Penn State paid Graham Spanier more than $1 million in the 2011 fiscal year, making him the third-highest paid leader of a public university, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

According to the university, Spanier’s salaray included a base of $660,002, deferred compensation of $208,761 and contributions of $22,760 for retirement plans. It also included a $200,000 “signing bonus” that was part of Spanier’s July 1, 2010, contract with the university.

In 2010, Spanier and the university agreed to a three-year contract to extend his tenure as president to 2015.  But in November, as the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case unfolded, the university board of trustees announced they were terminating Spanier as president and Joe Paterno as head football coach.

Spanier, president emeritus, remains a tenured member of the university faculty. He is on a one-year sabbatical and recently accepted a post in national security.

He did not return an email seeking comment Monday.

The board appointed senior vice president Rodney Erickson to take over as president with a base salary of $515,000 through June 30, 2014.

Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said the university isn’t releasing Spanier’s future salary. 

“It is confidential as spelled out by the terms of his agreement,” Powers said.

The top-paid public university leaders are E. Gordon Lee, of Ohio State, who earned just shy of $2 million; and Michael D. McKinney, of Texas A&M, who made $1.97 million.

The Chronicle surveys colleges for the annual report.

While Penn State is listed with public universities, it is a state-related school that receives about 14 percent of its general budget from the state.

Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648. Follow her on Twitter @AnneDanahy.