OXFORD University's vice-chancellor was among the top 10 best paid heads in the country last year.

Professor Louise Richardson received a basic salary of £360,000 in 2017/18, the joint ninth highest of England's vice-chancellors, alongside the Open University.

New data from the Office for Students (OfS) shows Prof Richardson took home £210,000 more than Theresa May, with 124 of England's 133 universities paying heads more than the Prime Minister's £150,000.

Her basic salary was also higher than last year's equivalent of £354,000, according to Oxford’s financial statements from 2016/17.

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But it was still far lower than the amount paid to University of Bath chancellor, Dame Glynis Breakwell, who received £470,000, which rose £492,000 when other benefits were taken into account.

OfS data shows 1.5 per cent of university staff received a basic salary of more than £100,000, up from 1.3 per cent in 2016/17.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the OfS, said: "We understand that running a university is a significant and complex task, and it is right that those who excel in their roles should be well rewarded.

"Despite this, where pay is out of kilter, or salary increases at the top outstrip pay awards to other staff, vice chancellors should be prepared to answer tough questions from their staff, student bodies and the public."

Oxford Mail:

The data looks at the pay of vice chancellors - or an equivalent role - and other senior staff for 2017/18.

The University of Cambridge was second in the list, with a basic vice chancellor salary of £431,000, and total remuneration of £492,000.

And third spot was taken by the University of Southampton, paying a basic salary of £423,000 and total sum of £442,000.

The proportion of staff receiving a basic salary of greater than £100,000 fell at 48 providers.

The report was slammed by the University and College Union (UCU), which branded the OfS a 'paper tiger' unable to tackle 'pay and perks scandals'.

The union said the report failed to look at the excessive and arbitrary rises still enjoyed by some vice chancellors, or tackle the expenses and other benefits in kind that have "plagued universities in recent years".

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UCU head of policy Matt Waddup said: "With this lightweight report, the OfS has shown itself to be a paper tiger incapable of stopping the pay and perks scandals that have plagued universities.

"The report simply regurgitates some of the analysis done by UCU and others in recent years, but pulls its punches on how to address the problem.

"The OfS fails to ask why some vice chancellors are still picking up double-digit pay rises and doesn't even look at their expenses or other benefits in kind.

"This report sends a message that those who accept such largesse have nothing to fear from the new regulator."

Oxford Mail:

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: "While universities are autonomous institutions, around 45% of English institutions' income in 2016/17 came through upfront public funding, so they are rightly subject to public scrutiny.

"Of course salaries need to be competitive, but high pay must be justified by high performance on objectives such as widening participation for disadvantaged groups, low dropout rates, growing export earnings and pioneering innovative research.

"We set up the Office for Students to look out for students' interests and it is absolutely right that the OfS demands greater transparency from universities by requiring them to justify the pay and benefits of their vice chancellors.

"We have given the OfS powers to take action if universities do not do this and we expect them to be used where necessary."

The 10 highest vice-chancellor basic salaries for 2017/18:

  • University of Bath, £470,000
  • University of Cambridge, £431,000
  • University of Southampton, £423,000
  • London Business School, £422,000
  • University of Birmingham, £386,000
  • Imperial College, £373,000
  • University College London, £368,000
  • University of Surrey, £364,000
  • Open University, £360,000
  • University of Oxford, £360,000