UNC System president’s bonus is the biggest since he started the job in 2020
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- UNC Systems Board of Governors unanimously approved $493,500 bonus.
- Peter Hans’s bonus increased by more than $50,000 from last year.
- Hans earns a $600,000 base salary and oversees 17 institutions in the UNC System.
UNC System President Peter Hans is getting the biggest bonus he’s received since stepping into the role in 2020. The $493,500 bonus is $50,000 more than last year’s one-time compensation.
Hans earns $600,000 as a base salary. The bonus is on top of that.
The UNC System Board of Governors on Thursday unanimously approved the bonus, which is based on performance and goes to Hans’ university retirement account.
After his first full year as president, Hans in 2021 received a bonus of $300,000. In 2022, his bonus increased by more than $150,000 to a one-time contribution of $451,200. And in 2023, Hans’ bonus climbed again to $475,000.
The next year, however, the compensation decreased for the first time to $453,720 — around $20,000 less than the year before. In 2025, Hans’ bonus decreased again to $442,200.
The Board of Governors has said that Hans’ performance is measured through an incentive compensation program based on performance goals set by the board.
When he began his tenure in 2020, Hans earned a $400,000 salary, which is similar to the salary for chancellors in the system. The board has previously said that Hans asked for a lower salary than the base of previous presidents, but was subject to incentive increases. Hans oversees 17 institutions as president.
Wendy Floyd Murphy, the outgoing chair of the Board of Governors, said Hans “invested much time in strengthening institutional leadership, supporting newly installed chancellors as they moved into their roles, assessed institutional strengths and built strategic plans for growth.”
Hans’ 2026 performance
Murphy noted that enrollment for colleges nationwide has been declining, but enrollment “is moving in a different direction” for the UNC System.
The system saw record enrollment last fall with 256,000 students across its institutions, a 3.4% increase from the previous record set last year. Fifteen of the 16 universities saw enrollment growth.
Murphy said Hans’ initiatives have led to increased community college transfer and military student numbers, as well. Other accomplishments mentioned included a decline in student debt, expanding the nursing programs within the system and investing millions into rural residency training programs for surgery, psychiatry and family medicine.
“Believe it or not, these are just some of the highlights of the work done over the past year,” Murphy said. “I’m proud of the accomplishments represented here and grateful to President Hans, who has been a transformational leader for this university and for the state.”
