These NJ Superintendents Make $100K Over National Average

NEW JERSEY — Some public school superintendents in the Garden State make more than $100,000 over the national average, new school budget data shows.

The national average for superintendents' salaries is $165,799, per the latest data from the School Superintendents Association.

In the 2023/24 budget year, at least six public districts in New Jersey reported superintendent salaries that were more than $100,000 over the national average in 2023/34 budget data ($265,799 or more).

In all, 18 supers reportedly made $250,000 or more.

That’s in part due to the 2019 elimination of a wage cap put in place by former Gov. Chris Christie, which barred superintendent salaries from rising above $191,584.

Patch pulled budget data from the New Jersey Department of Education that includes administrator salaries reports by each district.

This did not include charter schools, which will be noted in the Taxpayer's Guide to Education Spending data released later this year.

The highest-paid public schools superintendent last year was Mark Finkelstein, who has since retired from the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey and was paid a base salary of $327,312.

Here are New Jersey's 20 highest-paid public school superintendents in the 2023/24 school year, their school districts, and their base salaries as reported to the DOE:

20. Christine Burton, Millburn Township: $249,578 (retiring after this year)

19. Carol Birnbohm, Lenape Regional: $249,580

18. Mark Toback, Wayne Township: $257,500

17. Michael Lasusa, School District of the Chathams: $252,788

16. David Micelli, New Providence Boro: $253,805 (retiring after this year)

15. Michael Ben-David, West Morris Regional: $254,383

14. H. Major Poteat, Winslow Township: $255,672

13. Aubrey Johnson, New Brunswick: $256,191

12. Rui Dionisio, Ramapo-Indian Hill Regional: $256,250

11. George Solter, North Bergen Township: $256,470

10. David A. Roman, Perth Amboy City: $257,762

9. Charles Sampson, Freehold Regional: $260,100

8. Scott Feder, South Brunswick Township: $261,000

7. David Aderhold, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional: $262,551

6. Eileen Shafer, Paterson City: $267,900 (no longer at district)

5. Victor Valeski, East Brunswick Township: $268,178

4. Mark Schwarz, Ridgewood: $270,000

3. Roger Leon, Newark City: $299,332

2. Howard Lerner, Bergen County Vocational: $302,134

1. Silvia Abbato, Union City: $308,939

Compare to last year's numbers here.