The superintendency is getting younger and the gender pay gap is closing but overall superintendent salaries aren’t keeping up with inflation.
That’s according to data released today by AASA, The School Superintendents Association (AASA) as part of its annual Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study. In its 13th year, the study paints a nationwide picture of school district leadership compensation and benefits.
What’s notable in the 2024-25 study is how inflation is growing faster than superintendent pay.
According to the report, median and mean salaries have increased over the last decade. However, the mean salary as reported in 2013 was $131,171 and the median was $123,775.
When adjusted for inflation, the mean “real” wage for superintendents in 2013—using 2024 dollars—was $175,679, which is more than $6,000 above this year’s reported mean salary.
Here’s a breakdown of superintendent salaries based on gender:
| Min. | 25% | Median | 75% | Max | N | |
| Female | $57,000 | $128,668 | $157,500 | $205,752 | $392,000 | 547 |
| Male | $50,000 | $131,500 | $158,821 | $195,276 | $394,000 | 1,515 |
| Prefer not to answer | $76,000 | $114,375 | $151,500 | $213,900 | $245,000 | 6 |
| Other | $213,905 | $213,905 | $213,905 | $213,905 | $213,905 | 1 |
As this chart suggests, female superintendents earned 99.16% of what males earned in 2024-25. While male superintendents make up the majority of the superintendents (73%), their median salary was only slightly higher than that of females for only the sixth time in the last 13 years.
Also, the research reveals that leaders are entering the superintendency at younger ages. In the 2022-23 study, 31.48% of leaders were between 41 and 50 years old. In this year’s study, 34.38% of leaders are within that age range.
What’s encouraging is that over the last three years, superintendents have indicated high levels of commitment to their jobs. Nearly 90% of all superintendents say they will continue serving in their current districts. Less than 1% expect to continue working in education under a different title.
For a closer look at the data, read the full report here.
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