Pitt trustees increase chancellor’s salary by nearly 32%, Gabel plans to invest in students, faculty

At the joint compensation subcommittee and executive committee meeting on Thursday, the board of trustees University of Pittsburgh He voted to give Chancellor Joan Gabel a big pay raise.

The vote will increase his annual base salary from $950,000 to $1.25 million annually, an increase of approximately 32%, starting January 1, 2026.

Gabel thanked the board in a statement but shared that he plans to invest the increase in his compensation back into the university community.

“With gratitude to the Board of Trustees for recognizing our shared accomplishments and a deep appreciation for this unique and challenging moment for so many in our Pitt community, I am donating this year’s raise to support students through our Finish Line Grants, provide support to faculty and staff who rely on our emergency funds, and establish a scholarship recognizing the power of Pitt teaching and research in honor of my parents,” Gabel said. “It is a great honor to serve as President of the University of Pittsburgh, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support our people and our impact.”

According to board chairman John Verbanac, a number of factors were taken into account in the decision. One such factor was the turnover rate of presidents at institutions within the Association of American Universities, an organization of research universities of which Pitt is a member. Verbanac said that since Gabel took office in April 2023, “approximately 60% of presidents at AAU public and private institutions have left office within that short period of time.”

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