While they demand a larger budget, the rectors receive million-dollar salaries that far exceed the president's
Meanwhile, the president has kept his salary frozen since December 2023, when he took office. His gross monthly income is around 4 million pesos (8,818 pounds), a figure much lower than what most presidents receive.
The Undersecretary of University Policies, Alejandro Álvarez, released a table with the salary ranges of national university presidents. The data show that 14 of them receive gross salaries ranging from 8 to 18 million pesos (17,637 to 39,683 pounds) per month, while another 33 earn between 5 and 8 million (11,023 to 17,637 pounds). Only a group of 10 presidents are below 5 million (11,023 pounds).
The information makes it clear that the top university authorities have incomes far above those of any public administration official.
The revelation comes amid the conflict over the University Financing Law, which was vetoed by President Javier Milei for being considered a risk to fiscal balance. Meanwhile, universities are promoting campaigns with slogans such as "No to the veto," and the disclosure of salaries is generating outrage in much of society.
The government emphasizes that the same presidents who are asking for more resources are those who maintain millionaire incomes, which highlights a contradiction between the narrative of crisis and the reality of their personal finances.
This difference underscores the lack of proportionality between what the country's highest authority earns and what university officials who depend on the national budget earn.
The official statement points out that, while more budget is being demanded for salaries, infrastructure, and operations, university authorities allocate part of those funds to maintain privileged salaries.
The government's position is clear: more public money can't be committed when those who run national universities already receive millionaire figures. In this context, the veto of the law is presented as a defense of fiscal balance and a call for transparency in the use of state resources.
