NJ Superintendent Salaries: See What Your School District's Leader Earned In 2024-25

School superintendents have the responsibility for overseeing thousands of staff members and millions of students across New Jersey.

How much those school leaders are paid has long been a subject of contention in a state where the tax rate is among the highest in the nation.

New Jersey's superintendents earned an average of $202,653, according to data from the state Department of Transportation, with the median salary being nearly the same at $201,756.

That figure is about $40,000 above the average salary reported in a survey by the American Association of School Administrators. That survey was based on more than 2,000 responses from superintendents in 49 states. The average for 2024-25 was $169,343, according to the survey.

Of the 586 superintendents listed by the New Jersey Department of Education in the table below, more than 400 earn more than the AASA average.

Of them, 83 earn more than $250,000, and 16 earn $290,000 or more.

The highest-paid superintendent in New Jersey in 2024-25 was Howard Lerner of the Bergen County Vocational Technical School District. Lerner, who holds a doctorate, earned $346,189, and has been in education for 31 years, including 16 in the district.

The lowest-paid superintendent in 2024-25 was Craig Hutcheson of the Hampton Township School District. His salary was $58,365 and he has been an educator for 33 years, including 11 with his district. He holds a master's degree.

The remaining top 10 salaries were Norma Fernandez of Jersey City Schools, $331,616; Roger Leon Of Newark Public Schools, $330,978; Teresa Segarra of Maria L Varisco-Rogers Charter School, $327,600; Silvia Abbato of Union City Schools, $300,719; Laurienne Newell of Paterson Schools, $296,514, David Aderhold of West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional, $296,351; Michael Lasusa of Princeton Public Schools, $295,000; Clara Herrera of West New York Schools, $294,389; and Edward Aldarelli of Edison Township Schools, $293,386.

Of the superintendents, 265 hold doctorates, 314 hold master's degrees. There are about a dozen whose degree status was not listed, and about 20 who had other certifications, according to the state.

In some cases superintendents lead more than one district, and receive a small stipend to lead the additional district.

Some towns are covered by more than one school district, meaning taxpayers are paying multiple superintendents.

The chart below can be searched by name or school district and includes total salaries, which include any stipends they receive.