McLean County Times

Administrators in Prairie Central Community Unit School District 8 earn an average of $79,314 per year, ranking 827th in the state, according to the Illinois State Board of Education report.

The average salary in the district in 2022 is 1.4% higher than in 2021 and 1.7% more than in 2020. District administrators make 31.7% less 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.

Prairie Central Community Unit School District 8 enrolled 1,723 students in 2021-22. There is an average of 157 students for every administrator, compared to a statewide ratio of 147 to 1.

Prairie Central Community Unit School District 8 roughly covers schools within Livingston County and has a main office in Fairbury.

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
827	2022	$79,314	157-to-1
813	2021	$78,195	154-to-1
803	2020	$77,988	162-to-1
828	2019	$74,731	184-to-1
790	2018	$78,290	191-to-1
765	2017	$79,511	176-to-1
762	2016	$77,514	184-to-1
742	2015	$77,446	192-to-1
744	2014	$76,677	212-to-1
786	2013	$68,414	191-to-1