What do towns in our region pay their town administrator? This year Lancaster is paying 50% more than Shirley and Sterling, but how do we compare to other towns? I gathered up the current executive contracts and salaries from 10 towns in our region.
How does Lancaster stack up with regard to what we pay our Town Administrator? In September I sent out some requests and gathered the current contracts from 10 area towns I picked adjacent towns that have a Town Administrator. (I didn't survey Leominster, as they have a very different form of government. I omitted Lunenburg; they have a Town Manager with additional responsibilities).
In Lancaster, Town Administrator Kate Hodges is in the final year of a three year contract that will end on June 30th. She'll be paid $186,756 as a base salary for FY2025. That is the second highest salary of the ten towns I surveyed.
Within our school district, Lancaster pays the highest town administrator salary. Bolton will pay $162,344 this year; Stow will will pay $180,000.
Of the towns I surveyed, Shirley will pay the least this year. Their Town Administrator will earn $120,000 in FY2025. I found the highest salary in Hudson: their title for their executive is "Executive Assistant" with a $200,000 salary this year.
I also made a note of whether each town has an "Assistant Town Administrator." Lancaster added the role this year and staffed it with Health and Human Services director Kelly Dolan. Five of the ten towns currently have an assistant town administrator.
Town/
Population | Executive Title/
Contract Link | Has an
"Assistant
Town
Administrator" | Executive Base Salary FY25 | Notes |
|---|
Lancaster
8,441 | Town Administrator
Town Administrator Contract 2022-2025 | Yes | $184,756 in FY2025 | TA Contract added to the website on 9/9, no town response yet.
Base salary was $175,000 for first year, then increased by increase provided to non-union management. From budgets (Page 34):
FY23: $175,684
FY24: $179,375
FY25: $184,756 |
Sterling 8,190 | Town Administrator
Town Administrator Contract 2022-2025 | No | $131,115.00 in FY2025,
from approved budget. | $120,000 in 2022; increased each July 1 by the increase approved for non-union personnel |
Shirley 7,649 | Town Administrator
Town Administrator Contract 2024-2026 | Yes | $120,000 in FY2025 | Effective 7/2024:
$120,000
Effective 7/2025
$125,000 |
Bolton
5,376 | Town Administrator
Town Administrator Contract 2024-2027 | No | Hourly calc,
$162,344 if 40 hrs/52 weeks |
|
Stow
7,214 | Town Administrator
Town Administrator Contract 2023-2026
| Yes | $180,000 in FY2025 | Executive Base Salary:
FY24 - $175,000 FY25 - $180,000 FY26 - $185,000 |
Harvard 6,610 | Town Administrator
Harvard Town Administrator Contract, 2024-2027 | Yes | $175,000 | TA is not eligible for increases during contract years. |
Hudson 20,092 | Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant Contract 2024-2027 | No | $200,000 in FY2025 | Annual Cost of Living Adjustments: “Same Cost of Living Adjustment approved for Non-Union Employees at Town Meeting” |
Clinton 15,484 | Town Administrator
(Never responded to a request for the contract) | Yes | $159,553.00 in FY2025
(from budget) | Salary was $154,905 in FY2024, from budget |
Boxborough 5,506 | Town Administrator
Town Administrator Contract 2022-2025 | No | $173,534 in FY2025 | Executive Base Salary
FY23 - $162,000
FY24 - $166,860
FY25 - $173,534
Merit increases possible |
Berlin 3,158 | Town Administrator
Town Administrator Contract 2022-2025 | No | $148,000 in FY2025 | All town contracts on website: https://www.townofberlin.com/community-businesses/pages/contracts
Contract provides salaries for three years, and a prorated partial first year. Annualized salaries:
Year 1: $140,000
Year 2: $144,000
Year 3: $148,000 |
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