Feature photo by Eliza Laugherty
Story by Eliza Laugherty
The head football coach, men’s basketball coach and MTSU president make the top three highest salaries on campus.
Salaries, according to MTSU’s salary database:
- Derek Mason (head football coach): $925,000
- Nick McDevitt (men’s basketball coach): $575,000
- Sidney McPhee (MTSU president): $472,405
- Mark Byrnes (provost of academic affairs): $370,260
- Brian Stewart (assistant head coach/defensive coordinator): $350,000
- Joyce Heames (College of Business dean): $316,200
- Rick Insell (head women’s basketball coach): $316,000
- Alan Thomas (MTSU vice president): $277,847
- David Butler (vice provost for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies): $258,770
- Chris Massaro (athletic director): $250,000
MTSU recently raised student tuition by 5.39% to cover rising costs, scholarships, and academic programs. However, part of that cost includes funding for athletics. Half of the highest-paid salaries come from the athletic departments.
Mason is paid a base salary of $925,000, almost double what the MTSU president makes and almost 10 times more than the average professor, according to the MTSU database.
When comparing Mason’s salary to Tyson Helton, the head football coach at Western Kentucky University, Mason makes about $25,000 more, even though it is Mason’s first season. Helton has been in his position for over 10 years and performed better than Mason this season (Helton 3-1, Mason 1-3).
Mason’s salary also comes with incentives. On top of a base salary, he can earn up to $270,000 in bonuses. This is conditional upon rankings, championships, etc.
“Do I think there’s a bit too big a gap [between professor and coach salaries],” said Joyce Heames, College of Business Dean. “Yeah, but I think coaches are important to our system, and I really like Coach Mason.”
The College of Business is home to the highest salaries on campus, aside from athletics. They are ranked in the top 1.4% in the world because of double accreditation. However, Heames said the business faculty are paid about 31% below market.
When discussing coach salaries, Heames said their salaries are determined by market value and revenue they bring to the school.
“They also bring a lot of money into the universities,” said Heames. “So, if you say per dollar in terms of how much they bring in, you can see why their salaries are high. Do they work any harder? You know, their job’s just different.”
When hiring Mason, they looked at his experience and academic commitment to the team. Chris Massaro, MTSU athletic director, joined MTSU 20 years ago. He saw the football team go from an 812 national score to 990 out of 1000 in just five years. This academic commitment is important to him when hiring coaches.
“To really get to elevate a person, they have to know that you, that you believe in their complete being, not just the athletic piece of it,” said Massaro.
Eliza Laugherty is a contributing writer for MTSU Sidelines.
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