Our Services
Rank-based pay structures, promotion pathways, and equity analysis tailored to the unique realities of academic compensation.
The Service
Academic Pay That Reflects Mission and Market
Part of Job Classification & Compensation
Faculty compensation operates by its own rules. Academic rank, discipline, tenure status, contract length, market scarcity, and shared governance all shape pay in ways no other employee category mirrors. Standard market benchmarking isn’t enough.
McKnight HR understands the realities of faculty compensation — from CUPA-HR data and discipline-specific markets to promotion protocols and departmental equity. We build structures that work for faculty senate review, accreditation, and the competitive realities of recruitment and retention.
Our Framework
What Faculty Compensation Requires
Discipline-Based Markets
Benchmarking that respects the vastly different pay markets across disciplines — engineering, business, humanities, health sciences, and beyond.
Rank Progression
Clear, defensible pay progression through assistant, associate, and full professor ranks — with equity across disciplines and demographics.
Shared Governance
Structures designed to be reviewed, understood, and ultimately endorsed by faculty senate and academic leadership.
What's Included
Service Deliverables
CUPA-HR & Discipline Benchmarking
Analysis using CUPA-HR, Oklahoma State, and discipline-specific survey data matched to your academic programs.
Rank-Based Salary Structure
Minimums, midpoints, and maximums by rank and discipline that reflect market realities and internal equity.
Faculty Pay Equity Analysis
Statistical analysis controlling for rank, discipline, and tenure — identifying unexplained disparities by gender, race, and other protected categories.
Promotion & Tenure Pay
Recommendations for promotion increases and tenure-track salary progression aligned with institutional policy.
Compression & Inversion Review
Identification of salary compression and inversion issues with prioritized remediation recommendations.
Senate-Ready Documentation
Materials designed for faculty senate review and shared governance discussion — transparent, defensible, and clearly explained.
Related Areas
Explore Related Areas
Job Classification & Total Compensation
The broader framework for institution-wide compensation systems — faculty, staff, and executives.
Executive Compensation
Pay packages for presidents, chancellors, and senior administrators designed to withstand board and public review.
Facing a Faculty Equity Review or Restructure?
We bring the data rigor and governance experience your institution needs.