Washington's Highest-Paid School Superintendents Revealed

Renton School District Superintendent Damien Pattenaude is the highest-paid in Washington for the 2025-2026 school year, with a total final salary of $477,693. Four of the top 11 highest-paid superintendents hail from South King County districts—Renton, Auburn, Kent, and Federal Way—reflecting ongoing variations in compensation tied to district size and local cost of living. Other top earners include Auburn’s Alan Spicciati at $417,863, Kent’s Israel Vela at $387,275, and Federal Way’s Danielle Pfeiffer at $371,849, while the state’s top-20 earners average $389,562 annually. Salaries cited are total final pay, not including benefits or mandatory payroll costs, and may change as supplemental contracts or additional payments are reported in October. Superintendents are described as chief executive officers of their districts, with compensation established through public processes, according to WSFI and OSPI guidance. The report from Washington State Fiscal Information is preliminary, and figures may be updated as final tallies are released.