AASA Releases 2022-23 Superintendent Salary Study
March 10, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
James Minichello
703-774-6953
jminichello@aasa.org
Alexandria, Va. – March 10, 2023 – Nine out of 10 superintendents say they intend to be the superintendent in their current school district next year, while only 6% indicate they plan to leave public education or retire, according to the 11th annual superintendent salary study released today by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. According to the survey, superintendents are getting younger and are more diverse in terms of both race and gender.
The report, 2022-23 AASA Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study, is used to gauge school district leadership compensation and benefits, and was released in two versions: a full version for AASA members and an abridged version for wider circulation. The current study is based on nearly 2,500 responses.
“For more than a decade, AASA has collected superintendent salary information to provide critical insight into the conditions of the superintendency,” said David Schuler, AASA executive director. “Our longstanding commitment to this survey means we can capture not only real-time data, but also inform a broader narrative, allowing 10-year comparisons on both the progress school systems have made and the work that remains.”
Major findings include:
- Superintendents are getting younger. In 2022, more than three out of 10 (31.48%) were between 40 and 50 years of age, compared to 29.83% in 2012. Only 12.20% of superintendents were more than 60 years of age in 2022, compared to 19.48% in 2012.
- There was an approximately 3.80% increase in the number of women in the superintendency. In 2022, 26.44% of superintendents were female, compared to 22.60% in 2012.
- There was a slight increase of race/ethnic diversity in the superintendents over the past 10 years. In 2022, 89% of superintendents were White (8.88% a race other than White). In 2012, 94% of superintendents were White (6.05% a race other than White).
- Respondents who identified as Black or African American are more likely to hold a doctorate (57.44%) compared to other races/ethnicities.
- Years as superintendent: Females have fewer years of experience as a superintendent compared to males. More than one in every four males (27.32%) have 11 or more years of experience. Only 15.20% of females have 11 or more years of experience.
- A superintendent’s median salary was $156,469 in 2022-23, about 1% less than reported in 2021-22.
- Females earned more: Although males were overrepresented in the superintendency (74%) compared to females (26%), the median salary of female superintendents was slightly higher than that of males for the sixth time during the past 11 years.
“We are grateful for the excellent work of the research team and extend our appreciation to school superintendents across the nation who took time to reply to the survey and make this work possible,” added Schuler.
Click here to access a copy of the 2022-23 AASA Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study. For specific questions about the report, contact Tara Thomas, AASA policy analyst, at tthomas@aasa.org.
###
About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.
