Pitt basketball coach Jamie Dixon made more than $3.2 million in 2014 — making him by far the university’s highest-paid employee — according to tax documents released Tuesday.
It was the third consecutive year Dixon has been Pitt’s highest earner, and in 2014 he was joined by two other athletic department employees near the top of the university’s payroll. That’s no rare feat at a university with a Division I athletic program, as basketball and football coaches typically earn more than administrators and professors.
Dixon’s base pay increased by $91,715 from the previous year, as shown in the university’s most recent federal IRS Form 990, which covers July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014. Although Dixon’s income in that time would put him among the top 10 highest-paid basketball coaches, it won’t necessarily be a continuing trend.
Dixon’s base pay, according to the document, was $1.4 million. An additional $1.7 million came in the form of “bonus and incentive compensation,” much of which was deferred payment from a previous contract extension that vested in 2013. Dixon also collected $31,183 in other reportable compensation, $130,600 in retirement and deferred compensation and $15,399 in nontaxable benefits.
Dixon is currently under contract at Pitt through 2023, having signed a 10-year extension in 2013.
Two of Pitt’s four highest-paid employees were in the athletic department. Former football coach Paul Chryst made $1.7 million, with his base pay increasing $21,198 from the previous year.
Chryst left Pitt to coach at Wisconsin, his alma mater, in December. The document shows his base pay at a little more than $1 million, with $583,333 in bonus and incentive compensation, $22,526 in other reportable compensation, $20,400 in retirement and deferred compensation and $16,382 in non-taxable benefits.
Former athletic director Steve Pederson, who was fired Dec. 17 — the day Chryst was hired at Wisconsin — made $892,950. He saw a $58,822 raise in his base pay from the previous year. Pederson’s base pay in the most recent filings was $588,620, with $241,667 in bonus and incentive compensation, $11,510 in other reportable compensation, $36,973 in retirement and deferred compensation and $14,180 in nontaxable benefits.
Arthur Levine, senior vice chancellor and dean of the school of medicine, earned $1.1 million in total compensation and was Pitt’s third-highest paid employee.
Former university chancellor Mark Nordenberg was the fifth-highest paid employee, earning $849,417 in total compensation.
Because new chancellor Patrick Gallagher, athletic director Scott Barnes and football coach Pat Narduzzi were all hired after the date covered by the document, their salary information was not available.
Sam Werner: swerner@post-gazette.com and Twitter @SWernerPG.
First Published: May 19, 2015, 8:24 p.m.
Updated: May 20, 2015, 3:30 a.m.
