By BECKIE SUPIANO

The median salary of college administrators increased by 4 percent during the 2007-8 fiscal year, outpacing inflation for the 11th consecutive year, according to a report released last week by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

The pay raise for positions including presidents, chief academic officers, deans, and various vice presidents and directors was the same as in the 2006-7 academic year. Salary data were reported between September 2007 and January 2008.

"Employees are the most important assets of any college or university," said Andy Brantley, chief executive of CUPA-HR. "I am very pleased to see that 2007-8 salary increases match or slightly exceed increases provided during the previous two fiscal years."

Salaries were reported for 73,575 administrators in 272 different positions at 1,307 colleges and universities. Data were collected from about 81 percent of doctoral institutions, 63 percent of master's-degree institutions, and 51 percent of bachelor's-degree institutions. Some 400 specialized and two-year colleges also participated.

Half of participating institutions were public, half private. Salary increases were slightly higher at public institutions. The biggest differences were in athletics positions, which rose 4.3 percent in public institutions compared with 4 percent at private colleges.

Leaders of doctoral institutions earned an average of $365,190. The average for chief executives at master's-level institutions was $226,000, while those leading bachelor's-level colleges earned $220,000, on average. Presidents of two-year institutions earned an average of $156,870.

The position with the highest reported median salary was dean of medicine, at $385,461. The lowest median salary was for assistant director of student activities, at $40,218.

The survey can be ordered online at http://www.cupahr.org