Salary Placement Guidelines

The Salary Placement Guidelines are intended to provide managers with the framework they need to establish and maintain fair and equitable salaries in managing the workforce.

These guidelines apply to new hire, promotional, reclassification, stipend, equity, and merit increase salary actions. These are guidelines only and do not take the place of University PPSM policy or campus procedures.

These Salary Placement Guidelines apply to the broad salary ranges, which do not have steps and which allow managers to appoint employees at a specific whole dollar amount.

With an increasing focus on pay equity, Compensation is moving more towards salary placement being aligned with our salary placement guidelines, which we are translating the language to the following common Compensation industry best practices:

  • First Quartile (from the minimum up to halfway to the midpoint of the range): The first quartile of the range is usually intended for individuals who are new to the grade, are in a learning situation, and/or do not have substantial experience in the new position.  0 - 4 years, or 0 - 48 months, tenure in title.
  • Second Quartile: The second quartile of the range is intended for employees who have gained experience and skill and who are becoming more proficient in the position for which they were hired. They generally meet expectations in their positions.   4 - 9 years, or 48 - 108 months, tenure in title.
  • Midpoint: The midpoint usually represents the market rate for a position, and a fully experienced employee might be paid at this level. 
  • Third Quartile: The third quartile is typically reserved for experienced employees who frequently exceed expectations.  9 - 15 years, or 108 - 180 months, tenure in title.
  • Fourth Quartile: The fourth quartile of the range is normally reserved for individuals who have extensive experience and who are consistently exceptional performers.   15 plus years, or 180 plus months, tenure in title.

Base pay, is an employee’s regular grade-based salary.

For non-competitive lateral moves, normally there will be no change in salary. For a lateral move into a competitively recruited position, a salary increase may be granted based on the qualifications of the employee, requirements of the position, departmental budget, and internal equity.