Most universities are tax-exempt non-profits.
At the heart of a nonprofit's existence is the principle that its income should be devoted to its mission, not to personal gain. This principle is jeopardized when insiders, such as board members or officers receive benefits that are not justifiable within the framework of the organization’s purpose. The IRS views this form of personal enrichment, including excessive compensation of insiders as a violation of tax-exempt status.
It's time for a public discussion about whether the high salaries of many university presidents is consistent with their tax-exempt status.
- Stephen Klasko, Thomas Jefferson University — $8.4 million
- Charles Monahan Jr., Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University — $4.5 million
- Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — $4.2 million
- Steven Kaplan, University of New Haven — $3.7 million
- Jerry Falwell Jr., Liberty University — $3.5 million
- Amy Gutmann, University of Pennsylvania — $2.6 million
- Tedd L. Mitchell, Texas Tech University System — $2.5 million
- Eric J. Barron, Pennsylvania State University — $2 million
- Joyce Ellen McConnell, Colorado State University — $2 million
- Renu Khator, University of Houston — $1.7 million
- Harlan M. Sands, Cleveland State University — $1.4 million
- Michael Ray Williams, University of North Texas System— $1.4 million
- Eli Capilouto, University of Kentucky — $1.4 million
- Doug A. Girod, University of Kanas, 1.3 million
- Jay C. Hartzell, University of Texas at Austin, $1.3 million
- Jay A. Perman, University of Maryland, $1.2 million
For comparison, nonprofit organizations with annual expenses of more than 50 million U.S. dollars paid their CEOs an average of 364,564 U.S. dollars in 2022.
(Data courtesy of CBS, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and US News)