The Florida Board of Governors confirmed Moez Limayem as USF’s ninth president in mid-December. ORACLE GRAPHIC/LUIZA GARCIA. PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA

Moez Limayem could rake in one of the heftiest paydays for a Florida public university president after he is inaugurated as USF’s ninth president this spring. 

USF offered Limayem a 5-year contract with a $1.25 million base salary after he was confirmed as university president by the Florida Board of Governors on Dec. 12. 

USF did not provide The Oracle with a signed contract at the time of publication. 

Still, the contract presented in USF’s presidential search packet shows that, with bonus compensation, Limayem could make just under $1.9 million in his first year.

USF President Rhea Law, who announced her plans to step down last February, had a total eligible pay of $1.23 million — over $600,000 below Limayem’s figure.

Here’s a look at Limayem’s proposed contract and how it compares to other university presidents in Florida. 

Related: Board of Governors approves USF’s ninth president

Limayem, 63, served as the president of the University of North Florida from 2022 to 2025.

His tenure at UNF followed a ten-year position as the Lynn Pippenger Dean of USF’s Muma College of Business, which he held from 2012 to 2022.

Limayem was announced as the university’s sole presidential finalist in September after a seven-month search for a new president.

Then, in October, Limayem was approved by USF’s Board of Trustees, which included a compensation package not to exceed $2.4 million per year. 

USF outlined three factors in Limayem’s compensation analysis — the university’s preeminent status, Health Sciences Center and admission into the American Association of Universities — according to USF’s presidential search packet. 

USF gained preeminent status in 2018 through the Florida Preeminence Program, which rewards universities for meeting benchmarks such as graduation rates, national rankings and research expenditure. 

USF Health is the top medical school in Florida and a top-16 medical school in the U.S., according to its website. 

And in 2023, USF joined the AAU, a composition of 71 universities that lead in academics, research expenditures, faculty awards and research citations, according to its website.

Related: From USF dean to presidential finalist: A look at Moez Limayem’s career, controversies 

USF also used the presidential salaries of three “peer institutions” to determine Limayem’s compensation — the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of Central Florida.

These universities serve as benchmarks for their “size, scope and complexity,” according to USF’s presidential search packet. 

UF president Donald Landry is the highest-paid public university president in the state, with a base salary of $2 million and $500,000 in potential bonus pay, according to USF’s presidential search packet.

UCF president Alexander Cartright earns a $1.2 million base salary and is eligible for a $696,000 bonus — totaling just over $1.89 million, according to USF’s presidential search packet. 

FSU president Richard McCullough earns a $1.25 million base salary and a possible $500,000 in bonus pay, which totals $1.75 million, according to USF’s presidential search packet.

Once inaugurated, Limayem will join the presidents of these institutions as one of the highest-paid public university presidents in Florida.

Related: USF’s presidential finalist outlines vision, goals during campus visit

Limayem will also be eligible to earn over three times his UNF salary. 

He was paid a $500,000 base salary at UNF and could earn an additional $99,750 in annual bonus pay, according to his UNF contract. 

However, at USF, Limayem could earn additional pay up to 50% of his base salary — for a maximum of $625,000 —  through performance-based compensation, according to his contract. 

He will also receive an additional $162,000 in benefits, including a $12,000 monthly housing stipend and a $1,500 monthly automobile stipend.

Limayem will earn a performance bonus through an annual evaluation of his performance based on “goals and objectives,” according to his contract. 

Performance-based compensation will be determined and awarded by USF’s BOT in a special meeting “no later” than Dec. 15 of each year, according to his contract. 

The BOT will also annually review Limayem’s base salary when evaluating his job performance and increase it if necessary, according to his contract. 

If Limayem earns his full bonus compensation, he would earn $1.87 million in a year. 

“You have my word that I will lead with transparency, immediately and purpose,” Limayem said after his confirmation on Dec. 12. “Every decision I make will be guided by one question — what is best for our students, our faculty, staff, our community, our state and our country.”