UW President Mark Emmert ranked third on a list of the highest-paid public university presidents in the country, according to data compiled by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Emmert, who ranked just below Martin C. Jischke of Purdue and just above Audrey K. Doberstein of Wilmington College, receives a total compensation of $752,700 a year, according to the report.

The total compensation includes a $518,700 salary, $22,000 in retirement pay, a $12,000 car allowance, and other benefits including use of a house and club dues.

In addition to these benefits, Emmert receives $200,000 in deferred compensation every year, which he receives only after serving as UW President for five years.

UW spokesperson Norm Arkans described this deferred payment as a "golden handcuff."

"If he leaves before 2009 for any reason, he doesn't get any of it," Arkans said. "The fact that he's among the public universities' highest paid presidents...that's reflective of the competitive market for effective presidents."

Emmert, who previously served as Chancellor for the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently received an inquiry from LSU to gauge his interest in returning. Emmert received a 5 percent salary increase and an $80,000 raise in his deferred compensation account for the 2006-2007 academic year.

"It's a very large and rare skill set that you need to be a successful president, and the market has gotten more competitive and pushed closer together," Arkans said. He said pay for university presidents has not only increased, but that the presidents' salaries are now highly comparable.

Reporter Jeff Tripoli: news@thedaily.washington.edu.