The Detriot News has a story about some 7-figure earning college presidents. All of the ones earning more than a million belong to private universities.

Five presidents have cracked the $1 million compensation barrier, according to an annual survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education to be released today, and more are sure to follow. Nine earned more than $900,000 -- a figure none broke in last year's report.

All were at private universities, and the figures are for fiscal 2004, the most recent information available for private schools. More recent data on public universities, for the current academic year, shows salaries are rising there, too. Leaders of 23 public institutions are being paid $500,000 or more this year, up from 17 a year ago.

In past surveys, the only presidents to break $1 million did so in their final years of service, their compensation boosted by some kind of severance or retirement package. This year's survey, however, features two million-dollar presidents -- Ross and Gee -- who are still on the job.

Mary Sue Coleman of the University of Michigan is the highest paid public university president this year with $724,604 in compensation, followed by David P. Roselle of the University of Delaware ($720,522 in fiscal 2004, the most recent figures provided in his case) and Mark G. Yudof of the University of Texas system ($693,677).

Read on for the list of top 5 salaries for public and private universities.

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Presidential pay

A look at the compensation (salary plus benefits) of the highest-paid college presidents.

Private universities (fiscal 2004)

1. Donald E. Ross, Lynn University (Fla.): $5.04 million

2. Audrey K. Doberstein, Wilmington College (Del.): $1.37 million

3. E. Gordon Gee, Vanderbilt University: $1.33 million

4. John R. Silber, Boston University: $1.25 million

5. John M. McCardell, Middlebury College: $1.21 million 1

Note: Figures for all five presidents include some deferred compensation. Doberstein, Silber and McCardell have all retired or taken other jobs.


Public universities (2005-2006)

1. Mary Sue Coleman, University of Michigan: $724,604

2. David P. Roselle*, University of Delaware: $720,522

3. Mark G. Yudof, University of Texas: $693,677

4. Carl Patton**, Georgia State University: $$688,406

5. John T. Casteen, University of Virginia: $659,670

*most recently available figures are for 2003-2004
**calendar 2005
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education