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Compensation

Compensation develops and administers the University’s compensation and classification programs to help attract, retain and recognize our talented workforce. The team provides guidance on staff and student compensation, classification, department reorganizations, compliance with state and federal overtime laws, pay equity and other compensation-related programs and policies.

Classified staff

Find out if you’re covered by a labor contract, determine which union represents you, examine your pay tables and more.

Classified staff

Professional staff

For non-union, non-academic employees working at the UW, learn about your position, pay increases and compensation.

Professional staff

Represented civil service staff

Learn and find information about job profiles of civil service exempt staff represented by a union.

Represented civil service staff

Overtime for staff

Discover the details and process that encompass overtime for staff at the UW.

Overtime for staff

FY27 merit process

Guide for non-represented faculty, librarians, academic staff and professional staff merit.

FY27 merit process

Retention payment

Learn about retention payment eligibility, approval requirements, repayment obligations and department responsibilities.

Retention payment

Pay equity

Learn about pay equity requirements, Washington state law and guidance for fair and equitable compensation decisions.

Pay equity

Student hourly employee

Discover the details of employment, compensation, work hours, and other critical student employment topics.

Student hourly employee

Featured

Pay increases for staff jobs as of July 1, 2026

Pay increases for staff jobs as of July 1, 2026

The following changes for staff jobs are effective July 1, 2026 and should be visible in Workday as of July 21, 2026 and reflected on July 24, 2026 paychecks.

July 1 pay increases

January 1, 2026 minimum wage increase

January 1, 2026 minimum wage increase

Effective January 1, 2026, the UW’s minimum wage will increase from $20.76 per hour to $21.30 per hour following the City of Seattle minimum wage.

January 1 pay increases

WA State threshold for OT exempt employees will rise by 2.8% in 2026

WA State threshold for OT exempt employees will rise by 2.8% in 2026

Weekly earnings changes for overtime exempt employees beginning January 1, 2026.

Read our wage update