New University of Hawaii Athletics Director’s base salary could top $500,000

HONOLULU (Island News) — The University of Hawaii Athletics Director could become one of the highest-paid state employees in the Islands.

UH Board of Regent and former Governor Neil Abercormbie said at its meeting Thursday that if the university wants to attract a viable candidate it must offer a base salary of at least $500,000. This would not include incentives which could add more than $100,000 more to the new ADs compensation package.

UH President Wendy Hensel noted that previous AD Craig Angelos’ salary was in the mid-$300,000s, well below the average salaries of the other ADs in the Mountain West Conference.

“If we want to secure a dynamic, experienced leader who can navigate this landscape, we must be prepared to offer a competitive package, and so we’ll be having conversations about what that looks like and I want to ensure the board that we will both be fiscally efficient but also mindful of the importance that athletics play in the university as a whole and to the state,” Hensel said.

She said the average base salary for the ADs in the conference UH is joining in 2026 is $400,000 not including incentives.

Parker Executive Search is actively recruiting candidates and Hensel expects to name a finalist for the board to vote on by mid-summer if not sooner.