Long Island educators' salaries: More earn over $300G annually, and hundreds make at least $200G

A growing number of top educators across the state earn $300,000 and up annually, with more than 60% of those professionals located on Long Island, according to a Newsday analysis of records from the New York State Teachers' Retirement System. 

In Nassau and Suffolk counties, a total of 44 superintendents and other public education employees reached that payroll level during the 2022-23 school term, up from 41 in 2020-21. Statewide, the number of highly compensated educators totaled 70 last year, compared with 59 in 2020-21.

Another 790 educators on Long Island made at least $200,000 in 2022-23, of 1,399 statewide.

High living costs on the Island often are cited as major reasons for the area's relatively high educator salaries.

One regional analyst who makes that point is Joe Dragone, a longtime school official now serving as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University. He cited a 2006 study by the state’s education department, which confirmed costs here were far beyond those found in the Mohawk Valley and other inexpensive areas of the state.

"For a school administrator on Long Island, they need to get 42.5% more in salary just to maintain the same standard of living compared to that in a low-cost area of the state," Dragone said.

Newsday's review of salaries was drawn from records of the state retirement system, using a Freedom of Information Law request. Records for 2022-23 covered more than 220,000 school administrators, teachers and other professional educators statewide, with $18.5 billion in payroll. That includes more than 55,000 on the Island, with nearly $5.7 billion in payroll.

On Long Island, [educators] need to get 42.5% more in salary just to maintain the same standard of living compared to that in a low-cost area.

— Joe Dragone, Hofstra University adjunct professor

Those in the $300,000-plus pay range included senior administrators and researchers at State University of New York campuses. 

School professionals in their final year of employment frequently receive payouts for unused sick and vacation days, in addition to regular salaries. Recipients in 2022-23 included one local school administrator who retired with a final-year package of $600,000-plus, along with another who retired with more than $500,000.

"I'd say these sorts of payouts strike a particular nerve with taxpayers, because school taxes are the biggest part of homeowners' tax bills," said one Albany-based commentator, Ken Girardin. "And taxpayers are trying to understand why New York schools are the country's most expensive."

These sorts of payouts strike a particular nerve with taxpayers, because school taxes are the biggest part of homeowners' tax bills.

— Ken Girardin, Empire Center for Public Policy research director

Girardin is research director for the Empire Center for Public Policy, a fiscally conservative independent think tank.

Salaries of education professionals represent the biggest single cost item for public school systems, which accounts for more than 60% of property taxes in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

For 2022-23, the highest-paid education employee listed by the state was Janet Gilmor, former assistant superintendent for human resources in the William Floyd school district. Gilmor retired in June with a package totaling $622,257, according to the state.

The district said earnings included a base salary of $256,003, together with $193,154 in severance for 25 years' service, $129,320 in payouts for accrued sick and vacation days, a $10,000 stipend for COVID administration and oversight, and other compensation.

District representatives described Gilmor as a dedicated worker who served as grant writer, social worker supervisor and assistant superintendent. Among her many accomplishments, the district said, was establishment of a family center that provides a variety of services to needy families in cooperation with the Family Services League.

William Floyd enrolls more than 10,000 students in southeastern Brookhaven Town. 

"She always went above and beyond with her time and resources, and was available to help anyone at any time of day or year with any issue," said James Montalto, the district's public relations director. "Her tremendous contributions will be felt for many years to come."

Also high on the state's compensation list was Jack Perna, who worked more than 40 years in the Montauk district, including 20 years as superintendent. Perna's final-year package totaled $510,415, according to state records. The district, which enrolls about 330 students, confirmed that compensation included a payout as well as base salary, but did not provide a requested breakdown. 

The Montauk superintendent's base pay for 2022-23 was $210,000, according to state records. A copy of the school chief's contract for 2020, on file with the Empire Center, provided compensation for a maximum 250 unused sick days.

Associates described Perna as a big-hearted leader who earned the respect of his East End district through long years of service and love of children.

"He gave his heart to this school," said the district's current superintendent, Joshua Odom, who took over in July and still talks with Perna at least once a week. "He knew every child's name here. He knew the families. He came to the baseball games. He never forgot a birthday."

High administrator pay, while it may help attract and retain leadership, also can create political flashpoints.

Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, during his first year in office in 2011, cited the example of one well-paid superintendent in Nassau County as evidence of what he described as school overspending. At the time, Cuomo was pushing for statewide caps on school property taxes, which eventually became law. 

In addition to Gilmor and Perna, four other educators on the Island ranked among the state’s top 10 in pay.

They included Kishore Kuncham, superintendent of Freeport schools, with an annual listed compensation of $444,412, and Edward Salina, schools chief in Plainedge, with $382,597. 

At the college level, highest recipients include Kenji Fukaya, a Stony Brook University professor in mathematics, with compensation listed at $505,665. A professor in materials science on campus, Esther Takeuchi, was listed at $454,400.