* The college's size and endowment: Prestigious, wealthy private colleges will pay significantly more than smaller, less-endowed institutions.
* The department's prestige and funding: A chair of a highly-funded, highly-regarded department (e.g., engineering at MIT vs. sociology at a small liberal arts college) will earn considerably more.
* The chair's experience and qualifications: A seasoned professor with a strong publication record and extensive administrative experience will command a higher salary.
* Geographic location: Salaries in high-cost-of-living areas tend to be higher.
* The chair's additional responsibilities: Some chairs might have additional administrative duties or fundraising responsibilities that increase their compensation.
While you won't find a precise national average, you can expect the salary range to be quite broad, potentially from $80,000 to $250,000+ per year or even more in exceptional cases. To get a more accurate idea, you would need to research specific colleges and departments of interest. Websites like Glassdoor or Salary.com might offer some limited data, but it's likely to be incomplete and not very precise for such a specialized position.