The average salary in the state of North Carolina is $40,000. Governor Pat McCrory earns $141,265. UNC-Chapel Hill’s Chief Diversity Officer earns $195,000 per year. That’s almost five times the state average and 38 percent more than the governor—for a job that many view as counterproductive to a good higher education system.

Even though university officials scream bloody murder every time a legislator looks askance at the university system budget, there seems to be a lot of fat there for trimming. That includes excessively paid staffers. Jenna Robinson and Jesse Saffron take a look at pay rates in the University of North Carolina system contrasted with the rest of the state government and find that times are good in the Ivory Tower—maybe too good.