Site reveals school employees' salaries

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - New York is swimming in red ink, yet more than 500 western New York school administrators and teachers are pulling in 6-figure salaries, according to See Through New York.

Salaries of school administrators and teachers increased by five percent statewide in 2009. That's according to a fiscally conservative watch dog group called See Through New York. The study also showed an additional 5,000 public school employees with 6-figure salaries.

>> click here to search the database of WNY area teachers' and administrators' salaries

Here's the breakdown of the top earning districts here in WNY. Buffalo tops the list with those teachers and administrators making over $100,000. It's by far the largest district as well.

Barbara Smith, Buffalo Board of Education's Chief Financial Officer, said, "On a percentage basis, I would have to see how, what that percentage is compared to our total employee population, compared to some of the smaller school districts."

Smith says teachers and administrators in Buffalo have been without a contract for six years, but they are still getting small step raises.

"And some of that's based on our collective bargaining agreements," said Smith.

The Teachers' Union tells News 4, teachers max out at a salary of $80,000 after 27 years, and that's with a PHD. Other western New York districts topping the $100,000 salary list are Williamsville with 37 employees, Niagara Falls with 33 and Ken-Ton with 29.

The superintendent held an open community meeting to hear from the public, but didn't want to comment about the survey. The list rounds out with Lackawanna, West Seneca, Clarence, Orchard Park, Sweet Home, Evans-Brant, Hamburg, and Grand Island.

It's information you can access very easily, just click here and you can search by either the school district or the teacher's name . The database has the salaries of over 262,000 teachers and administrators throughout the state.