Thirteen of the 50 highest-paid educators in New York state last year, outside of New York City, were school administrators in the Lower Hudson Valley, according to a new database published Thursday by the Empire Center.

Harrison Superintendent Louis Wool was the highest paid educator in the region and number 6 in the state with pay of $323,604, not including benefits, according to the database. He is the region’s third longest-serving superintendent, having started in 2002, and was New York state’s “superintendent of the year” for 2010.

Ten of the other 12 local administrators to make the list were superintendents. The exceptions were Jeffrey Korostoff, assistant superintendent in New Rochelle, and Michael Jumper, assistant superintendent for business in Katonah-Lewisboro.

The Empire Center, a conservative think tank that promotes lower-taxing policies, found that the number of school district employees outside New York City making $100,000 or more increased by 48 percent over the last five years — from 32,914 in 2008-09 to 48,703 in 2013-14.

The Empire Center based its figures on information reported to the New York State Teachers Retirement System for the year ending June 30 and to the New York State and Local Retirement System for the year ending March 31.

The figures do not reflect pension contributions, healthcare costs or other benefits, according to the Empire Center.

Superintendents in the Lower Hudson Valley have long been among the highest paid in the state, thanks to the high cost of living and the desire of many communities to seek and retain top school leaders. Most superintendents work long days and weeks and are among the most visible leaders in their communities.

Abby Mendelsohn, president of the Harrison Board of Education, said that Wool is “at the top of the list because he’s at the top of his field.”

“Public schools are increasingly more complicated, and Lou has the experience, expertise and passion to guide us,” she said. “His forethought and financial planning have allowed us to get through a difficult time for public schools. The learning culture of our schools is better than ever. If I could change (his compensation), I wouldn’t.”

Richard Kreps, president of the Carmel Board of Education, said that his district’s superintendent, James Ryan, is a “valued leader.” Ryan was 22nd on the Empire Center’s state list with pay of $280,038.

“With see him as being really important to the district,” Kreps said. “We have a great culture in Carmel. People feel positively about our district, which is largely because of him. And the job has become a lot more intense.”

He noted that Ryan’s base salary of $259,510 is frozen for three years.

Over the past few years, the region has seen anunprecedented turnover in superintendents, as many reached retirement age. Thirty five of the 54 school districts in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties hired new superintendents between 2010 and the last school year. Only four superintendents have been in their current spots since before 2007.

Over the past three years, school administrators have also had to contend with a demanding series of state-imposed changes, such as the Common Core learning standards and new standardized tests.

Annemarie Uhl, president of the South Orangetown Board of Education, said that her district has been unable to find a suitable successor for Superintendent Ken Mitchell, who is set to retire Jan. 1. Mitchell is number 27 on the Empire Center’s list.

“It is proving difficult to find an individual who encompasses the deep understanding of the fiscal landscape, the depth of knowledge in curriculum and instruction and teacher evaluation, and the management of facilities and all operations on a daily and long range basis,” Uhl said in a statement.

Uhl said Mitchell’s leadership has yielded efficiencies, grants and more that justify his compensation. She said the superintendent’s job is like “the CEO of a large corporation.”

Many of the other highest-paid administrators, including the top five, were from Long Island. New York City Board of Education employees were not included in the study.

Other administrators from the region to make the state’s top 50 were:

14. Peter Mustich, Rye Neck, $298,945.

19. Amy Goodman, Greenburgh-Graham (special act district), $286,258.

22. James Ryan, Carmel, $280,038.

27. Ken Mitchell, South Orangetown, $274,881.

29. Ralph Napolitano, Yorktown, $274,039.

31. Mark Silverstein, Hawthorne-Cedar Knolls (special act district), $272,729.

32 . Robert Shaps, Mamaroneck, $271,691.

33. Jeffrey Korostoff, New Rochelle, $270,623.

38. Jere Hochman, Bedford, $267,881.

40. Michael Jumper, Katonah-Lewisboro, $265,172.

42. William Donohue, Byram Hills, $264,676.

48. David Quattrone, Bronxville, $261,883.

© 2014 The Journal News