 60%

Essex

Lowest paid district: North Caldwell Boro

Operating type: K-6 district

Students per teacher: 10.7

Median salary: $51,904

Highest-paid district: Millburn

Operating type: K-12 district with more than 3,501 students

Students per teacher: 11.8

Median salary: $92,784

Difference: $40,880

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 79%

Gloucester

Lowest paid district: Franklin Township

Operating type: A. K-6

Students per teacher: 11.9

Median salary: $51,474

Highest-paid district: Paulsboro Boro

Operating type: K-12 district with fewer than 1,800 students

Students per teacher: 12

Median salary: $79,894

Difference: $28,420

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 55%

Hudson

Lowest paid district: East Newark Boro

Operating type: K-8 district with fewer than 400 students

Students per teacher: 14.9

Median salary: $45,176

Highest-paid district: Jersey City

Operating type: K-12 district with more than 3,501 students

Students per teacher: 11.4

Median salary: $87,130

Difference: $41,954

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 93%

Hunterdon

Lowest paid district: Hampton Boro

Operating type: K-8 district with fewer than 400 students

Students per teacher: 6.5

Median salary: $51,033

Highest-paid district: Tewksbury

Operating type:K-8 district with 401 to 750 students

Students per teacher: 8.8

Median salary: $81,783

Difference: $30,750

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 60%

Mercer

Lowest paid district: Achievers Early College Prep Charter Sch

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 14

Median salary: $50,000

Highest-paid district: Princeton Public Schools

Operating type: K-12 district with more than 3,501 students

Students per teacher: 11

Median salary: $82,589

Difference: $32,589

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 65%

Middlesex

Lowest paid district: Middlesex Charter School

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 9

Median salary: $46,000

Highest-paid district: Edison

Operating type: K-12 district with more than 3,501 students

Students per teacher: 14

Median salary: $93,758

Difference: $47,758

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 104%

Monmouth

Lowest paid district: The Red Bank Cs

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 7.5

Median salary: $48,475

Highest-paid district: Freehold Regional

Operating type: High school district

Students per teacher: 14.4

Median salary: $88,590

Difference: $40,115

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 83%

Morris

Lowest paid district: Unity Cs

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 11.7

Median salary: $49,102

Highest-paid district: Mountain Lakes Boro

Operating type: K-12 districts with fewer than 1,800 students

Students per teacher: 9.4

Median salary: $86,192

Difference: $37,090

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 76%

Ocean

Lowest paid district: Ocean Academy Charter School

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 18.3

Median salary: $45,000

Highest-paid district: Southern Regional

Operating type: High school district

Students per teacher: 12.5

Median salary: $82,387

Difference: $37,387

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 83%

Passaic

Lowest paid district: Classical Academy Charter School Of Clifton

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 10.3

Median salary: $39,671

Highest-paid district: Passaic County Vocational

Operating type: Vocational

Students per teacher: 11.6

Median salary: $98,347

Difference: $58,676

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 148%

Salem

Lowest paid district: Elsinboro

Operating type: K-8 district with fewer than 400 students

Students per teacher: 8

Median salary: $51,939

Highest-paid district: Alloway

Operating type: K-8 district with fewer than 400 students

Students per teacher: 12.6

Median salary: $67,398

Difference: $15,459

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 30%

Somerset

Lowest paid district: Central Jersey College Prep Charter Scho

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 11.1

Median salary: $48,600

Highest-paid district: Watchung Hills Regional

Operating type: High school district

Students per teacher: 12.7

Median salary: $80,310

Difference: $31,710

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 65%

Sussex

Lowest paid district: Ogdensburg Boro

Operating type: K-8 district with fewer than 400 students

Students per teacher: 9.7

Median salary: $56,010

Highest-paid district: Wallkill Valley Regional

Operating type: High school district

Students per teacher: 10.8

Median salary: $88,355

Difference: $32,345

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 58%

Union

Lowest paid district: Queen City Academy Cs

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 0

Median salary: $50,000

Highest-paid district: Elizabeth City

Operating type: K-12 district with more than 3,501 students

Students per teacher: 12.5

Median salary: $81,524

Difference: $31,524

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 63%

Warren

Lowest paid district: Ridge And Valley Cs

Operating type: Charter school

Students per teacher: 6.8

Median salary: $47,000

Highest-paid district: Phillipsburg Town

Operating type: K-12 district with more than 3,501 students

Students per teacher: 11.3

Median salary: $74,583

Difference: $27,583

How much more does the highest-paid district make?: 59%

Susanne Cervenka covers Monmouth County government and property tax issues, winning several state and regional awards for her work. She's covered local government for 15 years, with stops in Ohio and Florida before arriving in New Jersey in 2013. Contact her at @scervenka; 732-643-4229; scervenka@gannettnj.com.