As a university, we continue to make strides to address compensation among all employee groups. We recognize the cost of living, combined with inflation and the overall job market, makes it imperative we strive to retain our talented faculty and staff. 

Over the last few years, we have taken several actions to address compensation. *Updated May 2024

Compensation Timeline

2025 Calendar Year

  • January: 4% salary increase pool for university staff, faculty, and temporary contract by course faculty compensation 

2024 Calendar Year

  • July: 3% across-the-board increases and step pay program implementation for classified staff 
  • July: promotion raise amounts for instructor/clinical faculty go into effect
  • January: 4% merit compensation pool increases for faculty including research faculty
  • January: 4% across-the-board increases for university staff meeting or exceeding performance expectations and for temporary contract by course faculty compensation

2023 Calendar Year

  • Fall: 4% across-the-board increase to the standard campus rate for graduate student assistantships
  • July: 5% across-the-board increases for classified staff
  • July: Minimum wage increases to $18 an hour for staff
  • July: Minimum wage increases to $16 an hour for hourly student assistants
  • Spring: 3% across-the-board increases to the standard campus rate for graduate student assistantships and temporary faculty contract by course compensation
  • Spring: Pay increases for some staff to address pay range and job family compression issues
  • January: 3% pool for merit-based increases for regular faculty, research faculty, and university staff 
  • January: Tenured faculty promotion and tenure compression adjustments 

2022 Calendar Year

  • January: 3% across-the-board increases for regular faculty, research faculty, and university staff
  • January: 1% one-time payment for regular faculty, research faculty, and university staff
  • January: Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act pay adjustments
  • Spring: 3% across-the-board increases to the standard campus rate for graduate student assistantships and temporary faculty contract by course compensation
  • May: Second round of one-time retention payments for critical frontline staff
  • July: 3% across-the-board increases for classified staff
  • July: increased raise amounts for promotion to tenured associate and tenured full professor go into effect
  • October: $1,300 one-time payment (prorated for part-time appointments) for regular faculty, research faculty, university staff, and classified staff 

2021 Calendar Year

  • July: Campus minimum wage increases to $15 per hour, including related compression adjustments
  • July: 3% across-the-board increases for classified staff
  • November: CU Boulder announces remission of mandatory fees for graduate students on appointment
  • December: One-time retention payments for critical frontline staff