Salary Findings
April 25th, 2011
Faculty Senate Budget Committee
Recommendations
1. The University of Wyoming should compare UW
faculty salaries by rank and discipline to a set of
institutions we compete with and aspire to.
– Standard comparator data includes schools that are
not relevant to our mission and aspirations.
2. The University of Wyoming should redefine the
salary benchmark used in UP3 from 50th
percentile to a percent of market.
– Usual data is not defined by percentiles.
Background on comparisons
• OSU survey: 115 Association of Public and
Land-Grant Universities and other public
institutions
• To evaluate salaries UW uses
– OSU average over all disciplines (at UW) vs. UW
overall average.
– by discipline at UW vs. department averages.
Is OSU Data out of date?
• OSU salaries used for analysis based on 20092010 data.
• Likely not out of date.
– Most public institutions are under wage freezes.
• Other non-OSU surveys show :
– Median salary increase for public institutions: 0%
for past two years
• Only new assistants at public institutions showed an
increase in 2010
• Private institutions: median increase 2%
Data - Where are we?
Rank
Number
of Faculty
Number of
Departments
Average
Salary
(Average of
Department
Averages)
OSU
Average
Salary
across UW
Disciplines
UW% of
Market*
Professors
213
53
$104,290
$114,021
Associate
Professors
196
56
$75,980
$81,103
91% (91%)
96% (94%)
Assistant
Professors
172
53
$66,734
$69,293
98% (96%)
Total
Faculty
581
Salaries to Market: Improving Over Time
5%
0%
-5%
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
Professors
Associates
Assistants
Source: OIA data and Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession
2009-10
2008-09
2007-08
2006-07
2005-06
2004-05
2003-04
2002-03
2001-02
2000-01
1999-00
-30%
Salary Results
• By rank, UW average salaries vary with respect
to market target levels
– Assistants at market target (98%)
– Associates near target (96%)
– Full Professors above 90% (91%)
• Salary problems differ by college and
discipline.
Management & Marketing
Finance
Accounting
Social Work
Statistics
Veterinary Science
Kinesiology & Health
American Studies
Law
Renewable Resources
Political Science
School of Pharmacy
Communication & Journalism
Civil & Architectural Engineering
Family & Consumer Sciences
Anthropology
Mechanical Engineering
Economics
University of Wyoming**
Psychology
Animal Science
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Art
Professional Studies
Secondary Education
Counseling
Physics & Astronomy
Agricultural & Applied Economics
Geography
History
Modern & Classical Languages
Geology & Geophysics
Molecular Biology
Religious Studies
Plant Sciences
Elementary & Early Childhood Education
Computer Science
School of Nursing
Communication Disorders
Chemistry
Instructional Technology
Botany
Sociology
Theatre & Dance
Educational Studies
Mathematics
Music
Philosophy
English
Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Leadership
Criminal Justice
Zoology & Physiology
Wyoming Institute for Disabilities
Figure 1: Assistant Professor Ratio of UW Average Dept Salary to OSU
Average by Discipline
1.20
1.10
1.00
0.90
0.80
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
UW Average 98% of OSU market
Plant Sciences
Renewable Resources
Women's Studies
Law
Management & Marketing
Communication & Journalism
Agricultural & Applied Economics
Social Work
Statistics
Veterinary Science
Civil & Architectural Engineering
Instructional Technology
Accounting
Political Science
Atmospheric Science
Animal Science
Family & Consumer Sciences
Kinesiology & Health
School of Nursing
Anthropology
Geography
Economics
Professional Studies
Adult Learning
School of Pharmacy
University of Wyoming**
American Studies
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Educational Studies
Mathematics
Modern & Classical Languages
English
Communication Disorders
Special Education
Geology & Geophysics
Secondary Education
Chemistry
Art
Psychology
Botany
Elementary & Early Childhood Education
Counseling
Theatre & Dance
Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
History
Molecular Biology
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Physics & Astronomy
Zoology & Physiology
Music
Philosophy
Sociology
Criminal Justice
Research
African American & Diaspora Studies
Religious Studies
Figure 2: Associate Professor Ratio of UW Average Dept Salary to OSU
Average by Discipline
1.30
1.20
1.10
1.00
0.90
0.80
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
UW Average 96% of OSU market
Medical Education & Public Health
Art
Finance
History
Psychology
English
Modern & Classical Languages
Women's Studies
Accounting
Computer Science
Law
Plant Sciences
Anthropology
School of Pharmacy
Political Science
Statistics
Professional Studies
Communication & Journalism
Sociology
Management & Marketing
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Family & Consumer Sciences
Music
Renewable Resources
Physics & Astronomy
Counseling
Kinesiology & Health
University of Wyoming**
Veterinary Science
Leadership
Civil & Architectural Engineering
Communication Disorders
American Studies
Philosophy
Special Education
Atmospheric Science
Agricultural & Applied Economics
Animal Science
Geology & Geophysics
Molecular Biology
Mechanical Engineering
Zoology & Physiology
Economics
Theatre & Dance
Secondary Education
Botany
Educational Studies
Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Adult Learning
School of Nursing
Chemistry
Geography
Mathematics
Elementary & Early Childhood Education
Figure 3: Professor Ratio of UW Average Dept Salary to OSU Average by
Discipline
1.3
1.2
1.1
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
UW Average 91% of OSU market
College Results
College results based on simple average of Department all-rank results.
Department results use rank averages weighted by faculty number in each rank.
to generate an all-rank % of market.
College
Average % of Market
Education
100%
Arts & Sciences
97%
Engineering
95%
Agriculture
92%
Health Sciences
91%
Business
85%
Law
82%
UW
93%
Compression
• Two types:
– Rank-compression: when a senior rank is paid less
than a lower rank in a department.
• No indication this occurring on campus systematically.
• On average full professors earn 29% more than
Associates by department.
• Associates on average earn 10% more than assistants
by department.
– Market compression: when senior ranks are
farther from market than more junior ranks.
• This exists as previously shown.
Faculty below 90% of market
Data based on dept. average salaries vs. OSU
salary by discipline
Rank
Number of
Departments*
Number of Faculty in
identified departments
Full
25 (47%)
109 (19%)
Associate
12 (21%)
36 (6%)
Assistant
4 (8%)
18 (3%)
60 departments
581
UW reference
*53 departments have assistant and full professors, 56 include associates.
Future market compression
• Currently Full professors earn 29% more than
associates
– As current Full Professors retire and Associates are
promoted with 10% increase, this differential will
be eroded.
• Current Full Professors are paid lowest relative
to market despite highest pay on campus.
– This will worsen unless future Full Professors are
made closer to market upon promotion.
Recommendations
3. UW should adopt the 20% compensation
increase defined in Action Item 65 for
promotion from Associate to Full as soon as
possible.
– Current differentials between Full and associate
professor largely established with recent salary
adjustments.
– These will be eroded over time given current
10% promotion policy.
Recommendations
4. Future UW budget requests should seek two
separate salary adjustment pools every
biennium.
– The “catch-up” pool (Administrative) for
promotion, special individual and faculty market,
gender inequality, and compression adjustments.
– The “keep-up” pool for increases to maintain
salary purchasing power eroded by inflation, and
to remain competitive with the university
benchmark salary levels.
Wyoming Cost of Living
• 2Q 2010
– Statewide:
1.9%
– Southeast Region: 2.6%
• 2009 (average reading)
– Statewide:
1.4%
– Southeast Region: 1.8%
• 2008 (average reading)
– Statewide:
5.3%
– Southeast Region: 4.4%
Source: Wyoming Economic Analysis Division
Recommendations
5. The University of Wyoming should
implement health insurance coverage to the
domestic partners of UW faculty and staff
beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year.
– This maintains competitiveness with aspirational
comparators.
Benefits
• Our benefits are very competitive with the
schools we defined as regional competitors and
aspirational comparators.
• UW retirement plan equivalent to a 3% salary
advantage because of low employee contribution
rate required.
• Domestic partner benefit has been approved but
not implemented at UW.
– This benefit is commonplace among relevant public
institutions.
Adjustments Make a difference…
Univ. of Washington
University of Utah
Univ. of Nebraska
UW
Colorado State Univ.
Univ. of Arizona
Univ. of New Mexico
Utah State
Washington State
Univ. of Idaho
Univ. of Oregon
Oregon State
New Mexico State
Tax Adj % Tax+COL Tax+COL+Ben
% Diff to Diff to
Adj % Diff Adj % Diff to FICA %
Diff to UW UW
UW
to UW UW
diff
$96,500
$17,600
22.3%
19.0%
12.9%
8.1%
$83,600
$4,700
6.0%
-0.2%
3.5%
4.5%
$87,300
$8,400
10.6%
-0.9%
7.4%
4.3%
$78,900
$0
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
$89,100
$10,200
12.9%
6.3%
2.6%
-2.2% -11.9%
$89,000
$10,100
12.8%
6.3%
1.1%
-2.8%
$79,100
$200
0.3%
-5.2%
-5.4%
-10.7%
$70,800
-$8,100 -10.3% -15.7% -12.6%
-11.7%
$76,800
-$2,100
-2.7%
-5.7% -10.6%
-14.4%
$70,400
-$8,500 -10.8% -18.7% -13.7%
-17.1%
$76,000
-$2,900
-3.7%
-6.1% -16.1%
-18.8%
$72,700
-$6,200
-7.9% -10.3% -19.9%
-22.4%
$63,100
-$15,800 -20.0% -24.7% -24.8%
-29.0%
Source: OIA data and Various tax sources – author’s computations. COL = cost of living, benefits adjusted for
favorable UW retirement contributions. Tax adjustments include property, income and sales taxes. Colorado
State has withdrawn from Social Security.
Other Tables
Compression Dollars Needed
(if all salaries below target were addressed)
Market
Target
(% of
OSU)
Full Prof
Full+30%
benefits
Assoc Prof
Assoc+30%
benefits
Asst. Prof
Asst. + 30%
benefits
Total
(including
benefits)
100%
$2,671,637
$3,473,128
$885,567
$1,151,237
$775,088
$1,007,614
$5,631,979
95%
$1,736,545
$2,257,509
$410,273
$533,355
$466,106
$605,938
$3,396,802
90%
$985,465
$1,281,105
$204,176
$265,429
$303,932
$395,112
$1,941,646
Based on OSU tables 2009-2010 average salaries by discipline and rank, and 2010 UW salary data
-Table computed using the difference between the OSU average and the reported average salary by rank, by
department. This average difference was multiplied by the faculty in the associated department and these
department totals were summed across departments whose average salaries were below the OSU target
indicated.
-Assistants are dominated by three departments (Management and Marketing, Finance and Accounting)
below 90%, three of which include 15 professors. Cost to adjust just these faculty would be $301,554 before
benefits adjustment. The fourth department is statistics below 90% but cost to adjust the three faculty in
this department is $2,378 before benefits
Faculties below 95% and 100% of
market
Assistant Professors data based on dept.
average salaries vs. OSU salary by discipline
Departments
100% of market
95% of Market
90% of Market
Number of Departments below
market average
29
16
4
Number of Departments at or
above market average
24
37
49
55%
30%
8.1%
Proportion of Total below
Lowest vs. Market comparator*
74% of market (1)
110% of market (2)
Highest vs. Market comparator*
Number of Departments at
market
4 at 100%
2 at 95%
* Number of departments reporting this average level to market
4 at 90%
Faculties below 95% and 100% of
market
Associate Professors data based on dept
average salaries vs. OSU salary by discipline
Departments
100% of market
95% of Market
90% of Market
Number of Departments below
market average
36
26
12
Number of Departments at or above
market average
20
30
45
64%
46%
21%
Proportion of Total below
Lowest vs. Market comparator*
81% of market (1)
118% of market (1)
Highest vs. Market comparator*
Number of Departments at market
4 at 100%
1 at 95%
* Number of departments reporting this average level to market
4 at 90%
Faculties below 95% and 100% of
market
Full Professors data based on dept average
salaries vs. OSU salary by discipline
Departments
100% of market
95% of Market 90% of Market
Number of Departments below
market average
40
35
25
Number of Departments at or
above market average
13
18
28
75%
66%
47%
Proportion of Total below
Lowest vs. Market comparator*
62% of market (1)
118% of market (1)
Highest vs. Market comparator*
Number of Departments at market
2 at 101%
1 at 95%
* Number of departments reporting this average level to market
1 at 90%
Quartile Analysis by Department
Full Professors data based on dept average
salaries vs. OSU salary by discipline
Quartiles defined by Department % of Market
Departments
Number of
Faculty
Average % of
market
Maximum % of
market
(number of
faculty)
Minimum % of
market
(number of
faculty)
Bottom quartile
47
77%
81% (5)
62% (1)
26%-50%
64
86%
91% (1)
81% (5)
51-75%
55
94%
99% (4)
92% (5)
Top: 76%-100%
50
108%
118% (3)
101% (10)
Quartile Analysis by Department
Associate Professors data based on dept
average salaries vs. OSU salary by discipline
Quartiles defined by Department % of Market
Departments
Number of
Faculty
Average % of
market
Maximum % of
market
(number of
faculty)
Minimum % of
market
(number of
faculty)
Bottom quartile
41
87%
90% (3)
81% (2)
26%-50%
53
92%
96% (4)
90% (3)
51-75%
63
99%
101% (1)
96% (10)
Top: 76%-100%
44
106%
118% (2)
101% (3)
Quartile Analysis by Department
Assistant Professors data based on dept
average salaries vs. OSU salary by discipline
Quartiles defined by Department % of Market
Departments
Number
of Faculty
Average %
of market
Maximum %
of market
(number of
faculty)
Minimum % of
market
(number of
faculty)
Bottom quartile
36
88%
94% (1)
74% (8)
26%-50%
54
96%
99% (7)
94% (5)
51-75%
40
101%
103% (2)
99% (3)
Top: 76%-100%
48
106%
110% (1)
103% (3)