Updated 11/02/2009 12:09 PM
RPI president is highest paid in the country
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TROY, N.Y. -- RPI president Shirley Ann Jackson is the highest paid college president in the country, according to a new study from the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Jackson raked in nearly $1.6 million in the 2008 fiscal year. The study showed that at least 23 heads of private colleges and universities made at least $1 million while one in four presidents in the survey made at least half a million.
Experts say salaries have likely declined in the past year because of the recession, but they expect them to rise again eventually.
Vice President for Strategic Communications and External Relations William Walker released a statement justifying Jackson's salary saying,
"Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson's compensation is a reflection of her extraordinary accomplishments, envisioning and leading a comprehensive transformation at Rensselaer, moving it to a top-tier, world class teaching and research institution with global reach and global impact. The value she contributes to the Institute far exceeds the amount she is paid."