The highest and lowest-paying school districts in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Kansas ranks in the bottom third for teacher salaries nationwide, and average pay by district ranges from $41,318 to $74,989, according to government records.

In 2021, Kansas ranked 36th in the nation for public school salaries, with an average public school salary of $53,932 to $11,158 less than the nation’s average, according to the Kansas Department of Education.

Some of the higher-paying districts in Kansas include Shawnee Mission, Olathe and Lawrence, which offer salaries over $60,000 per year, according to govsalaries.com. The communities with higher pay tend to be in more affluent areas of Kansas with higher property values and tax revenues. Shawnee Mission, for example, has the highest school district valuation at $4.96 billion and some of the most expensive property values in the state.

The highest-paying school district in Kansas was Olathe Public Schools Unified District 233. The valuation of District 233 was $3.12 billion, according to the 2022 school district value report from ksrevenue.gov. The highest-paying position at District 233 was the superintendent, who took home $276,200 in 2022.

The lowest-paying school district was Triplains, USD 275. The total value of District 275 was $26.7 million, according to the 2022 school district value report. The highest-paying position for District 275 was the sole administrator who serves as superintendent and K-12 principal, earning an annual wage of $91,802 in 2022.

“There’s such a teacher shortage we’re lucky to just get applications for any positions,” Bergsten said. “It used to be just for math. It’s very challenging to find teachers … It’s definitely a struggle.”

The Triplains district is located in northwest Kansas. The school has a total of 68 students with 11 to 13 teachers. Bergsten said the benefit of having such a small district is a stronger student-to-teacher ratio than most larger districts.

“When the neighboring district calls your teacher directly and offers them a job, it’s tough,” Bergsten said regarding a teacher who left Triplains after being offered a job from a neighboring district. “Finding applicants. Half of those twelve (teachers) are graduates from here. That’s our best situation — when we can hire a person who has connections to our community already through marriage or growing up here.”

A benefit to being from a smaller district, the Triplains district had nearly double the per pupil expenditure over the Shawnee Mission School District in the 2020-2021 school year. Bergsten said another advantage to the district was a highly competitive teacher benefits program.

Highest average salary school districts in Kansas, according to govsalaries.com:

Olathe Public Schools USD 233 – $74,989

Jefferson West USD 340 – $74,285

Shawnee Mission School District – $72,636

Haysville USD 261- $71,793

Pratt USD 382 – $70,798

Piper Kansas City School District – $69,849

Wichita Public Schools – $69,834

Chanute Public Schools – $69,420

Hays USD 489 – $67,857

Coffeyville Schools Unified School District – $68,689

Lowest average salary school districts in Kansas:

Triplains USD 275 – $41,318

Northern Valley Schools Unified School District – $42,395

Grinnell Schools USD 291 – $42,681

Brewster USD 314 – $43,059

Palco Unified School District – $44,148

Haviland USD 474 – $44,290

Hamilton USD 390 – $44,080

Paradise USD 399 – $45,704

Healy Public Schools – Median Salary $45,823

Pike Valley USD 426 – $47,116

Here’s where average salaries are for some of our larger local NE Kansas districts:

Topeka Public Schools District 501 – $65,954

Auburn-Washburn USD 437 – $64,662

Emporia Public Schools – $63,435

Seaman School District 345 – $62,736

Lawrence Public Schools Unified District 497 – $61,186

Manhattan-Ogden Public Schools – $58,964

Riley County School District 378 – $57,774