💰 School Superintendents in Washington State: Overpaid and Underperforming

Washington State’s public education system is in crisis, and taxpayers are being asked to pay for a system that’s failing our kids. School superintendents across the state are demanding more funding, claiming the state and its citizens aren’t doing enough to support education. But as I pointed out in a previous article, student enrollment is down districts like Seattle have lost over 4,000 students since 2019 and superintendents are still screaming for more money.

Why the drop? Parents are fed up with the poor results coming out of our education systems in Washington State. And when you look at the salaries these superintendents are pulling in often surpassing the governor, the president, and other high-ranking officials it’s clear the problem isn’t funding. It’s priorities.

We don’t need more money thrown at education. We need better opportunities for our kids, caps on administrative salaries, and a serious overhaul of the system.

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📊 The Numbers Don’t Lie: Superintendent Salaries Are Out of Control

Here’s a snapshot of what superintendents in Washington State are earning, based on public records:

Top Salaries:

• Lake Washington 414: $477,678

• Renton 403: $466,481

• Auburn 408: $400,561

• Kent 415: $391,121

• Northshore 417: $401,103

• Mukilteo 006: $390,170

• Marysville 025: $409,820

• Bellevue 405: $369,900

• Shoreline 412: $360,927

• Issaquah 411: $367,823

• Edmonds 015: $356,630

• Yakima 007: $357,468

• Snohomish 201: $348,288

• Federal Way 210: $365,584

• Sumner 320: $355,858

• Bellingham 501: $357,355

• Seattle 001: $356,800

• Tacoma 010: $346,642

• Evergreen (Clark) 114: $336,740

• Everett 002: $339,309

• Central Kitsap 401: $278,670

• Puyallup 003: $322,007

• Spokane 081: $319,015

• Kennewick 017: $312,792

📌 Source: Washington State School District Superintendent Salaries, accessed via public records compiled from district financial disclosures and OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) documentation. Cross-referenced with district payroll summaries and verified internal reports (2024).

These salaries are outrageous. The superintendent of Lake Washington School District is making nearly $478,000 a year—more than the Governor of Washington ($187,353), and even more than the President of the United States, who earns $400,000 annually. Even the lowest on this list, Central Kitsap at $278,670, is earning far more than most Washingtonians. And for what? Our schools are not delivering the results our kids deserve.

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📉 Enrollment Is Down Because Parents Are Fed Up

As previously reported, Seattle Public Schools has lost over 4,000 students since 2019. But the issue isn’t limited to Seattle. Districts like Tacoma, Evergreen, and Yakima have also seen enrollment decline. Superintendents blame this on birth rates or COVID-related disruptions. But that’s only part of the story.

Parents are leaving because the results are appalling.

• Only 34% of Washington fourth-graders are proficient in reading.

• Just 29% are proficient in math (Source: 2023 Nation’s Report Card).

• Graduation rates hover at 83%, but many of these graduates are not prepared for college or the workforce.

A 2022 report by the Washington Roundtable found that only 31% of high school grads who enroll in college actually earn a degree within six years. That’s not success. That’s systemic failure.

Parents are voting with their feet moving to private schools, homeschooling, or leaving the state altogether. Why? Because they’re watching a system prioritize bureaucrats over students and ideology over eduction.

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🧾 The Funding Excuse: A Tired Refrain

Superintendents and administrators claim the problem is underfunding. But Washington State is already spending an enormous share of its budget on K–12 education—over $30 billion in the 2023–25 biennium, which is roughly 50% of the state’s general fund (OSPI, 2023–2025 Budget Report).

That’s not an underfunded system. That’s mismanagement.

When individual superintendents are earning nearly half a million dollars a year, the “we need more money” argument doesn’t hold up. A 2022 study from the National Center for Education Statistics confirmed that Washington spends more per pupil on administration than the national average. Meanwhile, teachers are under pressure, classes are overcrowded, and kids lack basic support.

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🏢 Bloated Administration: The Real Problem

It’s not just the salaries—it’s the layers upon layers of administrators.

Washington school districts are bloated with:

• Superintendents

• Deputy Superintendents

• Assistant Superintendents

• Directors

• Coordinators

Each of these roles often comes with six-figure salaries, benefits, and pensions—paid for by taxpayers.

According to a 2021 report by the Washington Policy Center, school districts now have more administrators per student than ever before, even as enrollment plummets.

And yet, the average teacher salary in Washington is only $80,000 to $90,000, depending on the district according to a report from OSPI in 2023-2024.

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🧮 The Outcomes: Where’s the Return on Investment?

Let’s be clear—if these massive administrative salaries were delivering results, there might be a case for them. But the numbers don’t lie.

• Test scores are in the gutter.

• College completion rates are low.

• Students aren’t job-ready.

• Enrollment is down.

Superintendents blame everyone but themselves—poverty, parents, society—but rarely accept responsibility for their leadership. When you’re being paid more than the President of the United States, you don’t get to make excuses.

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📊 Washington State Superintendent Pay vs. Performance

The data is clear: Superintendent salaries are skyrocketing while enrollment shrinks and performance stagnates.

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🔧 A Call for Change: Caps, Cuts, and Better Standards

Here’s what needs to happen:

🛑 1. Cap Administrative Salaries

No superintendent should earn more than the Governor or the President. A $200,000 cap is more than fair—and still more than 99% of residents make.

✂️ 2. Reduce Administrative Bloat

Cut excessive positions. If a role doesn’t directly serve students, it should be reconsidered.

🧑‍🏫 3. Prioritize Teachers and Students

Use the savings to hire more teachers and get class sizes down to manageable levels. That’s how we improve student outcomes—by putting more educators in front of kids, not more bureaucrats behind desks.

📈 4. Raise the Bar

Reform the curriculum, focus on core skills, and tie funding to real performance metrics. Districts that fail to deliver should not be rewarded.

🗣️ 5. Empower Parents and Communities

Parents deserve transparency and influence. Local school boards should be responsive to their communities—not to the administrative echo chamber.

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents: What Can You Do?

These bloated administrations don’t exist in a vacuum—they’re enabled by school boards. And those boards are elected.

It may be time for moms and dads to step up and run for your local school board.

You know what’s not working. You know what your kids need. You are the accountability.

📣 I have a follow-up article coming soon that will walk you through how to run for school board—and how to win.

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