Long Island is home to one of the nation's largest concentrations of well-paideducators, with more than 31,000 teachers and other professionals earning $100,000 a year and up,and more than 12,000 of those earning at least $140,000, a Newsday analysis found.
That means a majority of educationalprofessionals in the Nassau-Suffolk region — about 57% — havesix-figure salaries.
Among those public school employees, 663 reported compensationpackages totaling $200,000 or more for the 2021-22 school yearand 36 of them had packages worthat least $300,000, Newsday learned. Teacher-union representatives said relatively high pay helps educators cope withthe region's steep cost of livingand also aids in recruiting job applicants.
Salaries of education professionalsrepresent the biggest single cost item for public school systems, which accounts for more than 60% of property taxes in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Next month, school districts will start putting together their tax and budget proposals for 2023-24.
For its salary review, Newsday obtained records from the New York State Teachers' Retirement System,using the state's Freedom of Information Law. Records covered statewide payrolls for more than 253,000 teachers and other professionals, such as administrators, counselors and librarians.These included about54,800 employees on the Island.
Total earnings commonly include payouts for unused sick and vacation days,as well as regular salaries,for individuals about to retire.In addition, many superintendents and other top administrators are awarded extra dollars in the form of tax-deferred annuities andother benefits.
Marianne Cartisano,former superintendent in the Miller Place district, ranked at the topof the state's compensation list for public school employees.Cartisano retired in July with a final annual package of $483,323, after working nearly 20 years in the district. Earnings included a $270,487 salary, according to state records, together with payouts for unused sick days and other remuneration.
In a news release, the Miller Place district credited Cartisano with establishing a full-day kindergarten program and universal prekindergarten classes, as well as establishing a superiorbond rating. The district in northern Brookhaven Town enrolls about 2,450 students and operates on a$76.5 million annual budget.
Cartisano, in a phone interview, noted that she had served both as assistant superintendent for business and superintendent in Miller Place. She added that her long experience as an educator helped inexpandingacademic programs, bolstering schoolsecurity and keeping classes running during most of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Leadership matters, stability matters, when you're the head executive officer of a $76-million-a-year organization," she said.
Another district, Central Islip, hadthe largest number of employees ranked among the top two dozen earners. A total of six teachers in the district had packages ranging from $324,013 to $467,985, state records showed. The district's superintendent, Sharon Dungee, statedthat all six professionals had retired, and that figures included payouts for unused sick and vacation days, as well as salaries.
Islandwide, earnings for full-time educators average $111,262 annually, according to the Empire Center for Public Policy, a fiscally conservative think tank in Albany. That dollar amount is the highest for any region in New York Stateand also exceeds average salariesreported byother states.
Center analysts reported that the number of educators statewide receiving six-figure salaries grew by 50% over the last 10 years, and that the Island's figure increased 1.7% between 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Tim Hoefer,the Empire Center's president,questioned whether New York's taxpayers were gettingtheir money's worth. He noted that state testing last spring of students in grades 3-8showed"mediocre" results — for example, with just over 40% of Island students scoring proficient or better in math.
"Despite educational results that continue to hover around mediocre, pay for educators has continued to climb, especially on Long Island," Hoefer said in a recent messageto Newsday.
New York State United Teachers, a union umbrella group, responded with itsown statement, noting that teachers statewideare required to hold master's degrees and undergo periodic professional training.
"Our educators should be paid like the highly trained and skilled professionals they are," stated the union, which represents more than 600,000 teachers and other professionals statewide. "It's common knowledge that the cost of living on Long Island is higher than in other parts of the state. As a result, teachers in this region receive salaries commensurate with the cost of living, as do professionals in other fields."
Locally, teacher representatives noted that they often faced an uphill struggle in delivering lessons to students during the COVID-19 pandemic, when much of the instruction had to be delivered to students' homes via the internet.
"Teachers have worked incredibly hardunder incredible circumstances for the last several years," said Tony Felicio Jr., president of a640-member teachersunion in the Connetquot district. "They continue to go above and beyond to work, not only on academics, but on the myriad social and emotional experiences that children bring to school on a daily basis."
Some advocacy groups contend that, even in New York State, where pay scales are relatively high, teachers are losing ground financially to professionals in other fields. The Economic Policy Institute, a liberal Washington, D.C., think tank, reported in August that teachers in this state faceda 13.2% gap in weekly wages,compared with earnings for professionals in other fields.
The report's author, Sylvia Allegretto, told Newsday that pay gaps stemmed from the fact that public education, like nursing, historically enlisted women, because they had fewer options than men and were willing to work for less money. Allegretto added thatin the future, schools could face increasing difficulty in recruiting female job candidatesas their options widen in other career fields.
"Teaching should be one of the most sought-after professions in the country, because we want the best and the brightest attracted to the profession,"said Allegretto, a senioreconomist and researcher."The only way you can do that is with highly trained, highly paid, highly sought-after kids who are considering college now and are just not opting for degrees in education, because it's just not attractive."
Long Island is home to one of the nation's largest concentrations of well-paideducators, with more than 31,000 teachers and other professionals earning $100,000 a year and up,and more than 12,000 of those earning at least $140,000, a Newsday analysis found.
That means a majority of educationalprofessionals in the Nassau-Suffolk region — about 57% — havesix-figure salaries.
Among those public school employees, 663 reported compensationpackages totaling $200,000 or more for the 2021-22 school yearand 36 of them had packages worthat least $300,000, Newsday learned. Teacher-union representatives said relatively high pay helps educators cope withthe region's steep cost of livingand also aids in recruiting job applicants.
Salaries of education professionalsrepresent the biggest single cost item for public school systems, which accounts for more than 60% of property taxes in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Next month, school districts will start putting together their tax and budget proposals for 2023-24.
WHAT TO KNOW
- One of the nation's largest concentrations of public school educators earning six-figure salaries is located in Nassau and Suffolk counties, a Newsday analysis found.
- A recently retired school superintendent was the area's highest compensated educator in 2021-22,with a final-year salary and payout of more than $480,000.
- Competitive salaries help educators cope with the area's high cost of living, teacher representatives said.
For its salary review, Newsday obtained records from the New York State Teachers' Retirement System,using the state's Freedom of Information Law. Records covered statewide payrolls for more than 253,000 teachers and other professionals, such as administrators, counselors and librarians.These included about54,800 employees on the Island.
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Total earnings commonly include payouts for unused sick and vacation days,as well as regular salaries,for individuals about to retire.In addition, many superintendents and other top administrators are awarded extra dollars in the form of tax-deferred annuities andother benefits.
Marianne Cartisano,former superintendent in the Miller Place district, ranked at the topof the state's compensation list for public school employees.Cartisano retired in July with a final annual package of $483,323, after working nearly 20 years in the district. Earnings included a $270,487 salary, according to state records, together with payouts for unused sick days and other remuneration.
In a news release, the Miller Place district credited Cartisano with establishing a full-day kindergarten program and universal prekindergarten classes, as well as establishing a superiorbond rating. The district in northern Brookhaven Town enrolls about 2,450 students and operates on a$76.5 million annual budget.
Cartisano, in a phone interview, noted that she had served both as assistant superintendent for business and superintendent in Miller Place. She added that her long experience as an educator helped inexpandingacademic programs, bolstering schoolsecurity and keeping classes running during most of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Leadership matters, stability matters, when you're the head executive officer of a $76-million-a-year organization," she said.
Another district, Central Islip, hadthe largest number of employees ranked among the top two dozen earners. A total of six teachers in the district had packages ranging from $324,013 to $467,985, state records showed. The district's superintendent, Sharon Dungee, statedthat all six professionals had retired, and that figures included payouts for unused sick and vacation days, as well as salaries.
LI average: More than $111,000 annually
Islandwide, earnings for full-time educators average $111,262 annually, according to the Empire Center for Public Policy, a fiscally conservative think tank in Albany. That dollar amount is the highest for any region in New York Stateand also exceeds average salariesreported byother states.
Center analysts reported that the number of educators statewide receiving six-figure salaries grew by 50% over the last 10 years, and that the Island's figure increased 1.7% between 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Tim Hoefer,the Empire Center's president,questioned whether New York's taxpayers were gettingtheir money's worth. He noted that state testing last spring of students in grades 3-8showed"mediocre" results — for example, with just over 40% of Island students scoring proficient or better in math.
"Despite educational results that continue to hover around mediocre, pay for educators has continued to climb, especially on Long Island," Hoefer said in a recent messageto Newsday.
New York State United Teachers, a union umbrella group, responded with itsown statement, noting that teachers statewideare required to hold master's degrees and undergo periodic professional training.
"Our educators should be paid like the highly trained and skilled professionals they are," stated the union, which represents more than 600,000 teachers and other professionals statewide. "It's common knowledge that the cost of living on Long Island is higher than in other parts of the state. As a result, teachers in this region receive salaries commensurate with the cost of living, as do professionals in other fields."
'Above and beyond'
Locally, teacher representatives noted that they often faced an uphill struggle in delivering lessons to students during the COVID-19 pandemic, when much of the instruction had to be delivered to students' homes via the internet.
"Teachers have worked incredibly hardunder incredible circumstances for the last several years," said Tony Felicio Jr., president of a640-member teachersunion in the Connetquot district. "They continue to go above and beyond to work, not only on academics, but on the myriad social and emotional experiences that children bring to school on a daily basis."
Some advocacy groups contend that, even in New York State, where pay scales are relatively high, teachers are losing ground financially to professionals in other fields. The Economic Policy Institute, a liberal Washington, D.C., think tank, reported in August that teachers in this state faceda 13.2% gap in weekly wages,compared with earnings for professionals in other fields.
The report's author, Sylvia Allegretto, told Newsday that pay gaps stemmed from the fact that public education, like nursing, historically enlisted women, because they had fewer options than men and were willing to work for less money. Allegretto added thatin the future, schools could face increasing difficulty in recruiting female job candidatesas their options widen in other career fields.
"Teaching should be one of the most sought-after professions in the country, because we want the best and the brightest attracted to the profession,"said Allegretto, a senioreconomist and researcher."The only way you can do that is with highly trained, highly paid, highly sought-after kids who are considering college now and are just not opting for degrees in education, because it's just not attractive."
By John Hildebrand and Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com
John Hildebrand is Newsday's senior education writer and has covered school news and policy issues affecting Long Island for more than 40 years. Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003.
FAQs
How much is the teachers salary in Long Island? ›
The average Public School Teacher salary in Long Island City, NY is $65,830 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $54,978 and $80,280.
Why are Long Island teachers paid so much? ›Because Long Island is one of the nation's most expensive places to live, education advocates say such compensation is necessary to recruit and retain staff.
What is the highest teacher salary in NY? ›In the 2021-22 school year, starting salaries will range from $61,070 (bachelor's degree, no prior teaching experience) to $77,953 (master's degree, seven years teaching experience, plus additional coursework).
What is the starting salary for teachers in Long Island NY? ›How much does an Entry Level Teacher make in Nassau, NY? The average Entry Level Teacher salary in Nassau, NY is $46,480 as of January 26, 2023, but the salary range typically falls between $38,818 and $56,682.
What is the highest paying school district in New York? ›Scarsdale's school district came out on top with the highest average salary of $156,140.
Where do the highest paid teachers live? ›In 2021, the average K-12 public school teacher nationwide was paid $65,090. Average teacher pay was the highest in New York at $87,738, followed by Massachusetts and California.
Is there a teacher shortage on Long Island? ›Some high school students on Long Island have received grades of 'incomplete' after their school failed to find teachers to cover their classes.
What is the highest paying teacher state? ›| Rank | State | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $93,000 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $97,000 |
| 3 | New York | $89,000 |
| 4 | California | $83,000 |
Long Island generally is very competitive when it comes to getting a teaching job. School districts have a large number of candidates to choose from. This makes the interview process and landing the job much harder.
Why are school taxes so high on Long Island? ›The funding is a windfall. Since 2020, Long Island schools gained more than $850 million in federal pandemic relief money. "The unprecedented amount of state and federal aid to Long Island schools, it's astonishing that they continue to raise taxes," said Kyle Strober, with the Association for a Better Long Island.
How much does a principal make on Long Island? ›
How much does a School Principal make in Nassau, NY? The average School Principal salary in Nassau, NY is $125,645 as of December 27, 2022, but the range typically falls between $110,983 and $141,338.
How much do NY teachers make in retirement? ›How much does a Retired Teacher make in New York? As of Feb 4, 2023, the average annual pay for the Retired Teacher jobs category in New York is $42,875 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $20.61 an hour.
How much does a retired teacher make in New York? ›How much does a Retired Teacher make in New York, NY? The average Retired Teacher salary in New York, NY is $89,505 as of January 26, 2023, but the salary range typically falls between $80,398 and $100,106.
Can you make 100K a year as a teacher? ›Can teachers make 100K? Yes, and they can do it while teaching full-time!
What are the highest paid high school teachers? ›The states and districts that pay High School Teachers the highest mean salary are California ($94,600), New York ($92,660), Massachusetts ($85,360), Washington ($85,260), and Connecticut ($79,530).
How much do public school teachers get paid in Suffolk County NY? ›How much does a Public School Teacher make in New Suffolk, NY? The average Public School Teacher salary in New Suffolk, NY is $60,746 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $50,732 and $74,080.
What is the starting salary for a NYC teacher with a master's? ›Teachers with a master's degree and no prior teaching experience or related non-teaching experience (for certain licenses) are eligible for a minimum starting salary of $68,652. NY State teaching certification is required to be hired as a full-time classroom teacher and be eligible for these salaries.
What school district pays the best? ›#1. Scarsdale Public Schools, Scarsdale, NY ($107,100)
This small district recognizes the value of their teachers which is evidenced by the average salaries landing at the top of any district in the country.
The state ranked third in the report, with an average teacher salary of $87,738 in the 2020-2021 school year. Compared to the average salary of other jobs in New York at $70,460, teachers are paid 24.5% more.
What state needs teachers the most? ›Mississippi saw the highest teacher-to-student vacancy rate in the 2021-22 school year. The state reported having nearly 69 missing teachers per 10,000 students. In comparison, Utah had less than one missing teacher per 10,000 students.
What is the lowest paid teacher state? ›
...
Teacher Pay by State 2023.
| State | Teacher Salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $54,580 |
| Kentucky | $54,574 |
| New Mexico | $54,272 |
| Idaho | $54,232 |
Many ordinary people have become millionaires -- and multimillionaires -- though. Even schoolteachers. Here's a look at two teachers who managed to retire early, with a million dollars.
Which teachers are most in demand? ›Which teaching subject is most in demand? While specific needs vary by institution, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are subjects that are always in high demand.
Where is the highest teacher shortage? ›- California.
- Nevada.
- Hawaii.
- Michigan.
- Washington.
- Arizona.
- Kentucky.
- Tennessee.
Many of the predominant challenges teachers face, including safety concerns, low salaries, funding deficits and declining mental health, are not new issues — but the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has intensified existing problems within the profession.
Is being a teacher worth it 2022? ›Is Being a Teacher Worth It? (According to 10+ Teachers) Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers you can choose; it also offers many opportunities for personal growth and professional development. However, there's no doubt that teaching is a challenging and demanding profession.
Where is the highest paying teaching jobs? ›| Rank | State | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $93,000 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $97,000 |
| 3 | New York | $89,000 |
| 4 | California | $83,000 |
The average Teacher Elementary School salary in Nassau, NY is $68,433 as of December 27, 2022, but the range typically falls between $56,154 and $82,647.
What is the best school district in Nassau County Long Island? ›Jericho is located on the North Shore of Nassau County, mostly on the Town of Oyster Bay. It's home to one of the best school districts in Nassau County, Jericho Union Free School District, ranked #2 in the United States, the best school district in NY, and the state's best place to teach.
What town has the lowest taxes on Long Island? ›What town on Long Island has the lowest property taxes? The Sagaponack school district in Southampton, Suffolk County has the lowest property taxes in Long Island compared to value with an effective tax rate in New York at $3.93 per $1,000 – but very high home values.
How can I lower my taxes in Long Island? ›
- File A Property Tax Grievance. A Property Tax Grievance is a formal complaint that is filed contesting a town's assessed value of a specific property. ...
- Lower Your Assessment through Exemptions.
The average High School Assistant Principal salary in Long Island City, NY is $110,964 as of December 27, 2022, but the salary range typically falls between $96,742 and $129,683.
How much does an assistant principal make on Long Island? ›The average Assistant School Principal salary in Long Island City, NY is $110,529 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $96,360 and $129,178.
What is the top wage for a School Principal? ›How much does a School Principal make in California? The average School Principal salary in California is $127,969 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $113,027 and $143,949.
How many years is a full teacher pension? ›A maximum of 45 years of reckonable service is allowed in the calculation of any final salary benefits. If you've bought extra service or transferred in service from another scheme, this will count towards the 45 years. Any contributions paid after you've completed 45 years of final salary service will be refunded.
Do Long Island teachers get a pension? ›The NYSTRS is one of the 10 largest public retirement systems in the country, and serves over 300,000 active members and retirees. Through the NYSTRS, you qualify for a defined benefit plan that will give you monthly pension payments upon retirement.
How many years do you need to get a full pension for teachers? ›S.No. Linkage of full pension with 33 years of qualifying service should be dispensed with.
What is the average pension in NY? ›The average pension paid out last year for all 2,861 NYCTRS members who retired during calendar year 2020 was $47,890. The total includes both part- and full-time public school teachers, many of whom met only a minimum five-year requirement to vest in the pension system.
What is a Tier 4 NYS teachers retirement worth? ›Tier 4: 1.67% x years of NYS service if credited with less than 20 years, or 2% x years of NYS service if credited with 20 to 30 years. 60% plus 1.5% for each year of NYS service beyond 30 years. A prorated reduction of up to 27% when retirement occurs before age 62 with less than 30 years of NYS service.
Do retired NY teachers get Social Security? ›There is no Social Security tax on your NYSTRS benefit. Also, for a vast majority of our retirees, NYSTRS benefits and Social Security benefits are completely separate; one does not affect the other. The lone exception is for Tier 3 members who retire with a Tier 3 (Article 14) benefit.
How much do elementary school teachers make on Long Island? ›
How much does a Teacher Elementary School make in Nassau, NY? The average Teacher Elementary School salary in Nassau, NY is $68,650 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $56,328 and $82,908.
Which teachers get paid the most? ›In 2021, the average K-12 public school teacher nationwide was paid $65,090. Average teacher pay was the highest in New York at $87,738, followed by Massachusetts and California.
What is the highest paying state for teachers? ›| Rank | State | Average Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $61,254 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $59,222 |
| 3 | New York | $57,919 |
| 4 | California | $57,193 |