Along with a salary of seven to eight million, the leaders of HUN-REN also received a car, a driver, business class travel, and even a service apartment.

The salaries and benefits of HUN-REN leaders, Gulyás Balázs and Jakab Roland, have come under scrutiny due to their high compensation packages. Gulyás earned a base salary of 6.47 million HUF, which increased to 7.05 million HUF in 2026, along with performance bonuses and additional perks like a company car and business class travel. Jakab's earnings were higher, starting at 7.27 million HUF, with similar benefits. Both leaders faced criticism for their salaries compared to the funding available for researchers within the network. Despite the high compensation, it appears that neither received performance bonuses for the previous year due to contract stipulations. The contracts also included provisions for severance pay, which they both agreed to forgo in favor of a smaller settlement. The discrepancies in reported earnings may stem from additional benefits not detailed in their contracts.