This Houston Head Of School Makes More $1 Million A Year

The head of school of Kinkaid school in Houston, Jonathan Eades, earned a compensation package of more than $1 million in 2022, making him one of the wealthiest headmasters of the Houston area.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Eades is likely the most highly compensated private school head in the Houston area. Head of private schools are, generally, more highly compensated than public schools principals. For example an average principal in Houston makes about $114,000 a year, HISD superintendent Mike Miles has a salary of $380,000, but an average head of school salary is of about $300,000 per year.

Eades’ salary reflects his role and the size of the institution, according to Peggy England, director of strategic communication for Kinkaid.

“Just like with any industry, compensation is such an important factor in attracting and retaining qualified and seasoned executives who can lead an institution of this size,” England told the Chronicle.

Kinkaid school is located in Piney Point and has about 1,500 students from pre-K to 12th grade, and about 7,500 alumni. In addition, it has 500 faculty and staff members.

Eades’ salary in 2022 included a base of $500,000 plus a $150,000 bonus approved by the board of trustees. In addition, the school provided housing.

Despite Eades’ enormous salary, Kinkaid is not the most expensive private school in Houston. According to the Chronicle, the title is held by The Joy School, which has a tuition of $52,080 for the 2024-25 school year.

In Houston, private school compensation varies. For example, the head of the Joy School, a smaller institution focusing on special needs students, receives about $267,000 annually, with the school’s revenue being considerably lower than Kinkaid’s. Meanwhile, many religiously affiliated schools, like Episcopal High and the Regis School, are exempt from filing tax reports, making their financial data unavailable.