Three dozen private-college presidents are part of the millionaire club, meaning they earned more than $1-million in 2012, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education.
USC president C.L. Max Nikias is a member of that club. In California, he is the highest paid private-college president for the second year in a row. He raked in a whopping $1.3 million in total compensation, and he's the 14th highest-paid private college president in the U.S.
However, Nikias' measly $1.3 million is nothing compared to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's president Shirley Ann Jackson's compensation; her total compensation exceeds $7.1 million! According to Jackson's backers, the president transformed the private college into a nationally recognized research institution.
Here are the five highest paid private-college presidents in the U.S.:
1. Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: $7,143,312
2. John L. Lahey, Quinnipiac University: $3,759,076
3. Lee C. Bollinger, Columbia University: $3.389,917
4. Amy Gutmann, University of Pennsylvania: $2,473,952
5. Charles R. Middleton, Roosevelt University: $1,762,956
Here are the five highest paid private-college presidents in California:
1. C.L. Max Nikias, University of Southern California: $1,316,524
2. Jean-Lou A. Chameau, California Institute of Technology: $955,625
3. John L. Hennessy, Stanford University: $918,633
4. James L. Doti, Chapman University: $706,009
5. Pamela Gann, Claremont McKenna College: $689,989
In comparison, the typical college president makes close to $400,000.
[h/t Coed]