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VCU Board Approves $1 Million Base Salary for President Michael Rao

By Billy Briefman · September 14, 2026 · 2 min read read

Category: Health & Wellness

VCU Board Approves $1 Million Base Salary for President Michael Rao
"Administration Building (Saint Ignatius Hall), John Carroll University, University Heights, OH" by w_lemay is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/.

VCU Board Increases President Michael Rao’s Base Salary to $1 Million Originally reported by Cardinal News. Cardinal News The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors approved a pay...

VCU Board Increases President Michael Rao’s Base Salary to $1 Million

Originally reported by Cardinal News. Cardinal News

The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors approved a pay increase for President Michael Rao, raising his annual base salary to $1 million during its latest session, according to reporting from Cardinal News.

The decision places Rao among the highest-paid public university leaders in the Commonwealth. According to reporting from Cardinal News, the board authorized the new compensation package to reflect a substantial jump from his previous earnings. The move comes as VCU continues to navigate shifting enrollment trends and expanded healthcare operations in downtown Richmond.

Compensation Details and Board Action

The Board of Visitors finalized the salary adjustment as part of a broader review of executive compensation. According to Cardinal News, the $1 million figure represents the base pay alone, excluding additional bonuses or benefits that typically accompany university presidential contracts.

Rao has served as the president of VCU and the VCU Health System since 2009. During his tenure, the university has seen significant physical expansion across its Monroe Park and MCV campuses. The board cited his leadership and the university's current trajectory as primary factors for the pay increase.

Regional Impact and State Headlines

The salary update for the VCU president coincides with several other developments across Central VA. According to Cardinal News, local school boards and regional government bodies are currently addressing a variety of administrative and budgetary shifts. These updates highlight a period of leadership and financial transitions for major RVA institutions.

This article is based on reporting originally published by Cardinal News. Channel RVA provides this coverage with additional local context for the Richmond community.