Northwestern is committed to excellent teaching, innovative research and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community.
Executive compensation, broken down
Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 37 reported individuals · Filing year 2023
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Recreation & Sports organizations nationwide.
- Base
- $3.7M
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $366k
- Benefits
- $38k
- Base
- $3.6M
- Bonus
- $150k
- Other
- $24k
- Benefits
- $73k
- Base
- $943k
- Bonus
- $1.3M
- Other
- $21k
- Benefits
- $42k
- Base
- $291k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $2M
- Benefits
- $82k
- Base
- $1.3M
- Bonus
- $500k
- Other
- $20k
- Benefits
- $42k
- Base
- $494k
- Bonus
- $809k
- Other
- $23k
- Benefits
- $13k
- Base
- $1.1M
- Bonus
- $150k
- Other
- $75k
- Benefits
- $215k
- Base
- $472k
- Bonus
- $757k
- Other
- $19k
- Benefits
- $35k
- Base
- $634k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $843k
- Benefits
- $29k
- Base
- $1M
- Bonus
- $116k
- Other
- $237k
- Benefits
- $81k
- Base
- $413k
- Bonus
- $640k
- Other
- $9k
- Benefits
- $2k
- Base
- $993k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $313k
- Benefits
- $21k
- Base
- $845k
- Bonus
- $150k
- Other
- $94k
- Benefits
- $83k
- Base
- $877k
- Bonus
- $150k
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $360
- Base
- $546k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $122k
- Benefits
- $99k
- Base
- $488k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $221k
- Benefits
- $31k
- Base
- $554k
- Bonus
- $25k
- Other
- $240
- Benefits
- $38k
- Base
- $549k
- Bonus
- $25k
- Other
- $23k
- Benefits
- $19k
- Base
- $657k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $9k
- Benefits
- $2k
- Base
- $532k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $73k
- Benefits
- $18k
- Base
- $481k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $35k
- Benefits
- $13k
- Base
- $444k
- Bonus
- $50k
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $30k
- Base
- $442k
- Bonus
- $44k
- Other
- $23k
- Benefits
- $3k
- Base
- $426k
- Bonus
- $40k
- Other
- $50k
- Benefits
- $5k
- Base
- $368k
- Bonus
- $40k
- Other
- $44k
- Benefits
- $63k
- Base
- $260k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $99k
- Benefits
- $97k
- Base
- $380k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $1k
- Benefits
- $31k
- Base
- $307k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $55k
- Benefits
- $48k
- Base
- $345k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $240
- Benefits
- $23k
- Base
- $292k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $28k
- Benefits
- $38k
- Base
- $282k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $73k
- Base
- $266k
- Bonus
- $9k
- Other
- $29k
- Benefits
- $41k
- Base
- —
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $307k
- Benefits
- $21k
- Base
- $269k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $13k
- Base
- —
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $264k
- Benefits
- $6k
- Base
- $180k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $83k
- Benefits
- $67
- Base
- $141k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $39k
- Benefits
- $5k
| Position | Base | Bonus | Other | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Head Coach Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentile | $3.7M | — | $366k | $38k | $4.2M $4.6M |
Head Coach Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentile | $3.6M | $150k | $24k | $73k | $3.8M $4.2M |
VP & Chief Investment Officer Vice President Above 90th percentile | $943k | $1.3M | $21k | $42k | $2.9M $3.2M |
Professor-kellogg Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentile | $291k | — | $2M | $82k | $2.4M $2.7M |
President Emeritus Former Officer/director/trustee Above 90th percentile | $1.3M | $500k | $20k | $42k | $1.9M $2.1M |
Managing Dir Absolute Return Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentile | $494k | $809k | $23k | $13k | $1.7M $1.9M |
President Above 90th percentilevs Recreation & Sports peers in Illinois | $1.1M | $150k | $75k | $215k | $1.7M $1.9M |
Mng Dir Priv Inv & Real Assets Former Officer/director/trustee Above 90th percentile | $472k | $757k | $19k | $35k | $1.6M $1.8M |
VP of Alumni Rel & Development Vice President Above 90th percentile | $634k | — | $843k | $29k | $1.6M $1.8M |
VP Athletics Rec Vice President Above 90th percentile | $1M | $116k | $237k | $81k | $1.5M $1.7M |
Executive Vice President Above 90th percentilevs all sectors nationwide | $413k | $640k | $9k | $2k | $1.5M $1.6M |
Professor-chemistry Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentile | $993k | — | $313k | $21k | $1.5M $1.6M |
VP & General Counsel Vice President Above 90th percentile | $845k | $150k | $94k | $83k | $1.3M $1.4M |
Provost Officer (Unspecified) | $877k | $150k | $2k | $360 | $1.1M $1.2M |
VP of Research Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $546k | — | $122k | $99k | $801k $887k |
VP of Admin & Planning Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $488k | — | $221k | $31k | $773k $857k |
VP and Chief Operations Officer Vice President Above 90th percentile | $554k | $25k | $240 | $38k | $725k $803k |
VP & Chief Financial Officer Above 90th percentile | $549k | $25k | $23k | $19k | $723k $801k |
VP Medical Affairs Vice President Above 90th percentile | $657k | — | $9k | $2k | $693k $768k |
VP & Chief Information Officer Chief Information Officer Above 90th percentilevs all sectors nationwide | $532k | — | $73k | $18k | $656k $726k |
VP & Chief HR Officer Vice President Above 90th percentile | $481k | — | $35k | $13k | $574k $636k |
VP of Facilities Management Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $444k | $50k | $2k | $30k | $559k $619k |
Assoc VP & Dep General Counsel & Former Interim VP HR Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $442k | $44k | $23k | $3k | $556k $616k |
Board Secretary and Advisor to President Board President Above 90th percentile | $426k | $40k | $50k | $5k | $555k $615k |
Interim VP Alumni Relations Development Vice President Above 90th percentile | $368k | $40k | $44k | $63k | $548k $607k |
Vice President for Research Vice President Above 90th percentile | $260k | — | $99k | $97k | $490k $543k |
VP Assoc Prov Div and Inc Vice President Above 90th percentile | $380k | — | $1k | $31k | $445k $493k |
VP Student Affairs Vice President Above 90th percentile | $307k | — | $55k | $48k | $442k $490k |
Assoc VP Budget & Planning Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $345k | — | $240 | $23k | $401k $444k |
VP Global Mkt & Comm Vice President Above 90th percentile | $292k | — | $28k | $38k | $389k $431k |
Assoc Ad Intercollegiate Srvcs Athletics & Former Interim VP Athletics Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $282k | — | $2k | $73k | $386k $428k |
Co-interim VP Global Mkt & Comm Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $266k | $9k | $29k | $41k | $372k $412k |
Former VP Athletics Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | — | — | $307k | $21k | $328k $363k |
VP of International Relations Vice President Above 90th percentile | $269k | — | $2k | $13k | $312k $345k |
VP Global Mkt & Comm Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | — | — | $264k | $6k | $271k $300k |
Interim VP Student Affairs Board Vice President Above 90th percentile | $180k | — | $83k | $67 | $263k $291k |
VP and Dean of Enrollment Vice President Above 90th percentile | $141k | — | $39k | $5k | $199k $220k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 39 unpaid individuals.
Top pay as a share of expenses
In 2023, the highest total compensation at Northwestern University equaled 0.1% of the organization's total expenses. The median for recreation & sports organizations is 8%.
Based on 7,435 recreation & sports organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.
Funded by
Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.
Down 31%
from 2022
From $6M in 2022 to $4.2M in 2023.
Estimated with Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Highest Compensated Employee pay fell 31% from 2022 to 2023, while revenue rose 26%.
- Vice President pay rose 17% from 2022 to 2023.
- Former Officer/director/trustee pay fell 7% from 2022 to 2023.
Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2022 and 2023.
Revenue and expenses over time
Northwestern University reported revenue and expenses across 2 filing years.
What Recreation & Sports executives earn in Illinois
Comparable recreation & sports organizations in Illinois pay their highest-earning executive a median of $43,653.
These are recreation & sports sector-wide figures, not this organization's reported pay. Based on 236 organizations across 236 filings (2020 – 2024).
See full Recreation & Sports pay data for Illinois →Common questions about Northwestern University
What does the Highest Compensated Employee of Northwestern University earn?
In 2023, the Highest Compensated Employee of Northwestern University received $4,172,736 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Highest Compensated Employee roles among Recreation & Sports organizations nationwide: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Highest Compensated Employee pay at Northwestern University compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at Recreation & Sports organizations nationwide, the 2023 pay of the Highest Compensated Employee at Northwestern University falls in the top 10%. In 2023, the highest total compensation at Northwestern University equaled 0.1% of the organization's total expenses. The median for recreation & sports organizations is 8%.
What are Northwestern University's revenue and expenses?
In 2023, Northwestern University reported $4.2B in total revenue and $3.9B in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
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