Market Adjustments – Administrative/Classified Staff

As part of the recent compensation review, new pay ranges were established for each pay grade based on comparisons of 2024-25 CUPA salary data with our peer institutions. Employees whose current pay fell below the minimum of the new pay range received adjustments to bring them up to at least the minimum.

If an employee’s current pay was already at or above both the new minimum and their market target, no market adjustment was applied. In those cases, compensation will continue to grow through annual across-the-board increases typically implemented on July 1.

How the Market Target Is Calculated

An individual market target is determined using the following formula:

• Start with the minimum of the pay grade (found at https://hrs.mtsu.edu/compensation/ under Hiring Salaries)
• Add the range penetration factor (shown in the far-right column of the pay range grid) for each year of MTSU service

For example:

$48,920 (pay grade AD03 minimum)

• 6 years of MTSU service × $755.50 (range penetration factor) = $4,533
  $48,920 + $4,533 = $53,453 market target

The total difference between an employee’s current salary and their market target was funded at 2.68%.

For example:

• Current salary – $48,945
• Market target – $53,453
• Difference of – $4,508
• Funded at 2.68% – $120.81 increase

If an employee’s current salary exceeds the calculated market target, they are not eligible for a market increase at this time. This does not reflect performance or value; it simply means the salary already exceeds what MTSU considers the market target for that role and experience level.

Employees whose pay is above market target should expect to see future increases through the annual across-the-board process rather than market adjustments.

If you have questions about your specific situation or would like help understanding the pay range grid, Human Resources is happy to assist.