Superintendent Salary Survey Provides Important Data 

Austin— The median salary for a Texas school superintendent for 2025-26 is $156,818, an increase of 2.3% from the prior year, according to the annual Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) Superintendent Salary Survey. 

“The most important responsibility entrusted to school board members is hiring and evaluating a superintendent,” said Amy Campbell, director of TASB HR Services, which administers the survey. “This annual survey helps school districts across the state understand compensation trends and offer competitive salaries while also being good stewards of district resources.” 

This year's survey included participation from 746 districts, representing 74% of districts in Texas. There was a wide variation in median salaries based on district size, with a range from $120,000 in districts with fewer than 500 students to $367,303 in districts with enrollments of 50,000 or more. 

The survey also looks at trends in superintendent experience. Of the 121 districts with a new superintendent for 2025-26, 60% of districts hired a superintendent with no previous experience in the position. This is down from the number of districts hiring a first-time superintendent in 2024-25. 

Campbell said a trend that has stayed relatively constant in recent years is the median amount of time a superintendent spends in a district, which is about three years. The median experience for superintendents overall is four years. Most superintendents (70%) have only served as superintendent in their current district. 

Salaries comprise only one part of a superintendent’s overall compensation package. The survey results also include data on bonuses, transportation benefits, health insurance benefits, and cell phone reimbursement, all of which can add significant value. 

Key findings include:  

• 17% of responding districts (118) pay a car allowance to their superintendents, which is slightly down from last year. The median vehicle allowance is $6,000, a number that has stayed consistent. Only 9% of districts provide a vehicle for the sole use of the superintendent.  
• 89% of districts reported paying health insurance benefits for their superintendent, with a median contribution of $4,458 annually, which is up from last year.  
• 31% of districts (212) reported providing their superintendent with a cell phone allowance. The median is $1,200 annually, an amount unchanged from last year.  
• 39% of districts (264) reported paying a portion of the superintendent’s required Teacher Retirement System (TRS) contribution, an increase from last year. The median contribution is $17,710. 
• 12% of districts (81) provide either a residence or housing allowance. The median housing allowance is $6,000. 

TASB HR Services sends a survey invitation via email to all 1,014 school districts across the state. Salary data from districts with interim and part-time superintendents is not included.  

"It’s important for school board trustees to have resources and information that help them make the best financial decisions,” Campbell said. “The survey data provides crucial insights that can be used to develop superintendent contracts that reflect the market while meeting the needs of the district.”  

About TASB 

TASB is a nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve approximately 5.5 million public school students.