Cash in, Mr. Chips

How much money is too much money to lead the University of California system, with its 10 campuses and 220,000 students? Departing President Robert C. Dynes’ compensation is a source of controversy as the Board of Regents picks his successor during a time of rising enrollments and fees and potential budget cuts. See how Dynes’ pay compares to other academic leaders at a handful of public and private colleges and universities in California and across the country. Of course, Dynes (along with his counterparts in Michigan and Wisconsin) doesn’t just run one university but is the leader of the whole UC system.

-- Swati Pandey

University of California

Robert C. Dynes

Salary: $405,000

Benefits: $20,250 retirement, $8,916 for a car

Total: $434,166

Students: 220,000

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Yale University

Richard C. Levin

Salary: $710,724

Benefits: $158,302

Total: $869,026

Students: 11,250

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USC

Steven B. Sample

Salary: $727,480

Benefits: $91,571

Total: $819,051

Students: 33,500

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Stanford University

John L. Hennessy

Salary: $618,250

Benefits: $33,299

Total: $651,549

Students: 20,000

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University of Michigan

Mary Sue Coleman

Salary: $516,501

Benefits: $75,000 deferred compensation; $51,650 retirement; $100,000 retention bonus

Total: $743,151

Students: 55,000

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University of California, Los Angeles

Gene D. Block

Salary: $416,000

Benefits: $20,800 retirement, $8,916 for a car

Total: $445,716

Students: 36,000

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University of Wisconsin

Kevin P. Reilly

Salary: $332,940

Benefits: $25,300

Total: $358,240

Students: 170,000

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Sources: All salary figures are the latest available from the Chronicle of Higher Education. Private school data are from 2005-06; public from 2006-07; only UCLA from 2007-08. Approximate student numbers courtesy of university representatives and websites.