Washington's Highest-Paid School Superintendents Revealed

Renton School District Superintendent Damien Pattenaude is the state’s highest-paid administrator for the 2025-2026 year at $477,693, with four of the top 11 district leaders—Renton, Auburn, Kent and Federal Way—hailing from South King County. The industry-wide salaries reflect district size, experience, and cost of living, and WSFI notes that final figures can shift with supplemental payments or October updates, with the top-20 average around $389,562.