Salary Cap Summary (FY 1990 - Present)

Congress legislatively mandates a limitation on salary for individuals under NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards. The mandate appears in the annual appropriation act that provides authority for NIH to incur obligations for a given fiscal year (FY). The amount of salary that can be provided to an individual through grant and cooperative agreement funds cannot exceed Executive Level II of the Federal Executive Pay Scale (Office of Personnel Management Salaries & Wages).

For FY 1990 through FY 2024, the salary cap applied only to direct salaries. Effective for FY 2025, the salary cap applies to both:

  • Direct salaries (individuals working directly on NIH projects).
  • Indirect salaries (executive salaries in various uncapped cost pools).

FY 2025 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 (Executive Level II): $221,900 (FY 2024 levels remain while under a continuing resolution – NOT-OD-25-010)

FY 2024 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023 (Executive Level II): $212,100
  • January 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024 (Executive Level II): $221,900

FY 2023 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022 (Executive Level II): $203,700
  • January 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023 (Executive Level II): $212,100

FY 2022 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2021 through January 1, 2022 (Executive Level II): $199,300
  • January 2, 2022 through September 30, 2022 (Executive Level II): $203,700

FY 2021 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2020 through January 2, 2021 (Executive Level II): $197,300
  • January 3, 2021 through September 30, 2021 (Executive Level II): $199,300

FY 2020 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2019 through January 4, 2020 (Executive Level II): $192,300
  • January 5, 2020 through September 30, 2020 (Executive Level II): $197,300

FY 2019 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2018 through January 5, 2019 (Executive Level II): $189,600
  • January 6, 2019 through September 30, 2019 (Executive Level II): $192,300

FY 2018 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2017 through January 6, 2018 (Executive Level II): $187,000
  • January 7, 2018 through September 30, 2018 (Executive Level II): $189,600

FY 2017 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2016 through January 7, 2017 (Executive Level II): $185,100
  • January 8, 2017 through September 30, 2017 (Executive Level II): $187,000

FY 2016 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2015 through January 9, 2016 (Executive Level II): $183,300
  • January 10, 2016 through September 30, 2016 (Executive Level II): $185,100

FY 2015 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2014 through January 10, 2015 (Executive Level II): $181,500
  • January 11, 2015 through September 30, 2015 (Executive Level II): $183,300

FY 2014 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2013 through January 11, 2014 (Executive Level II): $179,700
  • January 12, 2014 through September 30, 2014 (Executive Level II): $181,500

FY 2013 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013 (Executive Level II): $179,700

FY 2012 Awards Issued

  • October 1, 2011 through December 22, 2011 (Executive Level I): $199,700
  • December 23, 2011 through September 30, 2012 (Executive Level II): $179,700

FY 2011 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011 (Executive Level I): $199,700

FY 2010 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 (Executive Level I): $196,700
  • January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010 (Executive Level I): $199,700

FY 2009 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 (Executive Level I): $191,300
  • January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 (Executive Level I): $196,700

FY 2008 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007 (Executive Level I): $186,600
  • January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 (Executive Level I): $191,300

FY 2007 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006 (Executive Level I): $183,500
  • January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007 (Executive Level I): $186,600

FY 2006 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 (Executive Level I): $180,100
  • January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006 (Executive Level I): $183,500

FY 2005 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004 (Executive Level I): $175,700
  • January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 (Executive Level I): $180,100

FY 2004 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003 (Executive Level I): $171,900
  • January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004 (Executive Level I): $175,700 *

* $174,500 used for calculation from 1/1/04 - 3/2/04; $175,700 approved 3/3/2004.

FY 2003 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 (Executive Level I): $166,700
  • January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003 (Executive Level I): $171,900

FY 2002 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001 (Executive Level I): $161,200
  • January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 (Executive Level I): $166,700

FY 2001 Awards (Executive Level I)

  • October 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000 (Executive Level I): $157,000
  • January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001 (Executive Level I): $161,200
  • January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 (Executive Level I): $166,700

FY 2000 Awards (Executive Level II)

  • October 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 (Executive Level II): $136,700
  • January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000 (Executive Level II): $141,300
  • January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001 (Executive Level II): $145,100

FY 1999 Awards (Executive Level III)

  • October 1, 1998 through December 31, 1999 (Executive Level III): $125,900
  • January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000 (Executive Level III): $130,200

FY 1992 - FY 1998 Awards ($125,000 - Not Tied to Executive Level)

  • October 1, 1991 through September 30, 1998 (Not Tied to Executive Level): $125,000

FY 1990 - FY 1991 Awards ($120,000 - Not Tied to Executive Level)

  • October 1, 1989 through September 30, 1991 (Not Tied to Executive Level): $120,000

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This page last updated on: November 21, 2024
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