Bucks County superintendents among highest paid in PA. Here's what your district pays

A handful of leadership changes and at least one updated contract has pushed the average school superintendent salary in Bucks County up about $14,000 compared to state Department of Education payroll records from the 2022-2023 school year.

The 13 top school district administrators averaged about $198,131 during the last school year, roughly $39,000 higher than state average and putting Bucks County around the sixth highest in the state for superintendent salaries.

Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Monroe counties held the top five average salaries last school year, with Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington’s $340,000 salary making him the highest paid in the state.

Several changes in leadership positions in the county looks to have bumped the superintendent’s salary up to $212,000 and made Bucks fifth highest in Pennsylvania for superintendent salaries, though an updated state report is still likely at least a month away.

Pay changes for superintendents in Bucks County

A controversial 40% raise for Central Bucks Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh in July is probably the largest driving force behind the county average pay bump.

Lucabaugh, who has worked in Central Bucks for at least 20 of his almost 30-year career in education, was first appointed superintendent in August 2021 with a starting pay of $225,000.

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As of last October, Lucabaugh was reportedly making $229,000 a year. That salary made him the 33rd highest paid of roughly 500 superintendents in the state last school year.

A 6-3 school board vote in July approved a new five-year contract for Lucabaugh that started him at $315,000 a year — a rate that would have made him the second highest paid superintendent in the state last year.

In Lower Bucks, Bristol Borough School District appointed Broadus Davis as superintendent in January, increasing his previous salary of $130,000 as the acting superintendent to $173,750 a year.

Davis previously served as the district’s superintendent from 2003 until his retirement in 2010.

Davis returned to the district for the 2022-2023 school year to replace another former Superintendent Tom Shaffer, who filled the role to replace former Superintendent Rose Minnitti, who took a job as an assistant superintendent in the New Hope-Solebury School District in 2021.

More: Bucks County ranks high in average teacher pay, though gender pay gap remains wide

Retirements and new superintendents in Bucks County

In Pennridge, Superintendent David Bolton will be retiring after 34 years in education and six years in the district at the end of October.

Bolton was the highest paid superintendent in the county as of last October at $230,625.

The Pennridge school board on Aug. 28 unanimously approved a three-year contract with Abington Senior High School Principal Angelo Berrios, starting at $210,000 a year, for its top spot.

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Berrios, a resident of Pennridge with 22 years experience in Abington, could also see a $5,000 bonus each year if he receives high marks in his performance reviews. If his contract is extended, any further raises would require a board vote.

Quakertown Community School District will also have a new superintendent for the 2023-2024 school year after Superintendent Bill Harner announced his retirement after 10 years in the district, according to the state data.

The district entered into a four-year contract with Matthew Friedman in March at a starting salary of $207,000, with a minimum 2.5% raise each year with a “proficient” performance rating through 2026.

Bristol Township School District approved a five-year $210,000 contract with Michael Nitti in July 2022, but he started his job in the late fall last year after the state data was compiled.

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Nitti was then an employee of the Ewing Township School District, New Jersey, with 30 years in education before coming to the Lower Bucks district.

Former Acting Superintendent Chris Polzer, who was paid $130,515 last school year, is currently the district’s assistant superintendent.

Meanwhile, Neshaminy School District officials approved the retirement of former Superintendent Robert McGee late last month, five months after McGee was placed on leave for reasons the district has not elaborated on.

McGee, who worked for 36 years in Neshaminy, was paid $196,000 as of last October. Jason Bowman, a secondary education director and assistant to the superintendent, has been the substitute superintendent since March.

As of March, Bowman’s salary was $152,000 but the district approved in July a $12,500 stipend to Bowman for his extra responsibilities over the latter half of the 2022-2023 school year.

Returning superintendents of Bucks County

While about half of Bucks County's school districts have seen leadership change or a signficiant pay scale, here's a list of the districts that haven't had any major shakeups going into the 2023-2024 school year:

• Bensalem School District Superintendent Samuel Lee, 42 years in education, with a salary of $205,999

• Centennial School District Superintendent Dana Bedden, 30 years in education, with a salary of $215,668

• Council Rock School District Superintendent Andrew Sanko, 33 years in education, with a salary of $220,000

• Morrisville Borough School District Superintendent Sean Haines, 22 years in education, with a salary of $147,600

• New Hope-Solebury School District Superintendent Charles Lentz, 29 years in educaiton, with a salary of $218,554

• Palisades School District Superintendent Bridget O'Connell, 26 years in education, with salary of $201,925

• Pennsbury School District Superintendent Thomas Smith, 14 years in education, with a salary of $213,150

Things to consider about the data

The payroll data from the state education department is collected annually from individual school districts each year around October. While that data reflects the pay of many school employees for that current school year, many financial decisions — including employee contracts — are made at the end of the fiscal year in June.

Superintendent contracts are often made for five-year terms and include performance-based raises, sometimes by 2% to 3%.

The rates and rankings in this story are based on the most recent state data and any changes in pay that were either previously reported on or were readily available through the school district’s websites.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Superintendent salaries in Bucks County rise. Here's what they make