University of Iowa Leader Among America's Top Paid Public University Presidents

A new report lists University of Iowa President Sally Mason as the 38th best paid public university president.

The Gazette, citing figures from a Chronicle of Higher Education study, reports that Sally Mason earned $633,350 in fiscal 2012 in total compensation. That would include base pay of $483,600, deferred componsenation and other benefits.

She's the highest paid university president in Iowa, and the ninth highest paid in the Big Ten Conference. 

Former Penn State University President Gordon Spanier, who was fired last year amidst a sexual abuse scandal in the football program, was the top paid public university executive at $2.9 million in fiscal 2012. 

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By a couple measures, Iowa could have a good deal.

University of Iowa is ranked as the No. 28 best public university by U.S. News and World Report (compared to Mason's No. 38 place in earnings). And, Iowa's football coach Kirk Ferentz earned $3.725 million in fiscal 2012; Mason gets a fraction of that as the school's executive.

Mason, who came to University of Iowa from Purdue University in 2007, has been involved in leading the university back from the 2008 flood that destroyed numerous campus buildings, overcoming severe budget cuts and major expansion of the hospital. On the flipside, she's been dogged by issues of transparency and scandals in the athletics department.  

Mason's earnings are ahead of Iowa State University President Steven Leath, who started in 2012, and his predecessor Gregory Geoffroy.

Geoffroy ranks No. 178, with total compensation of $314,722, and Leath ranks 185, with total compensation of $294,554.

UNI president Ben Allen was not included in the list.