San Diego County’s top school bosses are doing just fine. Public payroll records show the county’s highest‑paid superintendents pulled in six‑figure compensation packages in 2024, with a handful clearing the half‑million mark once benefits and one‑time payouts were added in. Those eye‑popping totals are resurfacing just as districts plead budget shortfalls, shrinking enrollment and tense labor talks.
The numbers were compiled from district payroll files and public‑pay databases, then reported locally after checks of those records. As reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune, the figures are based on calendar‑year payroll postings that can include lump‑sum checks and other one‑time payments, which can make a single year look unusually large.
At the top of the list is former San Diego Unified superintendent Lamont Jackson. His 2024 "total pay" is listed at $644,258, with total pay and benefits recorded at $718,317, according to Transparent California. San Diego Unified is the county’s largest district, serving roughly 100,000 students, according to San Diego Unified.
Cajon Valley Union Superintendent David Miyashiro’s 2024 line in state payroll records shows about $497,474 in wages plus roughly $94,942 in retirement and health contributions, for $592,416 in total compensation, according to PublicPay. The The San Diego Union-Tribune has also reported that district officials say some of the hefty "other pay" line items in these reports are severance checks and cashed‑out vacation, not permanent salary bumps.
Small Districts, Big Payouts
Some of the splashiest entries come from relatively tiny districts where one‑time payouts turbocharged a single year’s total. In Rancho Santa Fe, Superintendent Tom Bennett’s public record shows a base salary of about $102,816 and $243,650 in other pay, for roughly $380,670 in total 2024 compensation, according to OpenGovPay. Over in San Dieguito Union High, Superintendent Anne Staffieri’s 2024 base pay of $354,375 and benefits are tallied at $436,031 in county payroll records, per Transparent California.
Why the Totals Can Be Misleading
Watchdogs and fiscal analysts like to remind people that calendar‑year payroll reports put everything in one big stew: regular wages, retirement contributions and one‑time settlements or buyouts. A jumbo total in a single year can have more to do with timing or contract quirks than with a giant recurring raise. That format makes simple side‑by‑side comparisons between districts or years pretty shaky without pulling the underlying contracts and board actions. State payroll summaries note that the totals are reported on a calendar‑year basis and can reflect obligations from more than one fiscal year, according to PublicPay.
Voices and Options
Transparency advocates say the latest payroll snapshot shows why the real action is in the fine print: contracts, settlement terms and board approval votes. Todd Maddison, research director at Voice of San Diego, has argued for tying a meaningful slice of superintendent pay to clear measures of student progress and fiscal health as one way to better align incentives.
All of this lands as districts across the county juggle enrollment drops and tight budgets, even while some boards have recently voted themselves stipend increases, as covered by KPBS. District leaders counter that the raw payroll numbers are only a starting point, and that contract language and board records are needed to fully explain when and why particular one‑time sums were paid.
