November 29, 2007

Penn State's Paterno Makes $512,664

After five years of legal wrangling, the secret of Joe Paterno’s salary has been revealed. Penn State’s long, longtime football coach earns $512,664 in salary this year, according to the state’s pension board.

The Patriot-News, a Harrisburg newspaper, filed the lawsuit that forced the disclosure after a ruling last week by the state’s Supreme Court.

While the reported pay does not contain other forms of compensation received by most coaches, like money from TV and apparel endorsements, it still seems low compared with the earnings of Mr. Paterno’s junior peers. A USA Today survey last year found seven football coaches in Penn State’s conference, the Big Ten, whose annual salaries turn out to be higher than his. Kirk Ferentz, for example, makes $2.84-million at the University of Iowa.

At least Mr. Paterno earns more than he did when he became head coach 41 years ago, at an annual salary of $20,000. —Paul Fain

Comments

1. I LOVE IT!!!!!! I posted last week that I hoped Paterno made $200,000 a year for the last 30 years and invested his money wisely to be able to give back 3 Mil. Man I was close I hope that jerk reporter is happy. Come on she thought JoePa was in the milions per year HA, HA I love it!!!

   — Tom C    Nov 29, 06:00 PM    #

2. This is EXPLOITATION! Now I understand why Penn State resisted releasing Paterno’s salary.

   — LR    Nov 30, 06:06 AM    #

3. Coach Paterno is the best bargain in college football!!!!! We would love to have him at Georgia Tech.

   — GT    Nov 30, 07:40 AM    #

4. Absolutely love it when something backfires on the press’s “absolute need to know.” JoePa is above icon status … and has single-handedly done more for college football (let alone Penn State) than all other Big 10 coaches combined. Shame on you, Patriot News. You should be raising this man upon your shoulders instead of the proverbial flag pole!

   — LT    Nov 30, 07:59 AM    #

5. These comments are terrific. I too thought it would be in the millions. The more interesting thing though will be how much Penn State needs to pay a new coach to take JoePa’s place (hard as that will be if it is possible to take His place!)
   I think Ferentz at Iowa is earning over 3 million each year.
   JoePa forever!!!!

   — Beauregard    Nov 30, 09:59 AM    #

6. Why the gloating? The point isn’t the actual salary figure. It was about access to public records.

   — Beth    Nov 30, 10:15 AM    #

7. How many coaches have a wing of their institution’s library named after them because of their personal donations to the library and the institution? How many coaches can fill a 100,000+ seat stadium and yet not insist on a million plus contract? It would be interesting to take the annual salaries of the major football and basketball coaches, divide it by the net revenue of the program, and see who is paying the least for the most. My bet is on Joe.

   — Jonathan Fife    Nov 30, 10:26 AM    #

8. No, the point is not access to public records. Reporters would not give a rusty red rat’s rear about public records if they didn’t think there was some dirty laundry to air there! And $500K for Joe Paterno is certainly not dirty laundry!

   — jimpsu100    Nov 30, 10:31 AM    #

9. This whole exercise was an incredible waste of resources. “Need to Know” notwithstanding, the cost of discovery was ridiculous! Comments to the contrary, it was about learning Paterno’s salary (and not the other employees), a fact made clear from the beginning.

   — Roger Gilbert    Nov 30, 10:34 AM    #

10. I agree with Jimpsu100… it isn’t about public records as one could probably guarantee that the writers would have a FIT if their information was being pried upon by the governments eyes.

    — G    Nov 30, 10:38 AM    #

11. Paterno’s salary seerms about right (especially since I’m sure lots of income is hidden) but too bad some of Penn State’s finest Professors don’t come close – but then they can’t fill a stadium with screaming fans who mindlessly proclaim “WE won” when they had nothing to do with it except buy a ticket.
    The millions paid to other University coaches is obscene but citizens do love their circuses and modern versions of the Roman gladiators while the country goes to Hell.

    — arthur Wegweiser    Nov 30, 10:45 AM    #

12. I am a Penn State employee. The ruling actually means that the salary of anyone who participates in the State Employees Retirement System is now considered public record.

    I feel like my privacy has been taken away.

    Thank you Penn State for trying to protect it.

    — Julie    Nov 30, 10:53 AM    #

13. The important language in this story is “$512,664 in salary this year.” As soon as Penn State learned of the court’s decision, Paterno’s salary was readjusted from the 10-12 million dollars he earns every year to the number released yesterday. Penn State’s hubris in this matter typlifies their arrogance and self-righteousness.

    — Never Again    Nov 30, 11:40 AM    #

14. Obviously many of you don’t understand how coaches are paid. USA Today ran a story a few months back detailing coaches’ salaries. For MANY in the “million dollar club” the portion considered university salary is relatively small – 25-40%. Most of the money comes from other compensation – shoe contracts, endorsements, camps, bonuses, etc… So while Penn State has not revealed his total pay, it’s highly likely that Coach P makes much more than the $512,664 – which by the way is on the high end for the university side of total compensation.

    — Look Deeper    Nov 30, 12:06 PM    #

15. Re # 11

    Like it or not, nationally recognized college football programs increase the overall exposure of the university to the public, which in turn creates interest in the university by prospective students, which in turn increases the qualtiy of the pool of applicants. Coach Paterno is one of the reasons Penn State’s finest Professors have a large number of high quality students in their classrooms. I think he’s worth every penny he gets paid. Obviously, the university administration agrees.

    — Floyd Bowles    Nov 30, 12:34 PM    #

16. This number should have been disclosed on the first request, but Penn State made big deal out of it and made it a much bigger issue than it should have been. I’ve been in higher ed for 28 years and my salary has ALWAYS been part of the public record, as it should be.

    And now that the number is known, clearly Joe Pa is a BARGAIN. His base salary is much lower than many of his colleagues at comparable schools. Of course he makes additional money in incentives and endorsements, but that’s not the point. All coaches do.

    — Al    Nov 30, 12:42 PM    #

17. RE comment # 13:
    If that is, in fact, correct — then I would expect the press to request information relative to his salary LAST year.
    That aside, Joe Pa’s an awesome coach, a fine gentleman, and someone any school should be proud to have on staff.

    Everyone at that level has the opportunity to negotiate a salary package. Some are clearly better at it than others.

    — Torg    Nov 30, 12:56 PM    #

18. There are a lot of issues to consider. In Ohio all public employee salaries are public information. Any person requesting this information has to be given it. So for Penn State to try and hide this information and cost a legal action and a waste of taxpayers money is ridiculous. Also, Joe Paterno makes millions, but it isn’t being paid from state funds. Obviously he isn’t going to tell how much he makes from other sources and that is his business. Penn State is trying to protect someone who needs no protection and they wasted taxpayers money to do it.

    — Bill Waxman    Nov 30, 01:14 PM    #

19. Quit blaming the media. They simply dirve through the neighborhood with the music playing – and all the children run out to buy ice cream. The Good Humor man never said there was any nutrition or benefit in what the kiddies sought from him.

    — Ima Gator    Nov 30, 01:40 PM    #

20. Joe was offered 1,000,000 in 1973 or 74 by the Patriots,plus a share of the team. He wanted a night to think it over. He called the owner in the middle of the night to tell him no. He decided he wasn’t moving from something he loved doing and where he did to for money. He had promised his father when he became a coach he would make a difference. He achived his goal a long time ago. And continues to add to his legacy, with fine young men going through his program while getting their education and degree. He turned down raises often and told them to add it to the assisants pay instead.

    He is a wise man, and invested wisely over the years. The few things he endorses, the money goes to charity. He recently started another charity for a little known disease but a very painful ones for it’s victims. Joe has made a difference to thousands apon thousands of lives. I am honored that he settled in State College. And helped our area and Penn State grow.

    “but too bad some of Penn State’s finest Professors don’t come close – but then they can’t fill a stadium with screaming fans who mindlessly proclaim “WE won” when they had nothing to do with it except buy a ticket.”

    There are a number of the finest professors, that make much more then Joe, and yes Spainer. Research professors are well compensated, and not just by PSU,but also from the people funding the research. Professors have many ways to earn more money. Getting printed is a big one, but research discovery is the best.

    — C.H.    Nov 30, 02:32 PM    #

21. Regarding the statement “they can’t fill a stadium with screaming fans who mindlessly proclaim “WE won” when they had nothing to do with it except buy a ticket.”
    I’ve been to PSU and many of those faculty can fill a graduation ceremony with thousands of undergraduate students who mindlessly proclaim “WE LEARNED” when all they did was pay the tuition and show up for football games. At least the school is being honest about its priorities in protecting JoePa’s salary.

    — JS    Nov 30, 03:36 PM    #

22. Regarding #18’s claim that Penn State “wasted taxpayers’ money” in challenging the ruling, why does he assume that Penn State used state money to pay the legal fees? Penn State, where I work, receives less than 10% of its annual budget from state funds, and it is not a public university but a “state-related” one. For another reason Penn State objected, see the sentiment expressed in #12. As an administrator at Penn State, I am paid less than half of what my peers at some other universities are paid despite my seniority (almost 20 years in my present position), and I don’t get any money from Nike endorsements. Like Joe, I like working here and agree with him that there is more to life than money.

    — Sandy Thatcher    Nov 30, 04:50 PM    #

23. I agree with #15: Like it or not, nationally recognized college football programs increase the overall exposure of the university to the public, which in turn creates interest in the university by prospective students, which in turn increases the qualtiy (sic)of the pool of applicants.
    Now I know why the Ivies, Chicago, CalTech, MIT, Amherst….have such low quality students: their games are never televised!
    On the other hand, any Florida university, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Georgia…. are known intellectual powerhouses.

    — richard    Nov 30, 08:20 PM    #

24. And you chumps thought the purpose of going to college was to get an education and perhaps return to your community with the knowledge that would enable you to leave he world a little better than when you fouund it? What’s truly sad, is the way the players are shamelessly exploited for the benefit of entertaining the unwashed masses. Rome at the height of its decadence can’t compare with what our country is doing to some of its most revered institutions, all for the sake of a buck.

    — Firstsai    Nov 30, 10:45 PM    #

25. JoePa is Penn State! Mizzou is in search of a President but put the whole thing on hold because the football team is doing so well all of a sudden. Just an example of the impact a game has on the overall quality of the people that are drawn to an institution. And that’s all an institution is: people. Penn State football has created a draw for outstanding faculty and top students for decades. This has drawn other fine people to Penn State who may not even care about football. You could pay him a Stoops type salary, but who wants to be Oklahoma? Without JoePa, Penn State wouldn’t be what it is today. Who cares what he makes. Look up priceless in the dictionary. You’ll see a picture of Joe Paterno

    — Mizzou Tiger    Dec 1, 12:11 PM    #

26. We can be confident that Joe Pa makes more than just the salary listed. State university coaches make additional income – paid from the institution – for radio and TV appearances, other personal appearances, and endorsement deals (e.g., Nike, Under Armor, and the like). The head football coach at University of Maryland, for example, stands to earn more from “other” revenue guaranteed in his contract, vs. his straight salary. So you better bet Joe Pa is making more than just the salary provided, which to be frank SHOULD be listed on Penn State’s 990 tax form. For those interested in the salaries and contracts of other coaches, I strongly recommend: http://coacheshotseat.com/SalariesContracts.htm

    You’ll note on the site linked above that Paterno’s salary is listed at over $1 million. He is certainly receiving additional compensation from Penn State, or additional compensation coordinated for him by Penn State.

    — NYCEdPhD    Dec 2, 02:28 AM    #

27. Does it really matter what he makes he lives in a moderate sized house, gives millions of dollars to the University and coaches a great team in football. Who cares what he makes, I think he deserves more.

    — RM    Dec 2, 10:49 PM    #

28. Seldom have so many people missed the point so widely. The media never had a beef with Joe Paterno. What they had was a right to know the salary, since taxpayer dollars were involved. That right extended to the public, Paterno supporters and detractors alike.

    When the Patriot-News ran the story, side by side with it on Page A1 was a story of equal length comparing Paterno’s salary with that of another college coach who makes three times as much. The P-N’s lead editorial the following day went on at length about how underpaid Paterno is compared to his peers.

    The pursuit of the publics’ right to know in this case was notable only in the 5-year length of the court battle. But it was hardly unusual. The P-N is still running follow-up stories on its three-year court fight with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). When they finally pried loose the info on their million-dollar retreats, junkets, lavish gifts to board members and other waste that could have been used for student loans, it cost their CEO, Richard Willey, his job. Apparently his annual salary of $289,000, plus a $180,857 bonus, was just not enough. And that was just part of a total of $570,000 in bonuses for top PHEAA staff.

    After trying to conceal the details of trips to posh resorts from 2000 to 2005, the court order earlier this year required PHEAA to lay the cards on the table: $860,000 in resort expenses that included golf, massages, pedicures, fly fishing, fine cigars and cooking classes.

    The state’s college loan agency had spent $400,000 in legal bills to keep you from knowing what the lawmaker-dominated board had spent going to resorts like Nemacolin Woodlands in Fayette County and The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

    The P-N reporters did not know going into the PHEAA fight what they would find. If they had known, they would not have had to fight for it. But again, they had people who were spending taxpayer dollars telling us, “You can’t make us account for what we’re doing with the money.”

    The response of the P-N to that type of assertion is, and always will be: “Watch us.”

    So, the point really was not what Paterno made. The PHEAA used him as a smoke screen. Those Pennsylvania PUBLIC officials were hiding behind Uncle Joe’s skirts due to his popularity with the public and the fact that he had the publics’ sympathy and support. The PHEAA scoundrels knew the P-N had bigger fish to fry and that its reporters could open up a virtual Pandora’s box. Which they did.

    Happy hunting Patriot-News! If you want more read “Pigging Out at the PHEAA” in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review at http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_525431.html.

    — Alan MacNutt    Dec 3, 08:41 AM    #

29. Thank you Alan MacNutt for pointing out what should have been more obvious to a ‘higher education’ crowd. The right to know is a battle always worth fighting. And anybody who believes JoePa is making less than $2 million a year in total compensation I’ve got some swamp land down here in Florida I think you’ll be interested in.

    — FlaMed    Dec 3, 10:58 AM    #

Previous: Minority Students Fuel Rise in Graduate Enrollments
Next: Jury Awards Former Alabama Booster $5-Million in Libel Case Against NCAA