On January 28, 2026, the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health released NOT-OD-26-034 which gave notice of the new salary cap effective January 1, 2026. For new and ongoing awards from HHS, including NIH, the new salary cap is $228,000 starting January 1, 2026. If you have any specific questions, please contact your pre-award office. Refer to the OSP Blog for more information.
Update as of 2/9/26: NIH issued notice NOT-OD-26-038 to correct the previously provided effective date for the updated salary limitation for Executive Level II of $228,000 from January 11, 2026 to January 1, 2026. All other guidance provided in NOT-OD-26-034 remains unchanged.