Superintendent Salary By State: Highest-Paid Superintendents by State [2026]
Research Summary. Comprehensive research conducted by the Zippia data science team reveals key insights into superintendent salaries across the United States:
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Rhode Island boasts the highest superintendent salary at $102,936
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Nebraska offers the lowest superintendent salary at $63,561
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The national average salary for superintendents stands at $82,458
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The national hourly pay for superintendents is $39.64
Explore more about our specific methodology.
Background
Consistently, surveys show that salary is the most important aspect of a job for many individuals. A common question is: how much do superintendents earn in my area?
While various factors influence individual salary expectations, reliable data provides average superintendent salaries by state, segmented by experience level. Thus, even if your city’s figures differ slightly from the state average, these statistics can help set realistic salary expectations.
Currently, Rhode Island leads the pack for superintendent salaries.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for superintendent salaries:
Now, let’s delve deeper into how these salaries compare across states.
Highest-Paid Superintendents By State
| Rank | State | Average Superintendent Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $102,936 | $70,000 | $150,000 |
| 2 | New York | $100,574 | $68,000 | $148,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $99,594 | $67,000 | $146,000 |
| 4 | California | $98,750 | $62,000 | $155,000 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $98,563 | $67,000 | $144,000 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $95,110 | $63,000 | $142,000 |
| 7 | Vermont | $93,935 | $63,000 | $138,000 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $93,688 | $63,000 | $138,000 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $92,932 | $62,000 | $137,000 |
| 10 | Washington | $92,582 | $57,000 | $148,000 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $88,773 | $60,000 | $130,000 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $88,680 | $57,000 | $135,000 |
| 13 | Illinois | $86,186 | $56,000 | $130,000 |
| 14 | Oregon | $85,967 | $54,000 | $136,000 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $85,825 | $56,000 | $130,000 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $85,639 | $55,000 | $130,000 |
| 17 | Nevada | $85,406 | $54,000 | $134,000 |
| 18 | Maryland | $85,020 | $57,000 | $125,000 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $84,945 | $56,000 | $128,000 |
| 20 | Ohio | $84,623 | $56,000 | $127,000 |
| 21 | Virginia | $83,400 | $56,000 | $123,000 |
| 22 | Michigan | $83,331 | $55,000 | $125,000 |
| 23 | Texas | $83,120 | $53,000 | $128,000 |
| 24 | Georgia | $83,103 | $55,000 | $124,000 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $81,362 | $54,000 | $121,000 |
| 26 | Indiana | $81,322 | $53,000 | $122,000 |
| 27 | Arizona | $80,683 | $52,000 | $124,000 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $80,665 | $52,000 | $124,000 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $78,963 | $52,000 | $118,000 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $78,546 | $51,000 | $119,000 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $78,160 | $51,000 | $118,000 |
| 32 | Missouri | $78,088 | $51,000 | $117,000 |
| 33 | Delaware | $77,243 | $52,000 | $114,000 |
| 34 | Idaho | $76,692 | $48,000 | $121,000 |
| 35 | Alaska | $76,080 | $48,000 | $118,000 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $75,973 | $56,000 | $101,000 |
| 37 | Maine | $75,883 | $51,000 | $110,000 |
| 38 | Florida | $75,729 | $51,000 | $111,000 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $74,280 | $49,000 | $112,000 |
| 40 | Montana | $73,779 | $47,000 | $113,000 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $73,730 | $49,000 | $109,000 |
| 42 | Utah | $72,700 | $46,000 | $113,000 |
| 43 | Iowa | $72,452 | $48,000 | $109,000 |
| 44 | Alabama | $72,148 | $47,000 | $108,000 |
| 45 | Colorado | $70,580 | $46,000 | $107,000 |
| 46 | Kansas | $70,504 | $46,000 | $106,000 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $69,732 | $45,000 | $106,000 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $69,601 | $46,000 | $104,000 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $64,803 | $42,000 | $97,000 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $63,561 | $42,000 | $95,000 |
Methodology: Superintendent Salary By State
To accurately assess superintendent salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from numerous sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We enhance this data with actual salaries listed in job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average to derive average salaries for superintendents by state.
The average annual salary data for superintendents is derived from these estimates, ranking each state based on this criterion, with the highest salary state positioned at the top.
Superintendent Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for superintendents?
The highest-paid state for superintendents is Rhode Island, with an average salary of $102,936 per year.
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What city pays superintendents the most?
San Francisco, CA, offers the highest superintendent salaries, averaging $108,093 per year.
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What is the worst state for superintendents?
The state with the lowest average salary for superintendents is Nebraska, at $63,561 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
