West Ada Superintendent Tops Idaho Pay List
Derek Bub earns the highest salary among Idaho's school superintendents, according to state salary records.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Administration
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Derek Bub, superintendent of the West Ada School District, earns $250,822 this school year, the highest among Idaho superintendents. He signed a new contract this summer that includes $20,000 annual raises over the next three years.
Why it matters
The figures show how superintendent pay varies across Idaho's districts, with the state's largest district paying its leader the most. The comparison draws attention to how administrative compensation is set for public school leadership statewide.
Bub's $250,822 salary places him first among listed Idaho superintendents, ahead of Boise's Wendy Johnson at $219,454. Some listed administrators fill the role part-time or receive stipends, which the state salary coding does not fully distinguish.
The players
Derek Bub
Superintendent of the West Ada School District, Idaho's largest district, who earns the highest superintendent salary in the state.
Wendy Johnson
Superintendent of the Boise School District, the state's second-largest district, who earns $219,454.
Jim Foudy
Superintendent of the Blaine County School District, who ranks fifth among Idaho superintendent salaries.
The details
West Ada, the state's largest school district with more than 37,300 students, pays Bub the top salary on the list. Boise, the second-largest district with nearly 22,000 students, ranks second through its superintendent Wendy Johnson.
Timeline
- Summer 2026: Bub signed a new contract with $20,000 annual raises over three years.
- Last school year: Lisa Roberts retired as Boise superintendent, earning $218,362.
- This school year: Bub's $250,822 salary takes effect.
Pay Scale Context
The ranking is built from Idaho state salary records, which show pay rising with district enrollment, with the state's largest district paying the most. Pay for the top three districts sits within a range of about $30,000 between the highest and third-highest salaries.
Superintendent salaries are funded from public school budgets, so these figures affect how district dollars are allocated. Parents and taxpayers in Idaho can compare their district's leadership pay against the state's list.
The takeaway
Salary records show that Idaho's superintendent pay tracks district size, so readers can check how their local district's leadership compensation compares statewide.
Further reading
Explore more on Administration to see how school leadership pay and contracts are set across Idaho.
Source note: This article includes information reported by East Idaho News.
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