Pay placement within the range

Each staff job at K-State is assigned to a pay grade with a salary range based on market data. Pay ranges are divided into quartiles to guide pay placement, which is determined by compensable factors such as an employee's job-related qualifications, skills and experience. These factors may include:

  • Relevant education, certifications and specialized training
  • Directly related experience and expertise
  • Knowledge, skills and abilities relevant to the role
  • Scope, complexity and level of responsibility of prior experience

Hiring range

An illustration of the four quartiles. Quartile 1 and 2 are for entry level and experienced workers. This is the typical hiring range. Quartiles 3 and 4 are for seasoned professionals and senior-level. This is the typical progression range.

Pay placement reflects the employee's job-related qualifications and experience while maintaining internal equity and alignment with compensation guidelines. The first and second quartiles represent the typical hiring range. The third and fourth are the typical progression range. Detailed explanations of these four quartiles are below.

Guidance for quartile placement

Quartile 1: Entry level

  • Meets minimum qualifications established for the position.
  • Has little or no related experience in the field in which the position exists.
  • Requires additional training to build the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully perform the position.

Quartile 2: Experienced

  • Possesses qualifications that are equal to or slightly better than minimum requirements.
  • Has demonstrated ability to perform the job duties expected of the position.
  • May require additional training to perform the job duties successfully and independently in the position.

Quartile 3: Seasoned professional

  • Meets minimum qualifications and meets most preferred qualifications established for the position.
  • Has demonstrated ability to perform the position’s job duties successfully and independently.
  • Consistently exhibits core competencies required of the position.

Quartile 4: Senior-level job expertise

  • Meets minimum qualifications and meets all preferred qualifications established for the position.
  • Considered a subject matter expert in their role.
  • Exhibits extensive breadth and depth of knowledge that brings significant value to the university.
  • Serves as an expert resource, role model or mentor to others.

Examples

Example 1: A newly hired program coordinator with two years of related experience is hired near the minimum of the pay range. As they build skills and demonstrate strong performance over time, their pay can move toward the midpoint through planned increases.

Example 2: An experienced IT analyst with 12 years of specialized expertise and advanced education or certifications is placed in the upper portion of the range, reflecting their advanced qualifications and extensive relevant experience.

Supervisor/direct report separation

A supervisor should generally be paid more than the employees they manage, reflecting the added responsibility of the role. Supervisors should be paid at least 10% more than the employees they directly supervise, with 15-20% being more appropriate in most cases. This should be considered when setting hiring rates and requesting pay changes.