In 2008, the state Metropolitan Transportation Authority employed 539 police officers who were paid an average of $96,553, including overtime and shift differentials.    A salary database of all 78,393 MTA employees during 2008 — searchable by name, title and authority subsidiary — is posted under the “payroll” tab at www.SeeThroughNY.net.

More than 10 percent of the MTA’s workforce–8,214 individuals in all–took home $100,000 or more in total pay last year. The MTA’s six-figure club included:

•    10 employees who earned more than $250,000, averaging $102,000 over their base salaries;
•    44 employees who earned between $200,000 and $250,000, averaging $89,000 over their base salaries;
•    600 employees who earned between $150,000 and $200,000; and
•    7,560 individuals who earned between $100,000 and $150,000.

Eleven of the 654 employees who earned more than $150,000 in 2008 were Long Island Railroad car repairmen who earned an average of $206,000—which was $143,000 over their average base pay rate of $63,000.  Other popular titles in the $150,000-and-over category included:
•    62 Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad conductors;
•    40 police officers;
•    39 gang foremen; and
•    30 Long Island Railroad engineers.

By the way, the SeeThroughNY database does not include fringe benefits, which typically amount to 30-40 percent of salary and benefits, depending on job titles and pension plans.