Salary costs have jumped in Louisiana's education department, even as the number of full-time employees dropped, and the number of people drawing six-figure paychecks has more than doubled in the two years since Paul Pastorek took charge of the agency.

Payroll at the Department of Education grew by $8 million _ 21 percent _ after Pastorek became state superintendent of education in 2007, an Associated Press review of salary data shows.

Pastorek says the pay is needed to attract and keep the best talent. But with huge state budget shortfalls predicted for several years, the salary boosts have irked some lawmakers, already bristling about Pastorek's own hefty pay increases.

"I just don't, along with many of my colleagues, feel like we can put a lot of money into administration so this guy can go out and pay big salaries and not (put the money) into the classroom for the kids," said state Rep. Jim Fannin, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

A New Orleans lawyer and former general counsel for NASA, Pastorek had been on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for eight years when he was named superintendent in March 2007. He replaced Cecil Picard, who died after a decade in the post.

Salaries have grown markedly since then.

Annual payroll under Picard in January 2007 totaled $39.5 million, compared to $47.7 million this year, an AP review of data shows.

"It's been about getting the best human capital to do the job," Pastorek said.

Eighteen top Pastorek deputies draw six-figure salaries, compared to seven under Picard. Two of the high-paying positions under Pastorek have gone to former lawmakers.

A handful of Pastorek's highest-paid workers have the same job titles they held under Picard but receive paychecks $24,000 to $30,000 larger.

The department's median salary is $60,902, a growth of $11,170 from Picard's final month in office.

The $210,000 salary for Pastorek's deputy superintendent, Ollie Tyler, nearly matches the base pay Picard received as superintendent, though Picard also had a car and housing allowance.

Fannin, D-Jonesboro, said while salaries have risen in nearly all state agencies, growth in the education department is larger. Sen. Ben Nevers, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said lawmakers expect to see tangible results to justify the steep salary hikes.

"I do believe that we need to understand what we're getting for the dollars that we're expending, especially for people in the six-figure category," said Nevers, D-Bogalusa.

Pastorek's own salary has raised complaints. He gets a $430,000 compensation package, compared to the $265,000 paid to Picard when housing and car allowances are included.