Marshall University recognizes that competitive compensation is the cornerstone for recruiting, retaining, and motivating our employees. To this end, the University’s compensation philosophy is to pay all categories of employees at competitive levels established by external labor markets, considering both salary and benefits as a total compensation package.
Compensation programs must meet the following objectives:
- establish pay levels for positions on the basis of their external competitiveness with relevant labor markets and their relative internal value
- regularly reward employees on the basis of work performance
- administer pay equitably and consistently
- establish a compensation policy that is consistent with the management and allocation of funds entrusted by the University
- maximize the effectiveness of compensation funding based on recruiting, retention, and employee motivational outcomes
- ensure accountability for compliance with the all BOG/University policies and procedures and statutory requirements
Disclaimer: This web page is being used to share and communicate pending compensation changes with staff at Marshall University. While some changes and been approved and implemented, we are still working to finalize other parts of this compensation model. For this reason, portions of this web page are considered to be in “draft” form. Please direct all questions and comments concerning information on this web page to our Feedback Form.
Master Job Specifications
General description of the collective type and kind of work performed by the majority of employees assigned the same job classification. Each master specification will contain a job title, nature of work performed, distinguishing characteristics of the job, and a general description of typical duties and responsibilities performed by positions assigned the title, regardless of the location of the position. It will also include the required education and experience required for the position.
Please note that this page is still under construction and not all job specifications are listed. The documents are now listed on the MyMU Site. You can access them at the direct link below or you can access them on the MyMU site under Forms and Resources Self-Service section.
Compensation Guidelines
Salary Scale
- 2024 Salary Ranges with Quartiles Breakdown
- 2024 Salary Ranges with Quartiles Hourly Breakdown
- MUBOG Classified Employee Salary Policy
Training
As the first in a new series on Compensation, this foundational training shares how Marshall University determines employee salaries and the factors that impact pay.
Register for this SessionUnder Construction
Under Construction
Under Construction
Other Documentation
FAQs
Compensation is based on job classification, market benchmarks, internal equity, and available funding. Staff salaries are reviewed against higher education (CUPA) and regional labor market data (PayFactors/BLS).
You can contact our HR Office at 304-696-6455 or email at human-resources@marshall.edu.
Once the new compensation model has been approved, a process will be created to address these issues to ensure all employees are slotted correctly. One thing to remember, slight differences in your duties will not constitute a re-slotting of the position.
Once the new compensation model has been approved, a process will be created to address these issues to ensure all employees are slotted correctly. One thing to remember, slight differences in your duties will not constitute a re-slotting of the position.
There will be no changes in an employee’s salary as a result of this proposed scale. Once a compensation model is approved, we plan to update the salary scale periodically to determine any changes in market salary rates.
Years of service still apply towards your AEI payment, but we will no longer have steps associated with years of service and pay increases will not be based on those step increases. However, “Years of service” or job related prior experience could be used at Marshall to determine some aspects associated with the performance evaluation process. For example, “years of service” could indicate stronger performance – which is a factor in the performance evaluation process. In all cases, “years of service” used for any aspect of compensation management (except increment pay) should be related to the job being performed.
Under a market-based system, earning potential is tied to your growth and value to the organization. We can work with you to set performance goals and identify opportunities for professional development that increase your skills and responsibility. Promotions or changes in responsibilities that move you to a different job band or level will also lead to pay increases.
Internal equity is a valid concern, and we manage it carefully even in a market-based system. We consider both the external market value and the value of your role within our organization. A market-based approach does not prevent higher pay for higher performers or tenured employees. The system is designed to reward skills, responsibility, and performance, which allows pay differentiation within the established pay ranges.
The market data we use comes from independent, reputable sources, and we use best practices to ensure it is as accurate as possible. We regularly refresh our data, avoid outdated surveys, and ensure a strong match between the job descriptions in the surveys and our own job roles. We understand that no data is perfect, but we put in the effort to use the most reliable information available.
We encourage you to educate yourself on market rates. However, data from public websites like Glassdoor, Indeed or even the public version of Payscale can be inconsistent. Our process uses consistent, professionally sourced salary surveys that account for specific factors like company size, industry, and geographic location to determine pay scales. We can discuss your compensation, but we must use our established methodology.
Our performance review process, including merit increases, will still be a key component of our compensation philosophy. Your position within the salary range for your job will be considered when determining your annual increase. A well-designed market-based system uses pay ranges that allow for performance-based increases without unnecessary promotions.
The midpoint generally represents the 50th percentile of the external market for your job. The actual pay range for the job can be divided into quartiles. Pay for individuals who are considered fully competent, performing all aspects of the job, and are seasoned and proficient professionals should fall within Quartiles 2 and 3. These middle two quartiles are the core of competitive pay. Pay for individuals who may still be learning some aspects of the job and perform the majority of duties effectively would typically be within Quartile 1. However, pay changes are driven by the availability of merit budgets which are determined by the budgets for each school or department. This has a significant impact on where employees are paid within the pay range. Note: As a manager you may need to explain your rationale for your past merit increases to the employee if that will provide more clarity.
Yes, annual reviews can influence merit-based increases within available budgets.
It is normal for there to be a range of competitive pay for the same job. There are a variety of reasons for this, including performance over time, the length of time in the job, as well as department and school budgets. The pay range represents the competitive range of pay for paying employees in your job.
Our plan is to review this information on a three-year cycle.
Yes, ranges are the same across the University for classified and non-classified positions. The annual ranges are to be used exclusively for those employees in their respective categories.
Marshall University analyzes the cost of labor using an external survey data source to determine the impact on market pricing and/or salary structures.
Occasionally, a supervisor could have the same pay grade as an employee that they supervise, but would be higher in the range. The preferred scenario is to have the supervisor in a higher pay grade.
A job description review form should only be submitted for review if there have been significant changes in your position, or if you feel that your position is misclassified. Job descriptions should not be submitted just because you want a new title or if the changes to your position are minor (i.e. size of department or programs have grown). Volume of work is not a factor in classification. These reviews have a turnaround time of 45 working days for completion.
If an employee is changing pay grades, it is possible there will be no change in pay unless they are below the minimum of the new pay grade.
Unless this additional credential was party of your original hiring proposal, there will not be a salary increase. However, you can document this accomplishment on your performance evaluation in the Progress notes. Additionally, completion of the credential may be something that you have listed in your professional or personal goals.
Marshall’s Compensation Guidelines can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/human-resources/classification-compensation-model/.
Starting salaries for new hires are based on the following: Current market value, Candidate qualifications & experience, Salary alignment within the pay grade. This means it is possible for a new employee to be placed higher in the salary range if their experience or market value justifies it.