CUPA-HR is the national authority on compensation surveys for higher education HR professionals. The Association publishes four annual salary surveys, plus an annual employee health care benefits survey. In addition, CUPA-HR also conducts a bi-annual non-health care benefits survey. Learn more about data collected for each survey.

Administrative Compensation Survey (AdComp)

Administrative Compensation Survey (AdComp) collects salary and demographic data for selected administrative positions in colleges and universities. In general, positions at or above the director level are reported in this survey. Data are collected on more than 272 positions from colleges and universities nationwide and asks for institution-specific and position-specific data.

Mid-Level Administrative and Professional Salary Survey (Mid-Level)

Mid-Level Administrative and Professional Salary Survey (Mid-Level) collects salary and demographic data for selected mid-level positions in colleges and universities. In general, positions below the director level are reported in this survey. Data are collected on more than 206 positions from colleges and universities nationwide and asks for institution-specific and position-specific data.

National Faculty Salary Survey for Four-Year Institutions (NFSS)

National Faculty Salary Survey for Four-Year Institutions (NFSS) collects salary data for full-time faculty at private and public institutions nationwide by discipline and rank. Starting with the 2003-04 survey, institutions can report salaries by rank in any of 332 four-digit CIP codes defined by the U.S. Department of Education. The survey collects both institution-specific and discipline-specific data.

Community College Faculty Salary Survey (CCFSS)

Community College Faculty Salary Survey (CCFSS) collects salary data for faculty serving at two-year institutions. The survey supports the diversity of this environment by providing four types of pay structures in which salaries are reported-level of education, rank, discipline, and discipline and rank. CUPA-HR first conducted this survey in 2002.

Comprehensive Survey of College and University Benefits Programs (Benefits)

Comprehensive Survey of College and University Benefits Programs (Benefits) provides data on the most representative benefits offered to faculty and staff employed in a cross-section of the nation's colleges and universities.

The Survey Cycle

The salary and employee health care benefits surveys are all conducted annually. In addition, a non-health care benefits survey is conducted bi-annually. Data collection for the four salary surveys begins shortly after Labor Day and ends mid-winter. Results are available starting in February. The Benefits survey opens for data collection in April and closes in mid- to late-summer, depending on the response rate. Results are available about 30 days following the end of data collection.

Survey Pricing for Full Reports

The costs of conducting the surveys, maintaining the associated databases, and producing the results are significant. Rather than charging for participation, we have elected to cover survey expenses by charging for results. Because CUPA-HR is a not-for-profit, member-focused association for human resource professionals working in higher education, CUPA-HR members who participate in a given survey pay the lowest price for results. Members who do not participate in a survey, and non-members of CUPA-HR who do participate, pay a 50 percent premium, and non-members of CUPA-HR who do not participate pay a 100 percent premium. For information on joining CUPA-HR and to learn more about the benefits of membership, visit the Membership section of this Web site, or e-mail membership@cupahr.org.