The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees voted to approve a significant salary increase for President Joan Gabel during a Thursday meeting of the Joint Compensation Subcommittee and Executive Committee.
The vote increases her annual base salary from $950,000 per year to $1.25 million per year starting Jan. 1, 2026, an increase of nearly 32%.
Gabel thanked the board of trustees in a statement but said she plans to invest the increased compensation back into the university community.
“Thanks to the Board of Trustees for recognizing our shared success and my deep gratitude for this unique and challenging time that many in the Pitt community are experiencing, I will raise funds this year to support students through our Finish Line Grants, provide assistance to faculty and staff who rely on our emergency funding, and establish a scholarship in my parents’ name to recognize the strength of Pitt teaching and research,” Gabel said. “It has been an honor to serve as president of the University of Pittsburgh, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support our people and our impact.”
Board Chairman John Verbanac said the decision took into account a variety of factors. One factor is the turnover of presidents at institutions within the Association of American Universities, an organization of research universities of which Pitt is a member. Verbanak said that since Gabel took office in April 2023, “nearly 60 percent of AAU presidents at public and private institutions have changed within a short period of time.”
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