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The average salary for a vice chancellor in the United States is approximately $110,441 per year, translating to about $53 per hour. This role encompasses significant responsibilities, including strategic leadership, academic oversight, and financial management within universities.
Compensation varies widely across states, reflecting regional educational funding and demand for leadership in higher education. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to their cost of living and competitive job markets.
Experience plays a crucial role in salary determination. Generally, vice chancellors with more years of service or advanced degrees tend to earn higher salaries. Specialized fields such as research or administration may also command premium pay.
As the educational sector evolves, the demand for qualified vice chancellors remains strong, providing numerous opportunities for career advancement. Whether you are a current vice chancellor or aspiring to the position, understanding salary trends can aid in career planning and negotiations.
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The average vice chancellor salary in Arizona, California, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average vice chancellor salary states are Idaho, Illinois, and Florida.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $143,667 | $69.07 |
| 2 | California | $143,320 | $68.90 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $135,132 | $64.97 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $131,947 | $63.44 |
| 5 | Nevada | $138,224 | $66.45 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $135,112 | $64.96 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $125,578 | $60.37 |
| 8 | Indiana | $129,719 | $62.36 |
| 9 | Texas | $115,479 | $55.52 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $128,044 | $61.56 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $119,975 | $57.68 |
| 12 | Oregon | $118,317 | $56.88 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $120,997 | $58.17 |
| 14 | Alabama | $121,621 | $58.47 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $113,882 | $54.75 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $116,258 | $55.89 |
| 17 | Missouri | $116,679 | $56.10 |
| 18 | Michigan | $117,403 | $56.44 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $114,533 | $55.06 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $117,823 | $56.65 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $111,527 | $53.62 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $111,144 | $53.43 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $110,653 | $53.20 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $109,438 | $52.61 |
| 25 | Ohio | $107,733 | $51.79 |
| 26 | Montana | $113,653 | $54.64 |
| 27 | Utah | $107,930 | $51.89 |
| 28 | Maine | $110,871 | $53.30 |
| 29 | Maryland | $112,706 | $54.19 |
| 30 | New York | $121,302 | $58.32 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $111,719 | $53.71 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $104,763 | $50.37 |
| 33 | Colorado | $106,647 | $51.27 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $107,316 | $51.59 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $109,573 | $52.68 |
| 36 | Georgia | $104,185 | $50.09 |
| 37 | Washington | $105,957 | $50.94 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $106,053 | $50.99 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $106,879 | $51.38 |
| 40 | Virginia | $105,277 | $50.61 |
| 41 | Delaware | $110,262 | $53.01 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $104,180 | $50.09 |
| 43 | Illinois | $97,938 | $47.09 |
| 44 | Kansas | $102,416 | $49.24 |
| 45 | Vermont | $105,407 | $50.68 |
| 46 | Florida | $94,891 | $45.62 |
| 47 | Iowa | $103,406 | $49.71 |
| 48 | Idaho | $100,304 | $48.22 |
| 49 | Alaska | $68,541 | $32.95 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $93,033 | $44.73 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $54,141 | $26.03 |
The highest-paying cities for vice chancellors are Santa Cruz, CA, Washington, DC, and Fayetteville, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Cruz, CA | $157,337 | $75.64 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $140,283 | $67.44 |
| 3 | Fayetteville, NC | $138,309 | $66.49 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $136,311 | $65.53 |
| 5 | Baton Rouge, LA | $135,581 | $65.18 |
| 6 | Shrewsbury, MA | $129,079 | $62.06 |
| 7 | Saint Louis, MO | $121,122 | $58.23 |
| 8 | Aiken, SC | $120,960 | $58.15 |
| 9 | New Brunswick, NJ | $117,786 | $56.63 |
| 10 | Pasadena, TX | $116,428 | $55.98 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs, CO | $112,300 | $53.99 |
| 12 | Pine Bluff, AR | $107,533 | $51.70 |
| 13 | Tacoma, WA | $107,431 | $51.65 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $105,926 | $50.93 |
| 15 | Lawrence, KS | $102,769 | $49.41 |
| 16 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $85,226 | $40.97 |
| 17 | Carolina, PR | $52,166 | $25.08 |
A vice chancellor's salary ranges from $65,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $185,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $185,000 | $15,417 | $89 |
| 75th Percentile | $144,000 | $12,000 | $69 |
| Average | $110,441 | $9,203 | $53 |
| 25th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| 10th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
The highest paying types of vice chancellors are chairperson, vice chairperson, and committee chairperson.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Student Affairs | $74,804 | $6,234 | $35.96 | 22,875 |
| Director Of Admissions | $57,524 | $4,794 | $27.66 | 12,833 |
| New Member Educator | $34,187 | $2,849 | $16.44 | 12,866 |
| Education Director | $62,123 | $5,177 | $29.87 | 24,774 |
| Admissions Officer | $33,833 | $2,819 | $16.27 | 58,782 |
| Registrar | $40,632 | $3,386 | $19.53 | 12,723 |
Vice chancellor salaries at The University of Kansas Health System and University of Massachusetts Medical School are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average vice chancellor salary at companies like Rutgers University and Kern Community College District are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Kansas Health System | $154,966 | $74.50 |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts Medical School | $148,327 | $71.31 |
| 3 | Rutgers University | $126,204 | $60.67 |
| 4 | Kern Community College District | $126,026 | $60.59 |
| 5 | University of California | $120,554 | $57.96 |
| 6 | AGB | $106,467 | $51.19 |
| 7 | Everglades University | $98,673 | $47.44 |
| 8 | University of Washington | $97,210 | $46.74 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina | $95,170 | $45.75 |
| 10 | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | $89,955 | $43.25 |
| 11 | UC Merced | $89,222 | $42.90 |
| 12 | Northeastern University | $87,122 | $41.89 |
| 13 | Ivy Tech Community College | $86,376 | $41.53 |
| 14 | UC Santa Barbara | $85,666 | $41.19 |
| 15 | University of Colorado Boulder | $85,255 | $40.99 |
| 16 | University of Colorado Denver | $85,169 | $40.95 |
| 17 | Brandman University | $84,648 | $40.70 |
| 18 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $81,872 | $39.36 |
| 19 | University of California-Berkeley | $77,076 | $37.06 |
| 20 | Washington State University | $68,281 | $32.83 |
The average vice chancellor salary has risen by $14,975 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average vice chancellor earned $95,466 annually, but today, they earn $110,441 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for vice chancellors over the last decade.
Compare vice chancellor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare vice chancellor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $110,000 | $53.10 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $108,000 | $51.96 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $107,000 | $51.38 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $105,000 | $50.30 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $103,000 | $49.43 | +2.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kern Comunity College District | Associate Vice Chancellor, Accounting Services (DO) | Bakersfield, CA | 06/26/2025 | $180,286 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Il | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation-Sponsored Programs Administration | Urbana, IL | 06/26/2025 | $210,000 |
| Southern Illinois University | Associate Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance | Carbondale, IL | 06/14/2025 | $160,000 |
| Indiana University | Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management | Bloomington, IN | 06/09/2025 | $215,000 |
| University of Illinois Springfield, Il | Assistant Vice Chancellor of Facilities and Services | Springfield, IL | 05/21/2025 | $140,000 |
| Ivy Tech Community College | Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs | East Chicago, IN | 04/26/2025 | $115,000 |
| Ventura County Community College District | Associate Vice Chancellor, Strategic Partnerships, Enrollment, and Advancement | Camarillo, CA | 04/02/2025 | $164,672 |
| University of Illinois Springfield, Il | Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration | Springfield, IL | 03/27/2025 | $180,000 |
| Ivy Tech Community College | Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs | Crown Point, IN | 03/27/2025 | $115,000 |
| Southern Illinois University | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance | Carbondale, IL | 03/11/2025 | $150,000 |
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