Boston University President Robert Brown is the highest paid president of a private college in Massachusetts. Brown earned $1,141,330 in 2010, according to an analysis of the most recent tax year available conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Top 10 compensation packages of private university presidents in Massachusetts. (Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education)

The breakdown shows three private university presidents in Massachusetts broke the million-dollar mark. Northeastern University paid Joseph Aoun $1,069,510. MIT paid Susan Hockfield $1,006,969.

The average annual compensation was $482,241.

"Well, they keep going up," said The Chronicle's Jack Stripling of the salaries. "I mean, they’re not going up by huge amounts but there’s no indication to me that [private university] boards are pulling back on this."

The top Massachusetts salary fell far short of the top private university president pay in the country. The New School's J. Robert Kerrey earned $3,047,703 in 2010.

Four Massachusetts private schools paid their presidents less than $40,000 each: Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, Emmanuel College and Stonehill College, all of which are Roman Catholic schools.