Updated Feb. 21 with a note about a data nuance; the salary averages are calculated using both full and part-time salaries.
As some school superintendents are starting to earn more than $200,000 for the first time in Idaho history, the statewide average principal pay is approaching $100,000.
The exact average statewide salary for principals and assistant principals at traditional schools is $96,674 — but that average ranges from a low of about $65,000 in Leadore’s tiny and rural South Lemhi School District to a high of about $128,000 in Blaine County School District, located in the affluent resort town of Hailey.
And it’s about a 5% increase from last year’s average principal pay of $92,392.
Charter directors, who essentially act as both principals and superintendents, make an average of $101,378 statewide. That average ranges from about $24,000 at Jerome’s Heritage Academy to about $198,000 at Rathdrum’s North Idaho STEM Academy.
The average statewide teacher salary, at $61,516, is higher than it’s even been, and about $30,000 to $40,000 less than their immediate supervisors.
On the other end of the spectrum, superintendents are earning an average of $115,593 this school year.
| Position type | Average salary, 2023-24 school year |
| Superintendent (traditional school district) | $115,593 |
| Charter director | $101,378 |
| Principal (traditional school district) | $96,674 |
| Teacher | $61,516 |
For a look at districts and charters where principals and directors are paid the most and least, on average, check out the charts below.
Note: The average salary data, obtained from the Idaho Department of Education, includes part-time salaries. For example, a charter school leader might be considered a half-time superintendent, and a half-time school director. Or, an individual might be a half-time teacher and a half-time administrator. That could account for some of the lower salary averages.
Traditional districts with the highest average principal pay
| Traditional school district | Average principal pay |
| Blaine County | $127,699 |
| Hagerman | $116,180 |
| Boise | $114,826 |
| Lapwai | $113,455 |
| McCall-Donnelly | $111,222 |
| Homedale | $108,518 |
| West Ada | $108,388 |
| Lewiston | $107,957 |
| Bonneville | $107,756 |
| Genesee | $106,703 |
Traditional districts with the lowest average principal pay
| Traditional school district | Average principal pay |
| Ririe | $74,865 |
| Nezperce | $74,000 |
| Council | $73,580 |
| Meadows Valley | $72,866 |
| Clark County | $72,000 |
| Garden Valley | $71,556 |
| Dietrich | $69,796 |
| Bruneau-Grand View | $67,832 |
| Grace | $66,223 |
| South Lemhi | $65,180 |
Charters with the highest average director pay
| Charter School | Average charter administrator salary |
| North Idaho STEM Charter Academy (Rathdrum) | $197,600 |
| Isucceed Virtual High (Boise) | $143,325 |
| Vision Charter (Caldwell) | $133,819 |
| Meridian Technical Charter High (Meridian) | $130,341 |
| Kootenai Bridge Academy (Post Falls) | $128,658 |
| Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy (Coeur d’Alene) | $126,181 |
| Alturas Preparatory Academy (Idaho Falls) | $124,000 |
| North Star Charter (Eagle) | $123,600 |
| Xavier Charter (Twin Falls) | $122,584 |
| Payette River Technical Academy (Emmett) | $122,462 |
Charters with the lowest average director pay
| Charter School | Average charter administrator salary |
| The Village Charter (Boise) | $71,042 |
| Syringa Mountain (Hailey) | $65,490 |
| Cardinal Academy (Boise) | $62,025 |
| Legacy Public Charter (Nampa) | $60,000 |
| Upper Carmen Public Charter (Carmen) | $59,596 |
| Inspire Academics (Boise) | $55,125 |
| Project Impact STEM Academy (Meridian) | $53,000 |
| Liberty Charter (Nampa) | $47,500 |
| Fern-Waters Public Charter (Salmon) | $35,000 |
| Heritage Academy | $23,575 |
For the full dataset of average principal pay at traditional districts, go here. For the full dataset of average director pay at charters, go here.
Idaho Education News data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report.
