Lake County Gazette

Administrators in Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 earn an average of $124,392 per year, ranking 173rd in the state, according to the Illinois State Board of Education report.

The average salary in the district in 2022 is 3.4% lower than in 2021 and 3.7% more than in 2020. District administrators make 7.1% more than the state average of $116,166.

Administrator salaries depend on the district’s size, location, and resources, as well as the individual’s level of experience and education, according to the Illinois State Board of Education report.

Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 enrolled 2,501 students in 2021-22. There is an average of 120 students for every administrator, compared to a statewide ratio of 147 to 1.

Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 roughly covers schools within Lake County and has a main office in Zion.

District information was gathered from the Illinois Report Card.

As of 2020, 85 percent of school districts documented that the teacher shortage was a “major” or “minor” problem.

According to the 2021 Illinois Educator Shortage Survey, 88% of the 663 school districts that participated reported having trouble locating instructors and substitute teachers.

The Illinois State Board of Education reports that in 2022, there were more than 5,300 unfilled positions. According to school districts that responded to a 2022 IARSS survey, 68% reported fewer teacher applications than in 2021, and 45% of districts said the shortage was worse than last year.

State Rank	Year	Average salary	Student-to-administrator ratio
173	2022	$124,392	120-to-1
128	2021	$128,790	131-to-1
178	2020	$119,922	120-to-1
198	2019	$116,427	138-to-1
205	2018	$111,809	139-to-1
234	2017	$108,961	146-to-1
236	2016	$106,620	142-to-1
252	2015	$103,781	141-to-1
296	2014	$99,577	140-to-1
246	2013	$102,611	300-to-1