Private nonprofit independent doctoral institutions had the highest median salary for chief academic officers — nearly $30,000 more than the median at public doctoral institutions. At associate institutions, median salaries for chief academic officers were below $150,000 a year.
| Level | Public institutions | Private nonprofit independent institutions | Religiously affiliated institutions |
| Doctoral | $363,850 | $393,688 | $290,000 |
| Master’s | $210,868 | $234,397 | $185,000 |
| Baccalaureate | $154,246 | $207,050 | $165,000 |
| Associate with academic ranks | $145,000 | — | — |
| Associate without academic ranks | $130,266 | — | — |
Note: Median salaries are based on reports from 631 institutions. In one case in which supplemental pay far exceeded base pay, the salary figure used in the analysis included supplemental pay. A dash indicates that no data were reported. More data on executive and faculty salaries from the American Association of University Professors’ Faculty Compensation Survey can be found here. Questions or comments on the Almanac should be sent to Ruth Hammond.
Source: American Association of University Professors, Faculty Compensation Survey
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