Salisbury University President Janet Dudley-Eshbach is one of three Maryland university presidents to receive a raise following a salary study.

After a vote by the Board of Regents on Sept. 15, Dudley-Eshbach was approved for a $20,000 raise. As reported by the Associated Press, her current salary is $385,000.

The salary study conducted by Sibson Consulting, a business management consultant based in New York City, showed Dudley-Eshbach and two other university presidents deserved higher compensation when compared to similar university presidents nationwide.

"Dr. Janet Dudley-Eshbach is currently the second-longest-serving president in the University System of Maryland and is the longest-serving woman president in USM history," said Richard Culver, SU spokesman, in an email. "She has provided dynamic leadership, and Salisbury University has grown in size, reputation and private support during her tenure. We are grateful that the USM Board of Regents is recognizing the value and excellence of SU and her leadership."

Dudley-Eshbach is highly regarded in the USM system, said Mike Lurie, USM spokesman. Since she took on the role in 2000, SU has seen prominent gains, he explained.

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While the study showed some USM presidents being paid lower than their peers, Lurie explained it was not the case at every Maryland university.

"(It was) trending that way for some of our campuses," he said.

Along with Dudley-Eshbach, University of Maryland, College Park President Wallace Loh and University of Maryland, University College President Javier Miyares each received raises. Loh received a $75,000 raise and Miyares received a $50,000 raise.

As reported by AP, Loh's current salary is $600,000, while Miyares is $360,500.

According to a press release, the study made a few recommendations including forming an "executive compensation philosophy that outlines goals and desired objectives of the executive compensation program," plus "systematized performance assessments and periodic remuneration reviews."

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“An excellent public university system is key to growing Maryland’s economy and creating jobs and opportunities for our citizens,” said James Brady, chairman of the Board of Regents, in a press release. “An excellent state higher education system requires excellent students, excellent faculty and excellent university leadership. To attract and retain this caliber of individual, including nationally recognized leaders, we must offer compensation packages that are competitive with what these individuals could earn in other states.”

Lurie explained keeping presidents' salaries competitive is two-fold: it allows USM to retain quality presidents and recruit successors. Attracting the best and the brightest to lead campuses, and make leaders feel confident to stick around are both important factors.

Pay raises are retroactive, beginning July 1, 2017.

On Twitter: @The_MegRyan