A classification and compensation study will review how K-State groups, defines and pays employee positions. The study draws upon internal information — such as our current job descriptions and pay structure — but also looks at external information like market data, salary data, geographic considerations, and approaches taken by other universities.

The study may produce recommendations for new job categories, titles, pay grades and pay administration policies. The study also will help us understand how our compensation system compares to peers and competitors, enabling us to pay our staff more effectively and equitably.

It is common for employers to periodically review and update their Human Resources processes and systems. K-State last reviewed our staff classification and compensation system in 2016-2017.

A refined job classification and compensation structure will help K-State achieve its objectives as a next-generation land-grant university. In particular, the project will support our institutional goal to become an employer of choice in Kansas and higher education by:

• Improving consistency and transparency in compensation decisions in alignment with leading practices.
• Establishing market-informed pay structures, increasing competitiveness in the talent market and increasing employee retention.
• Establishing a foundation for career pathways to encourage career growth and development.
• Ensuring K-State’s pay structures provide fair faculty, staff and graduate student compensation across the institution.

This project includes:

• Staff
• Faculty
• Graduate students

Undergraduate students are not within the scope of this study.

The study could result in job title changes, but it will not impact employment. No job eliminations or pay reductions will take place as a result of this study, and cost reduction is not the objective of this project.

The project’s goal is to provide insight and information into our current job classification and compensation system and policies.

Not necessarily. The study will assess our current structure and develop updated structures and processes for setting and adjusting pay. No “automatic” pay increases or decreases will be made. Further, no job eliminations or pay reductions will take place as a result of this study.

The study will review K-State’s compensation levels compared to the marketplace regionally, within public higher education and, in some cases, nationally. It will show how our salaries compare to the labor markets in which we compete for talent. This information will help our leadership update our compensation philosophy and how we manage pay over the long term.

Salary compression occurs when a new hire earns close to or more than an employee with more responsibility or a longer period of service might earn. The classification and compensation study will likely include processes to help us avoid compression in the future. However, individual instances of compression are not a direct focus of this study and should be addressed through HR and unit leaders when they arise.

Upon identification of a consulting partner, the initial phase of this work — the planning and discovery phase — will occur over the course of the 2025 calendar year. The implementation timeline for the study’s recommendations may then extend over the next few calendar/fiscal years.

View the comprehensive initiative timeline

K-State Human Resources is leading this project. Additionally, several committees have been established to provide input on the process and recommendations. View more details on the steering committees who shaped the initial discovery and planning phase.