Frequently Asked Questions

Salary Architecture Implementation FAQs

This document provides answers to common questions about the University’s new administrative Salary Architecture and how it is applied. It explains the purpose of the framework, how positions are classified, and how the structure supports consistent, equitable, and market-aligned compensation practices.

Understanding the Salary Architecture

Q1. What is salary architecture? 

A. Salary architecture is a structured way of organizing administrative positions so that roles with similar types of work, scope, and responsibility are grouped consistently. Under this framework, each position is first assigned to a job family and sub-family, which describe the general nature of the work. Positions are then assigned to a career stream, either individual contributor or management, based on whether the role primarily focuses on individual expertise or includes people management responsibilities. Within each career stream, positions are assigned to a defined career level that reflects the scope, complexity, and accountability of the role. Each career level is tied to a specific salary range. Together, these elements create a clear and consistent structure for classifying roles and establishing salary ranges across the university.

Q2. Why is the university implementing a salary architecture? 

A. Compensation best practices for institutions of Fordham’s size include having a formal salary architecture to support consistent, equitable, and transparent pay practices. Many peer institutions already use similar frameworks, and the university is implementing this structure to align with those standards. In addition, wage transparency laws in New York City and New York State require employers to include salary ranges in job postings. Having a formal salary architecture allows the university to meet these requirements in a clear and consistent way.

Overall, this framework helps strengthen fairness, transparency, and market alignment in compensation practices and supports the university’s ability to attract and retain talent over time.

Q3. How does this benefit me as an employee?

A. The new salary architecture directly benefits employees by providing transparency regarding their position's placement within the university's structure and its associated salary range. It offers career clarity by outlining defined career levels. Salary ranges are established using external market data, ensuring competitive pay to attract and retain talent, and promoting equity through consistent compensation for positions with comparable responsibilities and complexity across the university. Employees also receive salary assurance: if their current salary is below the new range minimum, an adjustment will be made, and if it exceeds the new range maximum, their current pay is protected from reduction. Overall, this framework collectively ensures fair, equitable, and transparent compensation practices that appropriately recognize employee contributions to the university.

Q4. What types of administrative positions are excluded from the salary architecture?

A. Positions excluded from the salary architecture are not assigned to a structure or grade. Compensation for these roles is determined through alternative processes due to their unique nature, funding source, or regulatory requirements. The following types of positions are excluded from the salary architecture:  

• • Executive roles (including Vice Presidents & Academic Deans)
  • Head Coaches
  • Grant-funded roles
  • Investment roles  
  • Full-Time Faculty who hold other administrative positions (i.e, Associate Deans)
  • Post-Doctoral Fellows/Researchers
  • Part-Time Administrative roles working under 25 hours per week

Development and Methodology

Q5. How was this framework developed

A. To support the development of this framework, the university engaged Mercer, a renowned global compensation and workforce consulting firm, to provide expertise in job evaluation, market benchmarking, and salary architecture design. Mercer worked with the university to review job responsibilities, internal role alignment, and relevant external market data. As part of this work, the university established two salary structures, Structure A and Structure B, each with seven salary grades and the same overall design. The resulting framework establishes standardized job families, career streams, career levels, and salary ranges. 

Q6. Why is my position in Structure A versus Structure B?

A. Assignment to Structure A or B is based on the position’s job family and relevant market data. Structure B covers specialized job families, including Information Technology, Legal & Compliance, Advancement, Finance & Business, and Engineering, where market data shows consistently higher salary levels. Positions in these families were placed in Structure B to ensure competitive compensation, while all other roles are in Structure A, reflecting standard market positioning. Mercer’s benchmarking helped guide these assignments.

Q7. What market data was used to establish the salary ranges? 

A. The University used a combination of higher education and general industry data for the New York City metro area to establish competitive salary ranges. Higher education sources, including CUPA, EduComp, and Collegiate Athletics data for institutions similar in size to Fordham, were adjusted for the NYC metro area. General industry data came from Mercer Benchmark and Payscale, both of which are reflective of the NYC metro area. 

Q8. How was my position evaluated and classified?

A. Positions were evaluated through a structured job analysis process conducted by Mercer in coordination with the university’s compensation team. The analysis considered the role's duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, scope of decision-making, complexity, and organizational impact. Please note that classification decisions are based solely on the evaluation of the position itself and are not reflective of the incumbent's individual performance, tenure, or contributions.

Q9. What factors determined my position’s grade and career level?

A. Grades and career levels are based on the scope, complexity, and accountability of the position. Key factors included the level of independent judgment, breadth and depth of knowledge, problem complexity, impact of decisions, degree of supervision, and strategic versus operational focus. Mercer’s methodology ensured these factors were applied consistently across all positions so that similar roles receive comparable classifications.

Q10. What is the difference between job family, sub-family, career stream, and career level?

A. 

Job family: Groups positions by the general type of work (e.g., Finance, Human Resources, etc.).

Sub-family: More specific category within the job family (e.g., Accounting within Finance, Benefits within Human Resources, etc.).

Career stream: Identifies whether the role is an individual contributor (focused on expertise) or management (includes people management responsibilities).

Career level: Reflects the role’s scope, complexity, and accountability within its career stream, ranging from entry-level to senior associate vice president.

Q11. How do individual contributor and management career streams differ?

A. Individual contributor roles focus on applying specialized skills or professional expertise independently or in a team, without formal supervisory responsibility. Management roles include leading, developing, and evaluating others, in addition to technical or functional responsibilities. Both streams have levels that reflect increasing scope and complexity, and both are appropriately valued in the university’s compensation framework.

Impact on Current Compensation

Q12. Will my salary change as a result of this implementation?

A. Your salary will only change if your current pay falls below the range start for your assigned grade. If your salary is below the range, it will be adjusted to align with the range start. If your salary is already within the range or above the range end, there will be no change to your salary. Your personalized communication letter specifies whether you will receive an adjustment.

Q13. When will salary adjustments go into effect? 

A. Salary adjustments, for employees whose pay falls below the assigned range for their position, will be processed in the March 20, 2026, payroll. These will be retroactive to January 1, 2026.

Q14. If my salary is adjusted to meet the minimum of my assigned position range, will this affect my eligibility for future merit increases?

A. No. Receiving a salary adjustment to bring your pay up to the minimum of your assigned range does not affect your eligibility for future merit increases. You will continue to participate in the university’s annual merit process, and future increases will be awarded based on performance, contributions, and the established merit guidelines.

Q15. What are the implications if my salary is above the range?

A. If your salary is above the salary range for your assigned grade, your position is considered red-circled, meaning increases to your base pay are paused while your salary remains above the range. Your current base salary will be maintained and will not be reduced under the new salary structure. You remain eligible for merit recognition based on your annual performance. 

However, while your salary is above the range, any merit award you receive will be provided as a one-time, non-base payment for the fiscal year in which it is awarded. This payment will be distributed in bi-weekly installments and will not increase your base salary or carry forward into future years. This approach allows the University to recognize your performance while maintaining the integrity and consistency of the salary structure for all employees.

Q16. If my position is designated as red-circled, does that mean I can never receive base salary increases?

A. No. Being red-circled means your current base salary exceeds the maximum of the salary range for your grade, so future base salary increases are temporarily paused while your salary remains above the range. Once your salary falls within the range, for example, through adjustments to the salary structure or promotion to a higher level, you may again be eligible for base salary increases through the university’s standard merit and compensation processes.

Q17. Why is my salary at or near the minimum of the range even though I’ve been in this role for several years?

A. The university's salary range architecture establishes competitive pay levels based on external market data. The range start for each grade is set at the 25th percentile of the market, ensuring that employees at this level earn more than at least 25% of individuals in comparable roles at peer institutions and organizations. 

Placement within the salary range is determined by the position's market-based structure, independent of an individual's specific experience, performance, or tenure. The university is committed to recognizing sustained value through the annual merit review cycle, which facilitates strategic salary progression within the established range. This systematic approach ensures that compensation remains competitive as an employee's expertise develops and their impact increases. 

Q18: Are my assigned salary grade, career level, and job family accessible in the University system for my reference?

A. Yes. Your salary range, grade, and level information are included in your personalized communication letter. You can also access this information through the Fordham ATS Portal in MyApps:

• • Go to my.fordham.edu and click on MyApps
  • Select the Fordham ATS Portal under the For Employees section
  • Verify that your user group in the upper right corner is set to Employee
  • Select Position Descriptions, then choose Administrative
  • Click on your position title to view your assigned career level, salary grade, job family, salary range, and official job description

Q19. What if I believe my position was classified incorrectly? Is there a review process? 

A. The salary range architecture was developed in collaboration with Mercer, a global compensation consulting firm with expertise in salary range architecture, and is informed by established compensation methodologies and market data. Position classifications were reviewed with vice presidents and their senior leadership as part of the implementation process to ensure consistency and appropriate alignment. As a result, there is no appeal process for grade assignments. However, if you have questions or would like additional clarity regarding your position classification, we encourage you to discuss them with your manager.

If there have been changes to job descriptions, please discuss them with your manager, who may submit a formal request.

Q20.  Can my manager request an exception to my assigned grade or salary range?

A. No. The salary range architecture is a university-wide framework for applying salary ranges consistently across all administrative positions. Allowing individual exceptions would compromise the integrity of the structure and undermine internal equity, market alignment, and the university’s ability to maintain fair, consistent, and legally compliant compensation practices.

Q21. Who should I contact if I have additional questions? 

A. Employees are encouraged to begin by discussing any questions with their manager. Managers may consult with Human Resources’ Compensation team as needed for guidance.

Q22. Are position-based perquisites, such as housing, considered part of base salary for purposes of the salary range architecture?

A. Yes. Position-based perquisites, such as housing provided as a condition of employment for the convenience of the University, are included in base salary for purposes of the salary range architecture. These amounts are considered part of the total direct compensation to ensure alignment with the position's market value.

Q23. Will my job title change as a result of the salary range architecture project? 

A. No. Implementing the salary range architecture does not affect job titles. Your current title will remain the same.