Salaries and Compensation in Higher Education in Oregon

A major flaw in the assumptions underlying the arguments for Measure 8 [and other reform efforts] is that one can obtain an accurate comparison of the total compensation of various groups by examining only selected components of a compensation package. The components of a total compensation package may include salary, bonuses and commissions, step and cost-of-living increases, stock options, employer paid pension programs, life insurance, and health coverage. The arguments for Measure 8 focuses only on one component of a compensation package [pension], and this is done with no recognition of the level of education of the employees compared. As faculty members, we do not receive bonuses, nor do we receive reasonable cost-of-living adjustments. A major compensation in the private sector for building an individual retirement program [stock options] is not available to us; we don't even receive educational benefits for our families. When the total compensation package is examined, faculty do not do as well as comparable [educational level; job responsibilities] employees in the private sector. For example, in the private sector, the beginning salary for an individual with a doctorate is likely to be greater than that of a Professor with 20 years of experience.

Within the national ranking of comparable institutions, the financial status of our State college and university faculty is quite low; for most ranks at most institutions, it ranges from the 10th percentile to the 40th percentile. Average salaries are presented in the below table. At all ranks, the average salaries tend to be considerable lower than the average of comparable institutions nationally and the average of comparable private colleges and universities in Oregon. Although the total compensation is a little better, it still tends to be lower than comparable institutions, both nationally and in Oregon. Even without the passage of Measure 8, our status will deteriorate because of the expected lack of salary increases during the next two years.

Comparison of Oregon's Faculty Salaries and Compensation with National Averages

Institution               Salary              Total Compensation

                      Prof.  Assoc.  Asst.    Prof.  Assoc.  Asst.
National: Doctoral   66340   48000   40730   81660   60780   50940 
Level Institutions  
  O S U              59700   47300   40000   76200   61500   52200
  P S U              54400   43700   38200   69300   56400   49800
  U of O             59700   44600   37500   76200   57900   48800
National: Compre-    52180   42710   36230   65160   54140   46010
hensive Institutions 
  S O S C            46000   37100   31500   59800   49100   41700
  W O S C            43900   35400   31500   57500   47000   41700
  Lewis & Clark      60100   44200   36200   74700   57000   44000
  U. of Portland     58700   43700   38700   71600   54200   47000
  Pacific U.         44100   38100   34100   56100   46900   42100
National: General    44340   37350   31760   55200   46760   39630
Baccalaureate
  E O S C            47000   36300   30900   61200   48200   41200
  O I T              50000   44100   39100   64800   57400   51200
  Reed College       59600   44200   37800   72900   54500   46300
  Willamette U.      59600   39000   34500   75800   52400   46600
  Linfield College   48100   37700   31900   65000   52000   44800

Academe, March/April, 1994