US university presidents and academic officers, including deans, provosts and chancellors, saw their pay increase by a median of 2.3% in 2012, more than one-third above the inflation rate of 1.7%, according to a survey. The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources in Knoxville, Tennessee, polled 1,251 institutions for its 2012–13 Administrators in Higher Education Salary Survey, published on 25 February. The median pay for the president of an institution that grants doctorates rose by 2% for the year, to US$402,000. Deans of biological and life sciences at doctoral institutions also saw a pay rise: their median compensation climbed by 3% to $225,000 in 2012. Executive benefits included not only pay but also housing for 47.3% of university presidents, a car or car allowance for 51.6% and membership of a club such as a gym or airline for 31.6%, the survey says. More than one-quarter of presidents received deferred compensation such as pensions or stock options.