Pay bands correlate to the corresponding job classification category. Since there is a wide range of positions that can fit into a job category, the Office of Human Resources reviews all positions to recommend a competitive compensation range. Internal peer comparators and external market data are analyzed for nearly every staff position and a recommended salary range is determined and shared with the hiring school, college or unit. This protocol ensures parity across campus and allows the university to be more competitive.
The Wage and Salary, Pay Rates Policy is a comprehensive resource for information on staff pay practice and includes information regarding:
- Annual increases
- Discretionary increases
- Pay rate reductions
Effective January 1, 2026, The New York State (NYS) Minimum Rate Schedule has the New York State minimum wage is $17.00 per hour for employees in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester and $16.00 per hour for employees elsewhere in the state.
The University minimum rate is $16.00 per hour for all temporary staff and $17.00 per hour for all benefits-eligible staff. These hourly rates meet or exceed all other U.S. states’ minimums, except for California, Connecticut, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia. All state minimum wages may be found on the U.S. Department of Labor website.
Pay bands provide a broad range to encompass all positions within a job classification. Most positions do not span the whole range; therefore, supervisors should work with the HR Compensation Team to identify the appropriate compensation range.