McMaster University

1996–2025 · 25,109 total records

1,966 employees (2025)$152,815 avg salary$326.3M total payroll (2025)28 years on list

Highest paid all-time

$632,776

2023

Claudia Emerson

Associate Professor

$623,459

2021

PETER GEORGE

President/Vice-Chancellor

$533,913

2008

PETER GEORGE

President & Vice-Chancellor

$536,474

2009

David Farrar

President and Vice-Chancellor

$528,908

2024

John Kelton

Professor / Executive Director

$525,181

2016

MOHAMED ABDELAZIZ ELBESTAWI

Vice–President Research/Professor

$516,168

2012

Salim Yusuf

Professor

$504,895

2023

Salim Yusuf

Professor

$502,133

2024

JOHN KELTON

Dean & Vice-President (Health Sciences)

$508,646

2011

Headcount & Salary Trends

Employees earning $100k+ per year · bars = headcount, lines = salary

Year-by-Year Breakdown

2025+8.1% headcount

Employees

1,966

Avg Salary

$165,955

Median

$150,713

Total Payroll

$326.3M

2024+9.5% headcount

Employees

1,818

Avg Salary

$165,950

Median

$152,728

Total Payroll

$301.7M

2023+8.1% headcount

Employees

1,661

Avg Salary

$166,872

Median

$155,260

Total Payroll

$277.2M

2022+6.9% headcount

Employees

1,536

Avg Salary

$166,817

Median

$157,175

Total Payroll

$256.2M

2021+0.8% headcount

Employees

1,437

Avg Salary

$166,668

Median

$158,018

Total Payroll

$239.5M

2020+9.6% headcount

Employees

1,425

Avg Salary

$163,409

Median

$155,833

Total Payroll

$232.9M

2019+3.5% headcount

Employees

1,300

Avg Salary

$163,525

Median

$157,352

Total Payroll

$212.6M

2018+9.2% headcount

Employees

1,256

Avg Salary

$161,868

Median

$156,524

Total Payroll

$203.3M

2016+1.1% headcount

Employees

1,150

Avg Salary

$157,729

Median

$152,509

Total Payroll

$181.4M

2015+7.0% headcount

Employees

1,137

Avg Salary

$157,774

Median

$153,513

Total Payroll

$179.4M

2014+3.0% headcount

Employees

1,063

Avg Salary

$150,538

Median

$144,863

Total Payroll

$160.0M

2013+1.7% headcount

Employees

1,032

Avg Salary

$149,966

Median

$145,110

Total Payroll

$154.8M

2012+5.0% headcount

Employees

1,015

Avg Salary

$147,776

Median

$141,776

Total Payroll

$150.0M

2011+4.2% headcount

Employees

967

Avg Salary

$144,000

Median

$137,557

Total Payroll

$139.2M

2010+5.1% headcount

Employees

928

Avg Salary

$140,885

Median

$134,053

Total Payroll

$130.7M

2009+11.3% headcount

Employees

883

Avg Salary

$137,426

Median

$129,185

Total Payroll

$121.3M

2008+8.2% headcount

Employees

793

Avg Salary

$133,175

Median

$124,758

Total Payroll

$105.6M

2007+17.3% headcount

Employees

733

Avg Salary

$130,073

Median

$123,266

Total Payroll

$95.3M

2006+16.6% headcount

Employees

625

Avg Salary

$127,295

Median

$120,186

Total Payroll

$79.6M

2005+22.7% headcount

Employees

536

Avg Salary

$126,287

Median

$119,440

Total Payroll

$67.7M

2004+21.7% headcount

Employees

437

Avg Salary

$123,994

Median

$115,753

Total Payroll

$54.2M

2003+20.9% headcount

Employees

359

Avg Salary

$120,498

Median

$112,520

Total Payroll

$43.3M

2002+26.4% headcount

Employees

297

Avg Salary

$119,551

Median

$109,367

Total Payroll

$35.5M

2001+10.3% headcount

Employees

235

Avg Salary

$119,274

Median

$108,629

Total Payroll

$28.0M

2000+50.0% headcount

Employees

213

Avg Salary

$116,778

Median

$106,992

Total Payroll

$24.9M

1999+52.7% headcount

Employees

142

Avg Salary

$116,990

Median

$106,193

Total Payroll

$16.6M

1998+29.2% headcount

Employees

93

Avg Salary

$121,128

Median

$109,190

Total Payroll

$11.3M

1996

Employees

72

Avg Salary

$119,180

Median

$110,159

Total Payroll

$8.6M

Data sourced from the Ontario Public Sector Salary Disclosure. This site is independent and not affiliated with the Government of Ontario. Always verify against the official source.