The highest paid private university president is in Troy, New York, taking home a paycheck worth more than $1.5 million a year. And there are 22 others who follow, making more than $1 million.

It's easy to find the salaries of public university presidents from South Dakota. It's public record, so the wages are listed on the state Web site open.sd.gov.

The largest checks go to the presidents of South Dakota State and the University of South Dakota. They both bring in $321,000 a year.

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology's president makes $300,000.

A little over $214,000 a year goes into the bank accounts of the presidents of Black Hills State University and Dakota State University. And Northern State's president makes $187,000.

Finding out private university salaries in South Dakota is more challenging since you won't find most of them on file.

Augustana college wouldn't release what its president makes. But a spokesman did say he doesn't make nearly as much as what public university presidents bring in.

Officials with the University of Sioux Falls also wouldn't release that information, saying all salaries are kept confidential.

23 Top Paid University Presidents