NORDP Annual Salary Survey – 2015

The annual NORDP salary survey is intended to collect a useful snapshot of salaries across the research development (RD) profession, with the resulting report serving as a guide for leaders evaluating their current RD budgets or institutions developing new RD activities or offices. The 2015 NORDP survey questions were developed by the Member Services Subcommittee on Membership Metrics, with input from the Member Services Committee and Board members, and included many of the questions from the 2012 survey. The Membership Metrics Subcommittee was composed of NORDP members Gretchen Kiser (chair), Terri Soelberg, Lorraine Mulfinger, and Ann McGuigan.

Notably, the 2015 survey included question to collected member institution zip codes, enabling paired analyses using both actual reported salaries and salaries normalized using the 2013 county cost-of-living index table from the Council for Community and Economic Research (coli.org; Arlington, VA). Both actual and normalized salaries were then used to analyze that data with respect to multiple institutional and individual variables including: Institution Type (public or private), Institution Geographic Location and Size (based on research expenditures); Job Category (professional title); RD Office Size (as measured by FTEs); and Respondent Demographics (gender, race, ethnicity and education). With such normalized salaries, our membership can make an assessment of salary ranges considering the cost of living in their county.

The salary data presented in this report were collected in early 2015 and represent 212 substantive responses from the 570 NORDP members, representing a robust 37% response rate, equal to the response rate in the previous salary survey. Based on a comparison of the geographic distribution, as well as of the highest degree attained, of the respondent group versus an anonymized, full NORDP membership list, the respondents appear to represent a reasonable proxy for the entire membership. The survey instrument and data management process received IRB approval through Boise State University, with Terri Soelberg as the lead. The confidential online survey was administered to all NORDP members using a Qualtrics survey instrument.

This report presents collected 2015 salary data supporting the following findings and major conclusions:

• 34.8% of NORDP members’ salaries fall into the $50 – 75K range, with 29.4% of members having salaries in the $75 - 100K range (normalized 40.9% and 27.8%, respectively).

• 52.8% of survey respondents hold a title of Director/Assistant or Associate Director/Manager, with 24.9% holding a title of Coordinator/Officer/Specialist/Administrator/Analyst/Facilitator/Grant Writer. 9.0% of the respondent members hold higher level institutional leadership positions of Associate or Assistant Dean or Vice Provost/Chancellor or Vice Chancellor/President (full/Assistant/Associate).

• Within the Director/Manager position, those having 5-9 or >9 FTEs in their unit reported the highest median annual salaries, $109.5K or $100K, respectively. Upon normalization according to the cost-of-living, these converge to ~$92.5K annually.

• For the Coordinator/Officer/Specialist/Administrator/Analyst/Facilitator position, there is very little difference in the median salaries of those from different sized offices (annual salaries range from $59K to $68K) and this range flattens further upon cost-of-living normalization (to between $56K and $62K).

• Atlantic and Pacific region members reported the highest median salary; however, when normalized for the cost-of-living, Atlantic and Southwest region members reported the highest median salary. The Southeast region members reported the lowest median actual salary but when normalized the Northeast region member salaries slid lower than the Southeast.

• The highest median normalized salary was reported by members at doctorate-granting Universities.

• Higher median salaries were reported by members at private institutions (22% of total) compared to members at public institutions (78% of total). Notably, this flips when salaries are normalized by the cost-of-living index.

• Interestingly, the highest median salaries (actual and normalized) were reported by members at institutions that had annual research award portfolios greater than $1B or less than $1M.

• The highest median normalized salary was reported by members who have obtained PhD and JD as their terminal degree; however, when looking at actual salaries, those with MS and PhD degrees have equal median salaries.

• Offices with the largest number of FTEs (>9) are associated with slightly higher median salaries.

• 82% of survey respondents reported their gender as female and 17% as male. (1% preferred not to answer.)

• 3.3% of survey respondents reported their ethnicity as Hispanic/Latino, and 10.4% reported as “other” than Hispanic or Non-Hispanic.

• 90% of survey respondents reported their race as White, and 3.8% reported Asian, 2.4% reported Black/African American, and 0.5% reported Native American.

The graphical presentation of various analyses of the survey data follows below. Note that data was pooled where necessary to maintain the anonymity of the respondents; no data point is shown for any category that contained less than 5 NORDP members.

8.8%

34.8% 29.4%

14.2%

5.9% 3.4% 2.9%

0.5% 0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

Figure 1A: % Respondents by Reported Annual Salary Range

13.6%

40.9%

27.8%

10.1%

4.0% 2.5% 1.0% 0.0% 0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

Figure 1B: % Respondents by COLI-Normalized Annual Salary Range

$175

$123

$91 $80 $70 $60

$75 $62 $71

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250Sa

lary

in T

hous

ands

Figure 2B: Annual Salaries by Job Category (Max, Min & Median)

*Includes Full, Associate & Assistant Vice Provosts, Vice Chancellors & Vice Presidents **Includes Dept Chair, Researcher/Faculty, Exec Director & Consultant Categories where n = <5

$134

$105 $82 $74 $64 $60 $61 $62 $71

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Sala

ry in

Tho

usan

ds

Figure 2C: COLI-Normalized Annual Salaries by Job Category (Max, Min & Median)

*Includes Full, Associate & Assistant Vice Provosts, Vice Chancellors & Vice Presidents **Includes Dept Chair, Researcher/Faculty, Exec Director & Consultant Categories where n = <5

$90 $87 $91.5 $109.5 $100

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

No formal or <1FTE 1-2 FTEs 3-4 FTEs 5-9 FTEs >9 FTEs

Sala

ry in

Tho

usan

ds

Size of Office

Figure 2D: Director/Manager Raw Salary by Size of Unit (Range and Median) N=78

$51 $79 $84 $93 $92

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

No formal or <1FTE 1-2 FTEs 3-4 FTEs 5-9 FTEs >9 FTEs

Sala

ry in

Tho

usan

ds

Size of Office

Figure 2E: Director/Manager Normalized Salary by Size of Unit (Range and Median) N=76

$64 $68 $60 $63 $59

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

No formal or <1FTE 1-2 FTEs 3-4 FTEs 5-9 FTEs >9 FTEs

Sala

ry in

Tho

usan

ds

Size of Office

Figure 2F: Coordinator/Officer/Specialist/Administrator/Analyst/ Facilitator Raw Salary by Size of Unit (Range and Median) N=44

$62 $61 $57 $56 $60

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

No formal or <1FTE 1-2 FTEs 3-4 FTEs 5-9 FTEs >9 FTES

Sala

ry in

Tho

usan

ds

Size of Office

Figure 2G: Coordinator/Officer/Specialist/Administrator/Analyst/ Facilitator Normalized Salary by Size of Unit (Range and Median) N=43

9%

16%

14%

18%

14%

15%

14%

Figure 3A: % Survey Respondents by Region N=207

Northeast (Region 1): CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT;International: Quebec, Ontario

Atlantic (Region 2): DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, DC,VA; International: Europe, Africa, WesternRussia, China, countries west and south ofChina

Southeast (Region 3): AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA,MS, NC, SC, TN, WV; International: PuertoRico, US Virgin Islands, South America

Great Lakes (Region 4): IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI;International: Manitoba

Midwest/Mountain (Region 5): IA, KS, MO,NE, ND, SD, ID, MT, WY, NV, CO, UT;International: Alberta, Saskatchewan

Southwest (Region 6): AZ, NM, OK, TX;International: Mexico, Central America

Pacific (Region 7): AK, CA, HI, OR, WA;International: British Columbia, EasternRussia, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Australia,New Zealand, and other countries east ofChina

$81.7 $96.0 $68.3 $77.0 $72.5 $77.0

$97.0

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Thou

sand

s Figure 3B: Salary by Region (Max, Min & Median)

N=207

$61.5 $82.5

$66.6 $72.4 $69.3 $73.4 $69.2

$0.0

$50.0

$100.0

$150.0

$200.0

$250.0

Thou

sand

s

Figure 3C: COLI-Normalized Salary by Region (Max, Min & Median) N= 201

48.3%

24.9%

15.8%

3.8%

1.9% 1.4% 1.0%

2.9%

Figure 4A: % Survey Respondents by RD Unit/Department Type

Central/Institutional RD Office

Unit/College/School-level RDOffice

Sponsored Research ProgramsOffice

Researcher/AcademicDepartment

Corporate/Foundation Relations

Consultant/Consulting Firm

International Office

All Others*

*Category "Others" includes International Office, Business/Industry, Federal Government Relations Foundation/Nonprofit and Misc

$79 $80 $80 $72 $93

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Central/Instit R&D(n=101)

Unit/College/SchoolR&D (n-51)

SponResearch/Progs

Office (n=33)

Researcher/AcadDept (n=8)

Other* (n=15)

Sala

ry in

Tho

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ds

Figure 4B: Annual Salaries by RD Unit Type (Max, Min & Median)

* “Other” includes any response category having less than 5 respondents to protect anonymity. These include: Corporate/Foundation Relations, Federal/Government Relations, Business/Industry, Consultant/Consulting Firm, International Office, Foundation, and any unspecified other affiliations.

$72 $72 $66 $66 $80

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Central/Instit R&D(n=97)

Unit/College/SchoolR&D (n-50)

SponResearch/Progs

Office (n=31)

Researcher/AcadDept (n=8)

Other* (n=15)

Sala

ry in

Tho

usan

ds

Figure 4C: COLI-Normalized Annual Salaries by RD Unit Type (Max, Min & Median)

85%

5%

4%

2% 1%

3% Figure 5A: % Respondents by Institution Type

N=207

Doctorate-granting University

Master's College/University

Baccalaureate College

Research Institute

For-profit Business/Industry of25 or more employees

Other

$80.0 $72.5 $71.5 $89.5

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Doctorate-grantingUniversity

Master'sCollege/University

Baccalaureate College Other*

Thou

sand

s

*Categories containing less than 5 respondents are combined into 'Other' to protect anonymity. These include: Research Institute, Hospital, For-Profit >25 employees, For-Profit

<25 employees, and other.

Figure 5B: Raw Salary by Institution Type (Max, Min & Median) N=207

$73.4 $65.0 $64.3 $64.8

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Doctorate-grantingUniversity

Master'sCollege/University

Baccalaureate College Other*

Thou

sand

s

*Categories containing less than 5 respondents are combined into 'Other' to protect anonymity. These include: Research Institute, Hospital, For-Profit >25 employees, For-Profit

<25 employees, and other.

Figure 5C: COLI-Normalize Salary by Institution Type (Max, Min & Median) N=201

22%

78%

Figure 6A: % Respondents by Public vs Private Institution N=205

Private Public

$85 $78

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Private Public

Thou

sand

s

Figure 6B: Raw Salary Public vs Private Institution (Max, Min & Median) N=205

$66.2 $71.7

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Private Public

Thou

sand

s Figure 6C: COLI-Normalized Salary Public vs. Private

Institution (Max, Min & Median) N=199

8%

33%

31%

19%

9%

Figure 7A: % Respondents by Size of RD Unit N=204

No formal office or less than 1 FTE

1-2 FTEs

3-4 FTEs

5-9 FTEs

>9 FTEs

$90.0 $77.0 $81.0 $76.5

$95.0

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

No formaloffice or <1

FTE

1-2 FTEs 3-4 FTEs 5-9 FTEs >9 FTE

Thou

sand

s Figure 7B: Raw Salary by Size of RD Unit

(Max, Min & Median) N=204

Size of RD Office

$64.4 $71.5 $73.9 $70.7 $79.8

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

No formaloffice or <1

FTE

1-2 FTEs 3-4 FTEs 5-9 FTEs >9 FTE

Thou

sand

s

Figure 7C: COLI-Normalized Salary by Size of RD Unit (Max, Min & Median) N=198

Size of RD Office

4.0% 6.6%

11.1%

4.5%

15.7%

17.2%

10.6%

14.6%

3.0% 5.6%

7.1%

Figure 8A: % Respondents by Institutional Annual (2012) Research Expenditures

Up to $1M >$1-10M

>$10-50M >$50-100M

>$100-200M >$200-400M

>$400-600M >$600-800M

>$800M-$1B >$1-1.4B

Unknown

$106

$84 $71 $67 $78 $79 $81 $88 $82

$104

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Resp

onde

nt S

alar

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Tho

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Annual (2012) Institutional Expenditures

Figure 8B: Reported Salaries by Institutional Annual (2012) Research Expenditures (Min, Max, Median)

$95 $82

$65 $63 $72 $70 $74 $78 $72 $90

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Resp

onde

nt S

alar

y in

Tho

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ds

Annual (2012) Institutional Expenditures

Figure 8C: COLI-Normalized Salaries by Institutional Annual (2012) Research Expenditures (Min, Max, Median)

37%

20%

13%

6%

5%

4%

3%

3% 2%

2% 5%

Figure 9A: % Respondents by Highest Degree Earned

PhD MA

MBA MS

BS BA

MPA MEd

EdD JD

Other*

*Other includes MFA, MPH, MPA, MLIS, MPP, MSW, MTPC, MLS, & Diploma

$90 $76 $70 $90 $79 $67 $70 $67 $80

$155

$62

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Thou

sand

s

Figure 9B: Raw Annual Salaries by Highest Degree Earned (Max, Min & Median)

*’Other’ for Figures 9B and 9C includes these categories having less than 4 respondents: Diploma, MFA, MLS, MPA, MLIS, MPH, MPP, MSW and MTPC.

$82 $64 $66 $75 $61 $65 $63 $68 $70

$115

$61

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Thou

sand

s Figure 9C: COLI-Normalized Annual Salaries by Highest Degree

(Max, Min & Median)

17%

82%

1%

Figure 10A: % Respondents by Gender N=207

Male

Female

Prefer not to answer

$79.8 $85

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Female Male

Thou

sand

s

* Actual N=207, but one indicated 'prefer not to answer'

Figure 10B: Raw Salary by Gender (Max, Min & Median) N=206*

$69.1 $80.8

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

Female Male

Thou

sand

s

*Actual N= 201, but one indicated 'prefer not to answer'

Figure 10C: COLI-Normalized Salary by Gender (Max, Min & Median) N=200*

3.3% 5.2%

10.4%

86.3%

Figure 11A: % Respondents by Reported Ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino

No Answer

Other

Non-Hispanic/ Non-Latino

0.5% 2.4% 3.3%

3.8%

90.0%

Figure 11B: % Respondents by Reported Race

American Indian/ Alaskan Native

Black/African American

Other/Two/No Answer

Asian

White

0.5%

3.8% 2.4%

2.8% 3.3%

87.2%

Figure 11C: % Respondents by Race and Ethnicity

American Indian/ Alaskan Native

Asian

Black or African American/ Non-Hispanic

Hispanic

Other/Two/No Answer

White/Non-Hispanic

$98 $90 $110

$78 $103

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Asian (n=8) Black or AfricanAmerican/ Non-Hispanic (n=5)

Hispanic (n=6) White/Non-Hispanic(n-184)

Other/Two/NoAnswer (n=8)

Thou

sand

s

Figure 11D: Salaries by Race/Ethnicity (Max, Min & Median)

We hope that you find this information helpful! Questions about the survey or this report can be directed to Chair of the Membership Metrics Subcommittee, Gretchen Kiser, PhD (gretchen.kiser@ucsf.edu).

$80 $76 $101

$70 $97

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

Asian (n=8) Black or AfricanAmerican/ Non-Hispanic (n=5)

Hispanic (n=6) White/Non-Hispanic(n-184)

Other/Two/NoAnswer (n=8)

Thou

sand

s Figure 11E: COLI-Normalized Salaries by Race/Ethnicity

(Max, Min & Median)