The most selective schools in the U.S. don’t necessarily pay their presidents the most. The president of Thomas Jefferson University was the best-paid private college president in the country, making a total of more than $8.4 million in 2020, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Both his base pay and total compensation exceed that of other private college presidents.
With an acceptance rate of 87%, Thomas Jefferson University is ranked No. 142 in the “National Universities” category by U.S. News and World Report. By contrast, Christopher Eisgruber, president of No. 1 ranked Princeton University, makes just over $1 million a year.
