As the issue of employee benefits and wages arises as an increasingly hot topic in many news stories, it’s interesting to note a new report on superintendent pay. Those of you who face questions might find the latest average salary statistics of some use, now or down the line.

According to the just-issued annual report on personnel salaries in K-12 education, Great Lakes area superintendents average among the lowest in the nation. Only the Rocky Mountain places lower, and even they are making gains at a faster pace.

And it comes as no surprise that superintendents in the smallest districts (300-2,400 students) average the smallest salaries of all, making roughly half of those in districts of 25,000 students or more.

The full report is available for viewing in the MASA office (contact Linda Wacyk, lwacyk@gomasa.org), or by ordering from the Educational Research Service at www.ers.org. Data also is disaggregated by a school district’s per-pupil expenditure level and community type (large urban, small town, rural, etc.). The numbers in parentheses relate to the previous year (2007-08).

Average superintendent salary nationally:  $155,634     (2007-08, $148,387)
           
District enrollment:                    2008-09             (2007-08)
            25,000 or more      $225,222        ($215,126)
            10,000-24,999       $176,993         ($165,862)
            2,500-9,999           $150,062        ($145,388)
            300-2,499             $114,509        ($108,346)  

Region:
            New England         $144,233        ($141,188)
            Mideast                 $166,513        ($157,740)
            Southeast              $160,719        ($153,213)
            Great Lakes           $137,817        ($131,556)
            Plains                    $142,099        ($136,550)
            Southwest              $161,958        ($150,580)
            Rocky Mtns            $131,512        ($122,409)
            Far West               $172,646        ($164,148)

Source: “Salaries and Wages Paid Professional and Support Personnel in Public Schools, 2008-2009,”  Educational Research Service, Alexandria, VA.