The University of Minnesota is committed to transparency in how it invests in its people and mission. Below are FAQs that provide context behind workforce and payroll trends that illustrate the evolving staffing, compensation and operational needs of a modern public research university.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the University’s workforce grown significantly since 2017?
The University has grown its workforce thoughtfully to support students, faculty, researchers and communities across Minnesota. Between 2017 and 2025, student enrollment increased 6% and research expenditures increased 52% while overall employee headcount increased approximately 3%, reflecting targeted investments in areas where demand has grown, including student support, research administration, healthcare, technology and compliance.
Why have some administrative positions increased?
The term “Academic Administrative” used in some reporting by the University and media outlets can be misleading because it includes much more than senior administrators (“senior leaders”). This category includes managers who support students, faculty, researchers, patients and community members every day, such as admissions managers, community engagement advisors and managers of clinical research operations, as well as employees with roles in information technology, finance and human resources.
Growth in these positions reflects the changing needs of a modern research university, not simply an increase in traditional administrative leadership positions.
Is the University adding more administrators?
While some professional and administrative categories have grown, overall workforce growth has remained modest. Much of the growth occurred in areas supporting research administration, student advising and mental health services, information technology, healthcare operations, and accessibility and compliance requirements. These functions help students succeed, support faculty research, and ensure the University meets legal and regulatory obligations.
Is the University investing less in faculty?
Faculty remain one of the University’s largest workforce investments. Faculty payroll increased from approximately $456 million in 2017 to approximately $563 million in 2025. Faculty and academic professionals together continue to account for roughly half of total payroll expenditures.
Note: Payroll totals for the labor represented category do not include approximately 5,000 employees that are now unionized under GLU-UE and CIR-SEIU. The payroll for these employees is reflected in the Graduate Assistant (GLU-UE) and Professionals-in-Training (CIR-SEIU) totals.
Why does the faculty share of payroll appear to be lower now than it was in 2017?
Several factors contribute to this trend. Faculty and academic professionals remain the University’s primary payroll investment. While the faculty share of payroll declined modestly, the change is influenced by shifts in faculty rank and evolving workforce needs. For example, the faculty workforce in 2025 includes a larger proportion of Assistant and Associate Professors than in 2017.
Second, current payroll data understates compensation for a growing segment of the faculty workforce. Many Medical School faculty members have dual teaching and clinical roles. Compensation for clinical roles is paid through University of Minnesota Physicians, not the University. Because Medical School faculty now account for a larger share of faculty than they did in 2017, their full pay is not reflected in University payroll data, making comparisons over time less complete.
Taken together, these factors may make faculty payroll growth appear smaller than it actually is.
Is the University replacing tenure-track faculty with lower-cost instructors or staff?
No. When faculty retire or leave, staffing decisions are made by campuses, colleges and units based on local teaching, research and service needs. Those needs may require a mix of tenure-track faculty, lecturers, researchers, academic professionals and other specialized staff.
Why has payroll increased across employee groups?
Compensation growth reflects both labor market realities and the University’s need to recruit and retain talented employees. Like employers across Minnesota and the nation, the University competes for professionals in highly competitive fields such as information technology, healthcare, research, finance and compliance. Minnesota’s tight labor market has increased competition for qualified workers, particularly in specialized roles.
The University also competes with peer research universities nationwide for faculty, research and professional staff. To attract and retain the talent needed to support our teaching, research and public service mission, the University has made targeted market adjustments to compensation in several areas since 2018.
How has research growth affected the University’s workforce needs?
The University is one of the nation's leading public research universities, with a growing research enterprise advancing discoveries that meaningfully impact Minnesota, our nation and the world. Research expenditures grew from approximately $922 million in 2017 to approximately $1.4 billion in 2025, a 52% increase.
Supporting that growth requires professionals who help faculty secure grants, manage research funding, ensure compliance, support laboratories and research programs, and translate discoveries into real-world impact. Growth in research-support positions is a reflection of the University’s research success.
Are highly paid administrators driving the majority of payroll growth?
No, highly compensated non-faculty employees represent a very small share of the workforce. In 2025:
- More than 27,000 people worked at the University.
- Only 837 employees earned more than $200,000 annually.
- Nearly two-thirds of those employees were faculty members.
- Approximately 1% of non-faculty employees earned more than $200,000 annually.
The University also uses a shared leadership model in which many leaders serve both Twin Cities campus and University-wide responsibilities, reducing duplication compared with some peer university systems.
Has the University reduced its commitment to union-represented employees?
No. Union-represented employees remain a vital part of the University's workforce. In fact, represented employees account for a larger share of the workforce today than they did in 2017, reflecting the addition of newly organized employee groups, including graduate assistants and medical residents. Recent collective bargaining agreements have included meaningful compensation improvements and enhancements to help attract employees.