Was receiving a base salary of $1,189,733 too high for Ohio State University President Ted Carter considering he resigned over an inappropriate relationship?
The question of whether Ted Carter’s base salary of $1,189,733 was “too high” is largely a matter of perspective and context. There are a few important factors to consider.
1. His salary was typical for leaders of major universities
Presidents of large U.S. public research universities often earn seven-figure compensation packages.
- Carter’s contract originally set his base salary at about $1.1 million, with additional benefits and possible bonuses.
- After a 4.5% merit raise, his base salary increased to $1,189,733, along with a bonus of about $398,475.
For comparison, presidents of other flagship universities (e.g., Michigan, Texas, or Penn State) also commonly earn $1 million or more in salary and compensation.
So purely in market terms, his pay was not unusual for someone running one of the largest universities in the United States.
2. The resignation complicates how people view the pay
Carter resigned after disclosing an “inappropriate relationship” with someone seeking university-related public resources for her business, which the board of trustees considered serious enough to accept his resignation.
Because of that context, some people may feel:
- The salary looks excessive given the short tenure and controversy, or
- The university should have stricter accountability expectations for highly paid leaders.
But those reactions are about ethics and performance, not necessarily about whether the salary itself was outside the norm.
3. University presidents’ pay reflects the scope of the job
Leading Ohio State University involves overseeing:
- roughly 65,000+ students
- billions of dollars in research and operations
- multiple campuses and a major medical center
- a global athletics program
Because the role resembles running a large nonprofit corporation, universities often pay salaries comparable to senior executives.
✅ Bottom line:
- Carter’s $1.19 million base salary was typical for presidents of major U.S. universities.
- However, his resignation over an inappropriate relationship makes the compensation look more controversial in hindsight, especially because his tenure ended earlier than expected.
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