Faculty and staff salaries are a factor in a university’s competitive edge – for attracting quality professors and, consequently, better students. In the past three years, Ohio State faculty salaries have risen 12.1 percent, while the staff salaries are 11.1 percent below the market average.
Each year OSU’s salaries are compared to nine similar institutions called benchmark universities.
“These universities were selected because of their general similarity in mission, size and in some cases because they provide a basis for aspirational comparison,” OSU Provost Barbara Snyder said.
Along with being compared to benchmark universities, OSU is also compared to other schools by the Association of American Universities. According to a report given to the OSU Board of Trustees by the Office of Human Resources, OSU is ranked 15th out of 34 AAU schools.
“Faculty raises are determined on the basis of merit,” said Larry Lewellen, associate vice president for human resources. “The size of increase for each faculty member depends on performance, productivity, how far that faculty member’s salary is below the average salary of similar faculty members at other universities, and a comparison of salaries for faculty in the same discipline here at Ohio State.”
The overall faculty average at OSU is $86,460, 0.5 percent lower than the benchmark average of $86,905, but 2.2 percent above the AAU average of $84,640, according to the report.
Staff salaries at OSU, however, are 11.1 percent below the market average, according to the report.
Eleven of OSU’s 19 colleges fall below market averages of the benchmark universities. The College of Social Work has the worst average: 18.1 percent below other social work colleges of benchmark universities, according to the report. The discrepancy has not gone unnoticed by OSU.
“We are working to provide above-market salary increases to close the market gaps,” Snyder said.
The university is working on a plan, called the Competitive Compensation Initiative, that is committed to annual salary increases above the average of competing employers, Lewellen said.
“The Competitive Compensation Initiative makes faculty, staff and graduate associate compensation one of our top priorities as a key for achieving academic excellence,” he said.
When comparing OSU staff to comparable staff in Ohio, OSU comes in top in the state. OSU staff make an average of $35,600, and the rest of Ohio has an average salary of $34,300.
The Office of Human Resources wants to make the process and criteria used by colleges and departments to make decisions about salary increase more transparent.
“Salary increases should be broadly available to faculty and staff,” Lewellen said.
Both Snyder and Lewellen said they agree that when OSU salaries fall below the market average, recruiting suffers and faculty and staff turnover increase.
“Once we fall below market, it requires a significant financial commitment to return to competitiveness,” Snyder said. “Therefore, we must work hard to remain competitive.”
Deans of particular colleges and vice presidents have significant responsibility for prioritizing funds for salaries while continuing to maintain or improve services to students, Snyder said.
“They have done an excellent job and are committed to helping Ohio State recruit and retain the very best faculty and staff,” Snyder said.
