How Do You Make a Million in Education? Become a College President

November 4th, 2009

Most educators are drawn to their careers because they seek rewards other than a fat paycheck. But when it comes to higher education, there are some who break out of the confines of a low pay scale and make some MAJOR coin. I’m talking about college presidents, and a recent report shows that there are a growing number of college and university presidents who take home a cool million each year.

So how does one become the president of a college or a university? As seen by the top five highest paid college presidents below, there’s no exact formula, nor is there a specific degree program one should follow. In fact, there is very little these people have in common, except a love for academics and a will to make their institution the best it can be.

1. Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, $1,598,247. As an African-American woman, Dr. Jackson’s place at #1 of the list signifies the breaking down of more than one barrier in the working world. Dr. Jackson is a physicist by trade; she earned her undergraduate and doctoral degrees in physics from M.I.T. Dr. Jackson’s background is in teaching and research, two things that RPI is known to do very well.

2. David J. Sargent, Suffolk University, $1,496,593. It’s hard to believe that out of all the colleges and universities in Boston that it is unassuming Suffolk University that makes this list. David J. Sargent, a Suffolk University Law graduate, first returned to his alma mater as a law professor, then dean. Now at the helm of the school, Dr. Sargent is proof that Suffolk does an excellent job of preparing its students for great things.

3. Steadman Upham, University of Tulsa, $1,485,275. It’s hard to say if Dr. Upham knew his destiny when he pursued his undergraduate degree in English and Spanish Literature at University of Redlands, but his graduate and doctoral degrees in anthropology—the study of humans—at Arizona State University prepared him from working many students, faculty, and administrators, first as president of Claremont Graduate University and then at the forefront of the University of Tulsa.

4. Richard Meyers, Webster University, $1,429,738. Dr. Meyers is now the president of Fielding Graduate University, but his salary at Webster still makes the list. Dr. Meyers has an interesting academic background; he earned his undergraduate degree in music and psychology at DePaul University, then a master’s in music and a PhD in Instructional Technology and Psychology from the University of Southern California. His varied academic interests combined to give him a career as a college president; he has enjoyed the title at five institutions of higher ed, including Western Oregon University.

5. Cornelius M. Kerwin, American University, $1,419,339. As an undergrad at American University, Dr. Kerwin may have envisioned returning to his campus for Homecoming, but it took him a while to realize that he would return as president. With a master’s in political science from the University of Rhode Island and a doctorate in political science from Johns Hopkins, Dr. Kerwin taught for a decade before becoming an administrator. He was a dean and provost at Johns Hopkins before making the shift to American presidency, as it were.

–Barbara Bellesi

Entry Filed under: Careers,Pop culture & college