AASA Releases 2023-24 Superintendent Salary Study

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-774-6953
jminichello@aasa.org

Alexandria, Va. – March 13, 2024 – Nearly nine out of 10 (88%) superintendents say they intend to be the superintendent in their current school district next year, while only 5.35% indicate they plan to retire, according to the 12^th annual superintendent salary study released today by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. This year’s study results are based on more than 2,700 complete responses – the highest response rate since the inception of the study.

The report, 2023-24 AASA Superintendent Salary & Benefit 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.

“For more than a decade, AASA has provided this invaluable resource to school system leaders so they can learn from the experiences of their peers and gain insight into the working conditions of the superintendency across the country.”

“For more than a decade, AASA has provided this invaluable resource to school system leaders so they can learn from the experiences of their peers and gain insight into the working conditions of the superintendency across the country,” said David R. Schuler, executive director, AASA. “The report equips our members with actionable data they can use to compare, manage and negotiate their compensation and benefits.”

Major findings include:

• Over the last decade, superintendent salaries have not kept pace with inflation. When accounting for inflation, the median salary for 2023 was approximately $7,000 less than the median salary in 2013. 
• About 73% of participants were male and 23% were female. There were only minor changes in the gender breakdown compared to the previous study. 
• Females earned more: Although males were overrepresented in the superintendency (73%) compared to females (27%), the median salary of female superintendents was slightly higher than that of males for the seventh time during the past 12 years.
• Superintendents are getting younger: More than 85% of respondents were ages 41–60 years old. A noticeably higher percentage of superintendents were in the 41–50 age range (35.11%) in the 2023–2024 study compared to 29.83% in 2012. The percentage of superintendents ages 60+ decreased from 19.48% in 2012 to just 9.57% in 2023–2024.
• There has been a slight increase of race/ethnic diversity in the superintendents over time. In 2023, 87% of superintendents were White followed by almost 4.5% Black or African American, and approximately 4% Hispanic or Latino. In 2012, 94% of superintendents were White (6.05% a race other than White).
• Well over half (nearly 63%) of superintendents have been in their current position fewer than six years. 
• Approximately 36% of respondents used legal counsel or other outside agents to assist in the development/negotiations of the employment contract. There has been an increase of six percentage points since 2019–2020 when 30% of respondents indicated they used legal counsel or other outside agents. 

“We are grateful to our research team for providing this report and extend our appreciation to school superintendents across the nation who took time to reply to the survey to make this work possible,” added Schuler.

Click here to access a copy of the 2023-24 AASA Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study. For specific questions about the report, contact Tara Thomas, AASA policy analyst, at tthomas@aasa.org.

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Thursday, May 2: AASA is presenting Tips for Negotiating or Renegotiating Your Contract, a webinar to help school district leaders learn to effectively use the data contained in the Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study for future contract negotiations. Presenters include Thomas, Maree Sneed, education attorney & consultant, and Chris Tienken, AASA research professor in residence. Click here to register.

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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.