Average salaries for New Jersey’s school superintendents continued to increase during the most recent school year, as the top earners saw salaries of about $300,000, new data published by the state Department of Education shows.
The average salary for a full-time superintendent for the 2023-24 school year was $193,221, an NJ Advance Media analysis of the Department of Education’s annual Certificated Staff Database found. That’s a 3% increase over last year’s average full-time salary of $187,571.
The highest paid superintendent in the state is Leigh Byron, the head of theTrenton Stem-To-Civics Charter School. He earned$360,000 for the 2023-24 school year. That’s down $24,000 from the previous year, but still the highest salary in the state. (See the top 31 salaries below.)
New Jersey’s average salary is well above the national average of $165,799 for superintendents, according to the School Superintendents Association.
The majority of New Jersey superintendents work full-time, with just 61 in part-time roles. The average salary for a part-time superintendent is $145,581. Most part-time superintendents hold additional roles in the district, like principals or supervisors, that bring their total employment status to full-time.
New Jersey had a cap on superintendent pay between 2011 and 2019 with a max $191,584 in the final year of the span. Gov. Phil Murphy did away with the cap following complaints that it was difficult to attract and retain leaders without the ability to pay them more. Limits on bonuses and supersized retirement payouts remain.
A note about the data: Salary data included in the Certificated Staff Database is self reported by the districts to the state. “Salary” includes the “staff base salary” and any “staff annual supplement” amount listed in the data.
These are the 31 highest paid superintendents in the state:
31. Craig Henry
District: Ocean-Southern Regional School District
Salary: $254,474
30. Carol L. Birnbohm
District: Lenape Regional High School District
Salary: $254,571
27. (tie) Robert S. Sutter
District: Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District
Salary $255,00
27. (tie) Scott Hough
District: Union Summit Public School
Salary: $255,000
27. (tie) James Earle
District: Trenton Public School District
Salary: $255,000
26. Henry M. Poteat
District: Winslow Township School District
Salary: $255,672
25. David M. Miceli
District: New Providence School District
Salary: $256,805
Miceli has announced his upcoming retirement, effective June 30, 2024.
23. (tie) Salvatore Goncalves
District: Bloomfield Township School District
Salary: $257,500
23. (tie) Mark Toback
District: Wayne Township Public School District
Salary: $257,500
22. Michael Lasusa
District: School District Of The Chathams
Salary: $257,844
21. Danny A. Robertozzi
District: Clifton Public School District
Salary: $259,800
20. Barbara E. Sargent
District: West Morris Regional High School District
Salary: $260,000
19. Christine Burton
District: Millburn Township School District
Salary: $261,770
18. Roy M. Dionisio
District: Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District
Salary: $262,656
Dioniso left Ramapo Indian Hills Regional in November 2023, and now works in Fair Lawn.
17. David A. Roman
District: Perth Amboy Public School District
Salary: $262,917
16. James Santana
District: Northern Valley Regional High School District
Salary: $263,000
15. Mark Schwarz
District: Ridgewood Public School District
Salary: $263,960
14. Clara A. Herrera
District: West New York School District
Salary: $264,500
13. Elizabeth Jewett
District: Watchung Hills Regional High School District
Salary: $265,000
12. Charles Sampson
District: Freehold Regional High School District
Salary: $265,302
11. Aubrey A. Johnson
District: New Brunswick School District
Salary: $268,877
10. David M. Aderhold
District: West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
Salary: $269,115
9. Scott T. Feder
District: South Brunswick School District
Salary: $269,352
8. Michael Ben-David
District: Tenafly Public School District
Salary: $270,000
7. Victor Valeski
District: East Brunswick Township School District
Salary: $275,552
6. Silvia T. Abbato
District: Union City School District
Salary: $279,139
5. Laurienne W. Newell
District: Paterson Public School District
Salary: $285,000
4. Teresa Segarra
District: Maria L. Varisco-Rogers Charter School
Salary: $301,600
3. Roger Leon
District: Newark Public School District
Salary: $308,971
2. Howard Lerner
District: Bergen County Vocational Technical School District
Salary: $319,134
1. Leigh Byron
District: Trenton Stem-To-Civics Charter School
Salary: $360,000
Editor’s Note: The list in this story has been updated to correct the salary for Clifton Public School District Superintendent Danny A. Robertozzi.
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Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch.
