Texas / Texas Education Agency

Agency file

Texas Education Agency

Source file: Texas — State Employee Salaries (Texas Tribune) / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Texas Education Agency administers public education — funding, academic standards, and the operation of schools.

In 2026, this agency had 1,226 employees with median total compensation of $97,380; the highest distinct record was $274,633.

Year: 2026
Total payroll: $127M
Employees: 1,226
Median total: $97,380
Highest record: $274,633

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$36,264$194,376+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2026 total compensation is spread across the 1,226 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($97,380) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $103,575 (100%)
Overtime — $0 (0%)
Other — $0 (0%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$74,948

$83,804

$97,380

$115,345

$137,186

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $137,186 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $74,948. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Education Specialist V

114 · $91,873

Education Specialist IV

113 · $82,029

Director II

56 · $120,124

Director I

56 · $106,981

Director III

53 · $133,828

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 2 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2025	$124.1M —	1,218 —	$96,731 —
2026	$127M ▲ 2.3%	1,226 ▲ 0.7%	$97,380 ▲ 0.7%

Compare

Similar departments

Departments elsewhere with the most similar mix of roles — a proxy for the same kind of agency, matched by workforce composition rather than name. Pay is not cost-of-living adjusted.

Texas Commission on Fire Protection Texas66% match
Department of Education: Bureaus & Administrative Maine58% match

Record list

Employees

Page 2

Adnan Choudhary

Program Management Specialist IV/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$124,597

Base pay: $124,597
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,597
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: I

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1673
Hire Date: Apr 1, 2025
Monthly Pay: $10,383
State Employee Number: 1777188

Adnan Choudhary is a Program Management Specialist IV at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $124,597.

Scott Minar

Programmer VI/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$124,581

Base pay: $124,581
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,581
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: P

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 246
Hire Date: Jan 1, 2022
Monthly Pay: $10,382
State Employee Number: 1448211

Scott Minar is a Programmer VI at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $124,581.

Lisa Thompson

Director III/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$124,551

Base pay: $124,551
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,551
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1622
Hire Date: Sep 1, 2014
Monthly Pay: $10,379
State Employee Number: 72477

Lisa Thompson works as a Director III for Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Lisa earned $124,551 in 2026.

Carolyn Smothers

Government Relations Specialist III/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$124,425

Base pay: $124,425
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,425
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1894
Hire Date: Nov 1, 2023
Monthly Pay: $10,369
State Employee Number: 1460101

Carolyn Smothers holds the role of Government Relations Specialist III at Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $124,425.

Fangqiong Lu

Programmer V/Texas Education Agency

2025 total comp

$124,327

Base pay: $124,327
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,327
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 0245
Hire Date: Oct 1, 2014
Monthly Pay: $10,361
State Employee Number: 772645

Fangqiong Lu is a Programmer V at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $124,327.

Esther Burnham

Director II/Texas Education Agency

2025 total comp

$124,199

Base pay: $124,199
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,199
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1621
Hire Date: Nov 15, 2017
Monthly Pay: $10,350
State Employee Number: 1096528

Esther Burnham holds the role of Director II at Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $124,199.

Lakshmi Bhagavatula

Programmer V/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$124,065

Base pay: $124,065
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,065
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: P

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 245
Hire Date: Jan 1, 2016
Monthly Pay: $10,339
State Employee Number: 949916

Lakshmi Bhagavatula is a Programmer V at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $124,065.

Kwaku Adjei Frimpong

Director I/Texas Education Agency

2025 total comp

$123,700

Base pay: $123,700
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,700
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1620
Hire Date: Apr 1, 2022
Monthly Pay: $10,308
State Employee Number: 1459666

Kwaku Adjei Frimpong works as a Director I for Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Kwaku earned $123,700 in 2025.

Shuling Malloy

Programmer VI/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,643

Base pay: $123,643
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,643
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: G

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 246
Hire Date: May 15, 2015
Monthly Pay: $10,304
State Employee Number: 592908

Shuling Malloy holds the role of Programmer VI at Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $123,643.

Anna Walsh-Mondragon

Director II/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,443

Base pay: $123,443
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,443
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1621
Hire Date: Jul 1, 2023
Monthly Pay: $10,287
State Employee Number: 1062439

At Texas Education Agency, Anna Walsh-Mondragon serves as a Director II. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $123,443.

Rona Tong

Director II/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,440

Base pay: $123,440
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,440
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1621
Hire Date: Feb 1, 2013
Monthly Pay: $10,287
State Employee Number: 337388

Rona Tong works as a Director II for Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Rona earned $123,440 in 2026.

Kyla Jaramillo

Director II/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,400

Base pay: $123,400
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,400
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: W

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1621
Hire Date: Jul 18, 2022
Monthly Pay: $10,283
State Employee Number: 1478072

At Texas Education Agency, Kyla Jaramillo serves as a Director II. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $123,400.

Christopher Sexton

Program Management Specialist II/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,348

Base pay: $123,348
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,348
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: S

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1671
Hire Date: Feb 1, 2022
Monthly Pay: $10,279
State Employee Number: 1449226

At Texas Education Agency, Christopher Sexton serves as a Program Management Specialist II. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $123,348.

Lisa Adame

Manager V/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,318

Base pay: $123,318
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,318
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: T

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1604
Hire Date: Jul 20, 1992
Monthly Pay: $10,276
State Employee Number: 112873

Lisa Adame is a Manager V at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $123,318.

Thomas Workman

Systems Analyst VI/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,307

Base pay: $123,307
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,307
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 257
Hire Date: Jun 1, 2023
Monthly Pay: $10,276
State Employee Number: 1640725

Thomas Workman is a Systems Analyst VI at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $123,307.

Catherine Gilleland

Director II/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$123,000

Base pay: $123,000
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $123,000
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: B

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1621
Hire Date: Aug 15, 2025
Monthly Pay: $10,250
State Employee Number: 1797015

Catherine Gilleland holds the role of Director II at Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $123,000.

Abigail Morton-Garland

Director II/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$122,960

Base pay: $122,960
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $122,960
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: B

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1621
Hire Date: Jan 15, 2025
Monthly Pay: $10,247
State Employee Number: 1763847

At Texas Education Agency, Abigail Morton-Garland serves as a Director II. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $122,960.

Troy Dudley

Programmer V/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$122,739

Base pay: $122,739
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $122,739
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: K

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 245
Hire Date: Nov 18, 2019
Monthly Pay: $10,228
State Employee Number: 718658

Troy Dudley works as a Programmer V for Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Troy earned $122,739 in 2026.

James Lara

Systems Analyst VI/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$122,616

Base pay: $122,616
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $122,616
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: F

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 257
Hire Date: May 15, 2019
Monthly Pay: $10,218
State Employee Number: 933603

James Lara is a Systems Analyst VI at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $122,616.

Paige Tooley

Project Manager V/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$122,589

Base pay: $122,589
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $122,589
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1562
Hire Date: May 16, 2022
Monthly Pay: $10,216
State Employee Number: 1406224

Paige Tooley holds the role of Project Manager V at Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $122,589.

Hemangini Patel

Manager VII/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$122,451

Base pay: $122,451
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $122,451
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1606
Hire Date: Aug 30, 2013
Monthly Pay: $10,204
State Employee Number: 339422

Hemangini Patel is a Manager VII at Texas Education Agency. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $122,451.

Keith Wechter

Data Analyst V/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$122,140

Base pay: $122,140
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $122,140
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 654
Hire Date: Aug 1, 2014
Monthly Pay: $10,178
State Employee Number: 775756

Keith Wechter works as a Data Analyst V for Texas Education Agency. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Keith earned $122,140 in 2026.

Jennifer Kennedy

Manager V/Texas Education Agency

2026 total comp

$121,977

Base pay: $121,977
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $121,977
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1604
Hire Date: Oct 22, 2007
Monthly Pay: $10,165
State Employee Number: 73729

At Texas Education Agency, Jennifer Kennedy serves as a Manager V. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $121,977.