Educator Pay Tops $300K for 114 in New York
An Empire Center report counts 114 public school educators outside New York City earning over $300,000 in annual pay in 2025-26.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Administration
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The Empire Center released a report identifying 114 public school educators outside New York City receiving more than $300,000 in annual pay, up from 90 in the prior fiscal year. The covered educators' combined payroll totaled $19.4 billion.
Why it matters
The figures show a rising number of high-paid educators across New York's public school system, drawing attention to how salaries are distributed among teachers and administrators. The report covers only districts outside New York City, leaving compensation patterns in the city's schools outside its scope.
Average full-time pay among covered employees reached $99,652, up from $97,506, and Roslyn Superintendent Allison Feldman topped the statewide list at $436,976. Gross figures may include summer school, extra assignments and termination payments.
The players
Empire Center
The Empire Center is a New York-based think tank that publishes research on state government, public spending and public employee compensation.
Allison Feldman
Allison Feldman is the superintendent of the Roslyn School District on Long Island, who topped the statewide list of educator pay in the report.
The details
Long Island accounted for 75 of the 114 employees paid more than $300,000, and the median full-year superintendent salary statewide was $215,922. Among superintendents, 174 received more than $250,000.
Timeline
The 2025-26 fiscal year is the period covered by the 114-educator count.
The Empire Center released the report on November 10, 2026.
Administration Context
The report follows the trend of public payroll databases making individual educator earnings visible, as tracked through SeeThroughNY. It marks a rise from 90 to 114 educators above $300,000, a growth that the state's payroll records make comparable year over year.
Parents and taxpayers in New York school districts can view individual earnings through SeeThroughNY to see how their district's educator pay compares. Long Island residents face the highest concentration of six-figure educator salaries, with 75 of the 114 high earners in the region.
The takeaway
Readers who want to compare district pay can use public payroll databases to look up individual earnings. Gross totals can differ sharply from base salaries, so checking the breakdown matters before drawing conclusions.
Further reading
Explore more on Administration to see how school leadership and pay decisions are structured across New York districts.
More information
Search individual earnings on the SeeThroughNY payroll database for New York public employees.
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