Comparing school district superintendents' salaries

The communities straddling the border of southwestern Riverside County and northern San Diego County include nearly a dozen separate school districts.

Some of them are unified, and some of them serve only elementary or high school students.

Some of them have fewer than 3,000 students; some of them have more than 30,000 students.

Administrators in all these districts make salaries in the six figures. Some of them make more than others, but the differences don't always add up in the way most would think.

Fallbrook Union High School District – the region's smallest district with just under 2,300 students and one comprehensive high school – had the highest paid superintendent, Dr. Hugo Pedroza, receiving a base salary of $225,674 or $99.67 per student.

By comparison, Temecula Valley Unified School District's Timothy Ritter, superintendent of the largest district in the area, made a base salary of $237,580 to supervise 29,917 students attending the district's 26 schools. When factoring by the number of students, Ritter was the lowest paid of all the superintendents at only $7.94 per student.

These salary numbers are from Transparent California, and the enrollment numbers are from the California Department of Education. All numbers are for 2016.

In 2016, the Temecula Valley Unified School District had 29,917 students in three high schools, six middle schools and 17 elementary schools.

Superintendent Ritter made $237,580, plus $38,195 in benefits. The three assistant superintendents each made between $154,535 and $181.050.

In Murrieta Valley Unified School District, there were 22,978 students and three high schools, four middle schools and 11 elementary schools.

Superintendent Patrick Kelley took home $211,345, plus $34,135 in benefits. There were four assistant superintendents, with salaries between $187,169 and $185,647.

Lake Elsinore Unified School District had 22,039 students attending school in the district, which covers Lake Elsinore, Wildomar and surrounding areas. There were three high schools, four middle schools, two K-8 schools and 12 elementary schools.

Superintendent Douglas Kimberley was paid $239,208, and an additional $46,457 in benefits. Five assistant superintendents were paid between $167,933 and $195,881.

There are 21,710 students across the vast district of Hemet Unified School District, which covers Hemet and a swath of land extending south and east to the San Diego County line. The communities of Idyllwild, Mountain Center, Anza, Aguanga and others are included in the district. There were four high schools, four middle schools, three K-8 schools and 12 elementary schools.

Superintendent Barry Lee Kayrell was paid $187,782, plus $24,592 in benefits; however, four other employees – two assistant superintendents, a deputy superintendent and a director – each received higher salaries than the superintendent. Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Vincent Christakos made $223,801, as well as $57,734 in benefits.

Menifee Union School District has 11,676 students, three middle schools and nine elementary schools.

Superintendent Fernie Kennedy took home $213,769, as well as $44,375 in benefits. Two assistant superintendents made $138,999 and $146,805.

In San Jacinto Unified School District, 11,220 students attended school in the district. There was one high school, two middle schools and seven elementary schools.

Superintendent Diane Perez made $217,987 and $58,742 in benefits. Three assistant superintendents were paid between $161,331 and $173,813.

In Perris Union High School District, they had 10,796 students, and there were three high schools.

Superintendent Jonathan Greenberg, who retired midyear, made $211,733 and $30,645 in benefits. His successor, Grant Bennett, earned $181,055 and $37,797 in benefits. There was just one assistant superintendent, who earned $210,530 and $33,205 in benefits.

Fallbrook Union Elementary School District saw 5,006 students attend school in the district, which has one middle school, two K-8 schools and five elementary schools across Fallbrook and Camp Pendleton.

Superintendent Candace Singh made $252,152 and $37,798 in benefits. An assistant superintendent and two associate superintendents earned between $172,810 and $194,389.

At Bonsall Unified School District, there were 2,859 students at one high school, one middle school and three elementary schools.

Superintendent Justin Cunningham earned $234,736 and $46,708 in benefits, though he retired in 2017. The new superintendent, David Jones, was hired with a base salary of $165,000. There was just one assistant superintendent, who earned $149,114.

There were 2,264 students and just one comprehensive high school, plus two alternative schools, in the region's smallest school district, Fallbrook Union High School District.

Superintendent Pedroza earned $225,674 and $26,259 in benefits. There was only one assistant superintendent, who made $149,399.