Long Island reports high salaries in local government and nonprofits

Data reveals significant compensation levels for public and nonprofit employees on Long Island. According to the Empire Center’s ‘What They Make 2026’ report, Long Island accounted for 350 of the 400 local government employees outside New York City who earned more than $300,000 in fiscal year 2025-26. Police officers held all ten of the region’s highest-paid positions, with the highest-paid individual being Alan Bakker of the Village of Northport police department, earning $485,632.

In the nonprofit sector, an analysis of tax filings shows that more than 130 individuals earned at least $1 million annually from Long Island nonprofit organizations. The majority of these high earners work in healthcare. Notably, two doctors at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, Dr. Joseph Levine and Dr. Richard Shlofmitz, each earned more than $6 million in 2024. The Long Island nonprofit industry reported over $44 billion in revenue, nearly double the amount recorded a decade ago.