Mathematician Terence Tao earns $633,000 annual salary at UCLA

Terence Tao, a renowned mathematician and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), earns an annual salary of $633,000 according to 2024 data. Because UCLA is a public institution in California, his compensation is subject to state financial transparency laws.

This salary is approximately 750% higher than the average pay of his colleagues at the university. Tao, born in Adelaide, Australia, to parents who emigrated from Hong Kong, gained international fame as a child prodigy. He holds the record for being the youngest person to win Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) history, achieving these feats at ages 10, 11, and 13 respectively.

His academic career progressed rapidly; he earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from Flinders University by age 16 and became the youngest full professor in UCLA's history at age 24.