If leading a school district is a 24-7 job, superintendent salaries—when broken down as hourly wages—are earning about the same as correctional officers or post office clerks—neither of which is dependent on a college degree. So here are things superintendents are saying about compensation, based on the latest District Administration survey of more than 1,000 K-12 leaders.
1. Superintendent salaries
Just under half of the superintendents polled by District Administration reported earning $95,000-$149,000 annually while another 30% said they are taking home $150,000-$199,000. The very high-flyers are rare: Less than 2% are being paid $300,000-$350,000 and less than 1% are making over $350,000.
2. Did you get a raise? Did you expect one?
The average corporate leader is expecting a 5% raise while more than 80% of superintendents are expecting a raise of 5% or less in the next year. About 17% anticipate a boost of 5%-10%. Looking back, three-quarters of superintendents said they received raises of 5% or less over the last 12 months. Only a handful reported getting raises of more than 20%.
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3. Paid days off
Of course, the dollar amounts are not everything when it comes to pay: 17% of superintendents said they receive more than 20 paid days off annually, though the large majority get 15 or fewer. Vacation time is more evenly distributed, with about two-thirds reporting being eligible for 15 vacation days or more.
4. Perks and additional pay
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Here are the top perks, as reported by the following percentages of superintendents:
- Cellphone (56%)
- Laptop (54%)
- Car or car allowance (30%)
- Additional contribution to retirement (26%)
- Additional contribution to life insurance (21%)
Among the other perks are vacation time buybacks, reimbursement for professional development programs, and gym memberships. Other leaders say they are enjoying more flexible schedules and working from home when possible.
5. Bonuses!
Finally, Just 15% of district leaders reported getting a bonus in the last year. Of those who did receive bonuses, the highest amounts reported were between $2,500 and $3,800.
