What to know about top earner's at Indiana's public universities

Indianapolis Star

Here are key facts about the highest-paid employees in 2022 at each of Indiana's major four-year public universities: Purdue University, Indiana University, Ball State University, Indiana State University and the University of Southern Indiana.

Who's on top?:You may be surprised by who's paid the most at Indiana's public universities

Purdue: Coaches took COVID-19 pay cuts, still highest paid

In response to revenue shortfalls resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, athletics employees such as football coach Jeff Brohm, men's basketball coach Matt Painter and director of intercollegiate athletics Mike Bobinski took 20% pay reductions from September 2020 to September 2021.

Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter was the second-highest paid employee at the university in 2022.

Even during that year-long period, coaches at Purdue remained the most highly compensated employees at the school — and among all public employees in the state of Indiana. Their pay had rebounded by 2022, though Brohm left the university at the end of the year.

Indiana salary database: See what public employees earn statewide

IU: Big earners had already left top leadership roles

IU fired men's head basketball coach Archie Miller in March 2021. He still ranked as one of the highest-paid employees at the university for 2022. Anonymous donors funded a $10.3 million buyout for Miller to be paid out over the course of several years, and he received about $2.4 million in 2022.

IU basketball coach Mike Woodson was the second-highest paid employee at the university in 2022.

Michael McRobbie also retired from his role as president in June 2021, but received more that year than in the previous five — and he still made nearly $1 million in 2022 as chancellor, president emeritus and professor.

Ball State: Head coaches hold down 5 top spots

Half of Ball State's top-earning employees were head coaches, spanning the four different programs: football, men's basketball, women's basketball and baseball. Compare that to higher profile football teams at IU and Purdue, where a larger pool of money for assistant coaches landed them among the Top 10 earners at their schools.

Former Ball State basketball coach James Whitford, who was fired in March 2022, still earned $287,900 last year.

Ball State also saw one major coaching change in March 2022, when Michael Lewis replaced James Whitford as men's basketball coach. The other highest-paid employees at Ball State included administrators and one faculty member.

ISU: Women in administration among top earners

Seven of ISU's top earners were administrators, ranging from President Deborah Curtis to College of Business Dean Terry Daugherty. Four of these highly paid administrators were women — the most among the Top 10 earners at the five universities.

The list of the Top 10 earners at Indiana State University in 2022 was dominated by women.

USI: Administrator, faculty pay outpaces coach earnings

At USI last year, administrators and faculty made up the 10 highest earners, although the school's overall compensation ceiling was the lowest of the five universities. For instance, highest-paid employee President Ronald Rochon made about $350,000 in 2022.

President Ronald Rochon was the highest-paid employee at in 2022 the University of Southern Indiana.

The school also is the only one among the five universities to not have sports staff in its Top 10. USI has a comparably smaller athletics program than the other universities, which all compete in NCAA's Division I. USI doesn't have a football team, and just recently joined the Division I Ohio Valley Conference in 2022.

Contact Dow Jones Fellow Katherine Oung at KOung@gannett.com or on Twitter @kathoung.