Employee Compensation FAQs FY2025-2026

The FY 2025-26 budget includes:

• Effective 7/1/25, a 2.5% across-the-board (ATB) increase for classified staff in alignment with the State of Colorado
• Pending approval and funds availability, the Board of Regents received a proposed budget for FY 2026, including a 4% compensation pool for university staff, faculty, and graduate students on appointment (2.5% merit, with an additional 1.5% for compression, retention, and other initiatives) and a 2.5% across-the-board pay increase for classified staff, in line with the state of Colorado.

Units, colleges, and schools must have an approved employee recognition program to provide pay increases or bonuses outside of regular campus processes

All classified staff employees with an active appointment as of 6/30/25 are eligible to receive a 2.5% base pay increase effective 7/1/25 unless limited by the maximum of the pay range. This increase does not apply to new hires starting 7/1/25 or later.

“ATB” is the abbreviation used for “across-the-board”. This means the same rate (2.5%) applies to all eligible classified employees unless limited by the maximum of the pay range.

1. The 2.5% increase is applied to the classified employee’s base pay rate as of 6/30/25 and before any other July 1 pay changes.
2. The classified 2.5% ATB is base-building up to the FY25-26 pay range maximum for the employee’s job classification. Any amount over the pay range maximum is annualized and paid as a one-time lump sum in the employee’s end of July paycheck.
3. If the employee’s salary is below the campus starting rate of $18.90 per hour after the 2.5% across-the-board increase is applied, the employee's salary will be raised to the new campus starting rate of $18.90 per hour.
4. If the employee’s salary is below the FY25-26 pay range minimum for the employee’s job classification after the 2.5% across-the-board increase and campus starting rate adjustments are applied, the employee’s salary will be raised to the FY25-26 pay range minimum.

• The State of Colorado is continuing with the Step Pay Program, as outlined in the 2022 Amended Partnership Agreement in COWINS Article 31.6, which provides base salary increases to eligible State classified employees at certain milestone years. On July 1, 2025, eligible classified employees will receive the 2.5% across-the-board (ATB) increase, then may receive an increase to the step pay rate for their July 1 job pay range based on total completed years in their current job series as of June 30, 2025.
• Please review the Classified Staff Step Pay Information web page for more information.
• The final July 1 pay rate for classified employees is rounded to the nearest whole dollar if full-time and to two decimal places if part-time.
•  Updated FY25-26 classified staff pay ranges are available from the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA). 

An increase that raises an employee’s continuing/ongoing salary is considered a “base-building” pay increase. A non-base building pay increase is temporary and has an end date.  This year’s 2.5% ATB increase for classified employees is base-building up to the pay range maximum.

• Classified staff and non-classified staff (university staff, faculty, students, etc.) are different personnel systems with different laws and policies that govern them.
• Classified staff positions are part of the State of Colorado personnel system and governed by a Partnership Agreement negotiated between the State and the classified staff union, Colorado WINS.
• Requirements for setting pay for classified employees are set by the state legislature, the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA), and the Partnership Agreement.
• University staff, faculty, and student positions meet the criteria under state law to be exempted from the Colorado personnel system. As such, these positions are not classified staff and are not subject to the state of Colorado rules, procedures or Partnership Agreements that govern classified positions.
• This year’s 2.5% ATB increase for classified employees was approved by the Colorado Legislature in the 2025-26 Long Bill, and this does not apply to university staff, faculty, students, or other CU employee populations.

The Colorado General Assembly, based on recommendations from the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA), determines each year whether to provide increases to classified staff salaries and/or benefits, how much those increases should be, and how they should be implemented.  The final decision differs year to year based on many factors, including how classified employees’ salaries or benefits statewide are aligning with market factors.  Some years the state approves increases based on a performance matrix.  In other years the state approves flat, cost-of-living type increases, across-the-board regardless of performance.  This year, through the Partnership Agreement with COWINS, the state of Colorado approved a flat across-the-board increase, and CU is implementing the state of Colorado’s decision for its classified employees.

Updated FY25-26 classified staff pay ranges are available from the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration.

Effective 7/1/2025, the starting rate at CU Boulder will increase from $18 per hour to $18.90 per hour for classified staff and university staff. Effective 7/6/2025, the starting rate at CU Boulder will increase from $16 per hour to $16.80 per hour for student assistants This move will allow the campus to make a vital investment in the stability of our workforce - stability that results in a more enriched and impactful student experience and that makes CU Boulder a more competitive employer.

The campus starting rate will increase to $18.90 per hour for staff on 7/1/2025 and to $16.80 per hour for student assistants effective July 6, 2025.

This is a university and campus initiative. While this is not related to a state or federal requirement right now, it will prepare the university well for any future changes that might come at the state or federal levels. 

The new campus starting rate levels apply to all classified staff, university staff and student assistant employees of the campus.

Entry pay levels for faculty and graduate students on appointment are reviewed and updated by the campus on a regular basis to remain competitive with market forces, similar to the process for staff and students.  For positions funded by gifts and grants, such as for research faculty, hiring units should include an $18.90 per hour starting rate through their annual funding and budget review processes.

Campus funds will be allocated to budget model support units for general fund regular salaried staff and general fund students paid hourly. Schools and colleges receive the estimated general fund starting rate in July with their initial continuing budget. Other categories of employees will be funded by the hiring unit. 

• By the end of July 2025, regular staff employees will receive notifications outlining their final July pay rate and how it was determined.
• Department HR Liaisons are responsible for notifying temporary and student employees of their new pay rates.

No, since this is a University initiative, the starting rate applies to all eligible positions.

• No, as with other starting rate increases, Employee Services will automatically increase the pay rate in HCM for any positions below the new starting rate.
• Additionally, campus HR will partner with Employee Services to upload all campus-wide pay increases effective July 1. Departments do not need to make these entries.
• For student assistants, if departments wish to increase the pay above the new starting rate, they will be responsible for making those adjustments. 

• No, pay rates for new or active job postings in Avature (CU Boulder Jobs) will be updated as needed by the Human Resources (HR) Talent Acquisition (TA) team.
• Job postings maintained on sites outside of Avature (CU Boulder Jobs) will need to be updated by the hiring unit unless you are already working with the HR TA team.

No, not at this time.  Departments may follow up with HR to review options for any specific impacts if needed.