What is a superintendent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Becky Serbin
introduction image

A superintendent is an individual who oversees and manages the operations of a school district. They are responsible for making decisions regarding curriculum, budget, staffing, and facilities. They work to establish policies and goals for the district and ensure that these goals are met. A superintendent must possess strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of educational practices and policies. They work closely with teachers, administrators, and support staff to ensure that students receive great education.

What general advice would you give to a Superintendent?

Becky SerbinBecky Serbin LinkedIn Profile

Director of Education and Curriculum, National Tile Contractors Association

Skill requirements are stated on our recruitment flyer, attached, but will ultimately be decided on by the hiring contractor. Beyond our flyer, many also require a valid drivers license.
ScoreSuperintendentUS Average
Salary
6.4

Avg. Salary $82,458

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 4.25%

Black or African American 11.95%

Hispanic or Latino 13.62%

Unknown 3.98%

White 65.51%

Gender

female 6.72%

male 93.28%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Superintendent?

Pros

  • High salary

  • Job security

  • Opportunity to make a positive impact on students

  • Leadership role and decision-making authority

  • Collaborative work environment with teachers and administrators

Cons

  • Long hours, including evenings and weekends

  • High stress and pressure to meet performance goals

  • Difficult decisions regarding budget cuts and personnel layoffs

  • Conflict resolution with parents, teachers, and students

  • Responsibility for safety and security of students and staff

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Superintendent career paths

Key steps to become a superintendent

  1. Explore superintendent education requirements

    Most common superintendent degrees

    Bachelor's

    43.6 %

    Associate

    25.0 %

    High School Diploma

    16.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific superintendent skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    OSHA11.13%
    Quality Standards6.65%
    Construction Management6.56%
    Logistics6.07%
    Customer Service4.97%
  3. Complete relevant superintendent training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New superintendents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a superintendent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real superintendent resumes.
  4. Research superintendent duties and responsibilities

    • Manage, coordinate, plan and provide oversight for all nuclear work perform during PSA's.
    • Manage $9.1M budget; 28,000 grind and flight training requirements and 2,400 hr flying training program.
    • Manage a team of 30 operators and maintenance personnel producing extrusion and blown polypropylene shrink film on a unionize site.
    • Lead and facilitate meetings; oversee implementation of OSHA and company safety regulations.
  5. Prepare your superintendent resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your superintendent resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a superintendent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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  6. Apply for superintendent jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a superintendent job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Superintendent Job

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Are you a Superintendent?

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Average superintendent salary

The average Superintendent salary in the United States is $82,458 per year or $40 per hour. Superintendent salaries range between $57,000 and $119,000 per year.

Average Superintendent Salary
$82,458 Yearly
$39.64 hourly

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How do superintendents rate their job?

4/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Superintendent reviews

profile
4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022
Pros

In the field, hands on, working with trades. More custom oriented

Cons

Office work, did not like doing commercial construction and been building custom homes for 35 years.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

To know that I'm striving for the upmost best for the company AND the client. To know that when it's done it's something that will be worry free throughout its entirety.

Cons

Stress of making sure everything is coming in under budget and efficiently.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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