The following sections describe the various salary adjustments available to Civil Service and P&A employees. If you have questions about Civil Service salary adjustment policies or about salary adjustments for other employee groups, contact your unit's HR professional.
Merit Adjustment
Faculty and staff who aren't covered by a collective bargaining agreement receive compensation increases based on merit. You can review these Merit Pay Increase Considerations & Options (Word) to better understand the requirements of your merit program and how merit increases can be awarded. Employee performance is documented in the University's required annual written performance evaluations. Merit increase awards are at the discretion of college or department management.
Merit Pay Programs
Fiscal Year Merit Details
Recognizing and rewarding high performance is a key presidential priority for driving excellence at the University. Merit pay is a compensation program where base pay increases are determined by individual performance, as opposed to across the board increases. Using merit pay criteria and having a plan are good ways for a department to reward high performance, an effort that is especially crucial as the University strives for excellence.
Colleges and units interested in a customized merit training for their management team should contact their OHR consultant.
3.0% Merit Increase Pool Approved by Board of Regents for Fiscal Year 2026
In June 2025, the Board of Regents approved the 3.0% merit increase pool recommended in the President's operating budget for fiscal year 2026. All faculty and staff not covered by a collective bargaining agreement should receive compensation increases based on individual merit, as opposed to all employees receiving an "across-the-board" increase. How this merit pool is distributed will be decided by each campus or collegiate or administrative unit. Any increases employees may receive will vary based on their performance.
Salary increases should be reflected in the new base pay rates for fiscal year 2026. The merit increase approved by the Board applies to these employee groups:
- Faculty in the 94xx job code series at U of M Morris, U of M Rochester, and U of M Twin Cities
- Academic Professional and Administrative (93xx, 96xx, and 97xx series)
- Civil Service
- Postdoctoral associates (9546)
- Instructional P&A: Lecturer (9753), Senior Lecturer (9770), Teaching Specialist (9754), Senior Teaching Specialist (9771)
The merit increase does not apply to employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. These groups have compensation plans negotiated into their collective bargaining agreements.
In-Range Adjustment Based on Internal Equity or Market
An in-range adjustment is an increase to base pay within the employee’s existing pay range. An in-range adjustment can be used to restore internal equity among employees. It can also be used to reflect an individual’s increasing skill set and its worth in the external market. The amount of an in-range adjustment is commonly determined by the documented quality of the employee’s performance and skill set. These increases are initiated by college or department management.
Market Review
The compensation unit of the Office of Human Resources maintains current information on competitive labor markets for jobs at the University. If you believe the market for your position has changed but can't find market competitive salaries in your existing salary range, you can request a market analysis.
Temporary Assignment Augmentation
An employee who is officially assigned by management to perform all the duties of a vacant higher classification, for five or more workdays, may be eligible for an augmentation per policy. Augmentations for longer than a year will be reviewed for possible reclassification. Employees will also be paid at the augmented rate for overtime (if Non-V in their current classification), vacation leave, and sick leave.