An annual report by Pitt’s Management Information and Analysis office on average (mean) and median staff and faculty salaries at Pitt for fiscal year 2012 showed a wide range between the highest- and lowest-paying job areas in the University.

The report, which includes 7,038 staff and 4,431 faculty, is based on Oct. 31, 2011, data for regular (not temporary) full-time employees at Pitt, said Bob Goga, assistant director of the Office of Institutional Research, who presented the report April 19 to the University Senate budget policies committee (BPC). Postdocs and research associates are not included. Salaries for faculty with 12-month contracts were converted to a nine-month equivalent by using a multiplier of 0.818181, he said.

The report, which lists salaries by responsibility center, categorizes faculty by rank and divides staff into four categories: executive, administrative and managerial; other professionals; secretarial and clerical, and technical, skilled and service.

Data are not reported for categories with three or fewer employees to keep individual salary data private.

BPC chair John J. Baker said, “I think it’s much more valuable than the AAUP (American Association of University Professors) peer report, for example,” which lists pay by faculty ranks. “The AAUP report compares us to different peer schools but [the internal report compares] within responsibility centers here; this is very valuable,” he said.

Baker added that listing both median and average salaries is valuable, particularly in cases where a responsibility center’s averages may be skewed by one employee’s high salary.

High and low staff pay by category

The analysis showed that, based on job category, the 11 executive, administrative and managerial staff members in the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences earned the highest average salary, $201,754, and also the highest median, $160,546. They topped last year’s list with a $194,430 mean and a $156,630 median.

The lowest-paid full-timers at Pitt in FY12 were the 22 technical, skilled and service workers in the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, who averaged $19,430. The employees with the lowest median were 28 secretarial and clerical employees in Pitt’s libraries, with $19,036.

In the FY11 analysis, the four technical, skilled and service staff members in the Office of Student Affairs were at the bottom of the salary list. They averaged $19,167 and their median pay also was lowest University-wide, at $18,131. Their pay was not reported in the FY12 analysis because there were only two Student Affairs employees in that category.

High and low staff pay by area

The area with the highest average pay across the University’s 45 responsibility centers remained the Office of General Counsel (made up of 11 executive, administrative and managerial employees; three other professionals, and five secretarial and clerical staff). The office came out on top with an average of $110,935 and a median of $130,842, based on a net total of 16 staff, which excluded three categorized as other professionals.

In last year’s report, the area had an average salary of $94,913 and a median of $90,980, based on a net total staff of 20 (10 executive, administrative and managerial employees; four other professionals, and six secretarial and clerical staff).

At the low end of the staff salary averages in the FY12 report were the Titusville campus staff, who averaged $31,621, based on a net total of 47 employees (27 other professionals, nine secretarial and clerical and 11 technical, skilled and service.) Salaries for three executive, administrative and managerial staff were excluded from the net total.

The lowest median, by area, was in Pitt’s libraries. There, the median was $25,144 for a net total of 113 staff (which excluded one technical, skilled and service employee and two executive, administrative and managerial employees).

University Library System staff were at the bottom of the FY11 rankings with an average salary of  $31,144 and median of $24,565.

Average vs. median

With the exception of the Office of General Counsel, Pitt-Titusville, the School of Social Work and the University Center for Urban and Social Research (UCSUR), average staff salaries by area surpassed median salaries. The difference was most pronounced in Athletics, where the average was $87,515 — nearly double the median of $44,777.

Faculty salary comparisons

The Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences dean’s office was at the top of the salary ranking among 26 responsibility centers with faculty (the University Center for International Studies and Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor and Provost had too few faculty to be included in the report). The Dietrich dean’s office net total of 24 full professors averaged $173,503 with a median of $175,899, the highest pay both for the responsibility center and for the rank.

The A&S dean’s office also topped last year’s list, with an average salary of $167,801 and median salary of $172,033.

At the bottom of the average faculty pay, by rank, at $29,336, were the 18 lecturers/others in the School of Medicine at $29,336. They also had the lowest median by rank at $22,500.

In the FY11 report, the four lecturers/others in the School of Pharmacy had the lowest faculty salaries. They averaged $21,923 and had a median salary of $20,687. The number of faculty in that rank fell to three in FY12; therefore, their salary data were not included in the most recent report.

By responsibility center, Education-University Service Programs, with a total of four instructors, had the lowest average salary, $42,790, and lowest median, $40,369.

The Education-University Service Programs responsibility center also was at the bottom of the FY11 report. Its seven instructor-level faculty averaged $47,107 and had a median salary of $40,966.

—Kimberly K. Barlow

Editor’s note: Staff member Barbara DelRaso provided editorial support for this story.

AT A GLANCE

Highest-paid staff

Highest average (by job category)

Executives, administrators and managers

Senior Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences, $201,754

Highest average (net total by area)

Office of General Counsel, $110,935

Highest median (by job category)

Executives, administrators and managers

Senior Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences, $160,546

Highest median (net total by area)

Office of General Counsel, $130,842

Lowest-paid staff

Lowest average (by job category)

Technical, skilled and service

Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, $19,430

Lowest average (net total by area)

Pitt-Titusville, $31,621

Lowest median (by job category)

Secretarial and clerical

University Library System, $19,036

Lowest median (net total by area)

University Library System, $25,144

$

The annual mean and median salary report categorizes salaries for all regular (not temporary) full-time staff as of Oct. 31, 2011. Staff are divided by responsibility center into four categories: executive, administrative and managerial employees (including executive staff who also may have a faculty appointment); other professionals; secretarial and clerical, and technical, skilled and service. Research associates are excluded.

Employees are associated with the responsibility center that processes their employee record.

Average (mean) and median salary amounts are suppressed when the number of employees in a rank or category is three or fewer. The net total reflects the exclusions.

• Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources: net total of 80 staff who made $39,373 average, $28,961 median.

That included 12 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $98,715 average, $88,081 median; 39 other professionals: $34,643 average, $31,947 median; seven secretarial and clerical: $26,680 average, $25,918 median; 22 technical, skilled and service: $19,430 average, $19,335 median.

• Athletics: 142 net total, $87,515 average, $44,777 median.

14 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $132,082 average, $107,994 median; 116 other professionals: $88,033 average, $44,339 median; 12 secretarial and clerical: $30,515 average, $29,301 median.

• Bradford campus: 129 net total, $43,417 average, $37,689 median.

15 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $88,994 average, $83,742 median; 72 other professionals: $40,504 average, $38,307 median; 24 secretarial and clerical: $28,735 average, $26,556 median; 18 technical, skilled and service: $36,666 average, $33,647 median.

• Business Operations: 403 net total, $37,001 average, $32,282 median.

Seven executive, administrative and managerial employees: $73,492 average, $65,434 median; 97 other professionals: $42,693 average, $42,000 median; 60 secretarial and clerical: $21,914 average, $21,920 median; 239 technical, skilled and service: $37,409 average, $34,237 median.

• Chancellor: 246 net total, $68,071 average, $51,809 median.

75 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $116,195 average, $84,847 median; 150 other professionals: $48,731 average, $45,535 median; nine secretarial and clerical: $31,951 average, $30,993 median; 12 technical, skilled and service: $36,140 average, $34,808 median.

• College of General Studies: 20 net total, $38,698 average, $35,343 median.

20 other professionals: $38,698 average, $35,343 median.

• Computing Services and Systems Development: 194 net total, $68,198 average, $61,299 median.

Nine executive, administrative and managerial employees: $121,361 average, $101,000 median; 170 other professionals: $67,490 average, $62,686 median; 15 technical, skilled and service: $44,324 average, $45,328 median.

• Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences (A&S) dean’s office: 32 net total, $54,075 average, $43,412 median.

Five executive, administrative and managerial employees: $110,543 average, $91,767 median; 27 other professionals: $43,618 average, $38,069 median.

• Dietrich School of A&S humanities division: 55 net total, $32,801 average, $30,372 median.

39 other professionals: $36,344 average, $34,850 median; 16 secretarial and clerical: $24,167 average, $24,055 median.

• Dietrich School of A&S natural sciences division: 205 net total, $35,894 average, $31,124 median.

Eight executive, administrative and managerial employees: $77,311 average, $78,009 median; 128 other professionals: $37,295 average, $33,782 median; 29 secretarial and clerical: $27,570 average, $26,112 median; 40 technical, skilled and service: $29,164 average, $24,064 median.

• Dietrich School of A&S social sciences division: 25 net total, $33,580 average, $30,173 median.

18 other professionals: $36,633 average, $33,518 median; seven secretarial and clerical: $25,730 average, $25,936 median.

• Dietrich School of A&S undergraduate studies: 60 net total, $38,416 average, $35,615 median.

Four executive, administrative and managerial employees: $70,732 average, $68,726 median; 48 other professionals: $38,443 average, $36,425 median; eight secretarial and clerical: $22,097 average, $22,251 median.

• Executive Vice Chancellor: 28 net total, $91,680 average, $77,322 median.

16 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $122,368 average, $97,235 median; 12 other professionals: $50,762 average, $48,058 median.

• Facilities Management: 444 net total, $43,897 average, $32,032 median.

Six executive, administrative and managerial employees: $101,776 average, $99,540 median; 71 other professionals: $54,563 average, $54,376 median; nine secretarial and clerical: $26,185 average, $25,366 median; 358 technical, skilled and service: $41,257 average, $32,032 median.

• General Counsel: 16 net total, $110,935 average, $130,842 median.

11 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $146,187 average, $141,222 median; five secretarial and clerical: $33,382 average, $34,021 median.

• Graduate School of Public and International Affairs: 20 net total, $40,579 average, $37,565 median.

20 other professionals: $40,579 average, $37,565 median.

• Graduate School of Public Health: 432 net total, $45,345 average, $43,162 median.

22 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $77,922 average, $74,086 median; 349 other professionals: $45,897 average, $44,443 median; 42 secretarial and clerical: $32,172 average, $32,969 median; 19 technical, skilled and service: $26,606 average, $26,660 median.

• Greensburg campus: 95 net total, $35,880 average, $31,888 median.

14 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $61,486 average, $57,906 median; 46 other professionals: $33,369 average, $31,951 median; 15 secretarial and clerical: $25,663 average, $23,396 median; 20 technical, skilled and service: $31,393 average, $28,568 median.

• Honors College: nine net total, $46,004 average, $43,860 median.

Nine other professionals: $46,004  average, $43,860 median.

• Johnstown campus: 199 net total, $37,581 average, $33,634 median.

11 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $80,690 average, $77,955 median; 88 other professionals: $40,150 average, $36,467 median; 35 secretarial and clerical: $26,224 average, $25,853 median; 65 technical, skilled and service: $32,922 average, $31,158 median.

• Katz Graduate School of Business: 101 net total, $49,595 average, $40,250 median.

17 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $93,786 average, $87,818 median; 72 other professionals: $42,838 average, $39,224 median; 12 secretarial and clerical: $27,533 average, $26,018 median.

• Learning Research and Development Center: 41 net total, $42,225 average, $41,517 median.

37 other professionals: $43,365 average, $42,058 median; four secretarial and clerical: $31,676 average, $33,326 median.

• Libraries (University Library System): 113 net total, $32,038 average, $25,144 median.

85 other professionals: $35,096 average, $29,580 median; 28 secretarial and clerical: $22,756 average, $19,036 median.

• Office of the Chief Financial Officer: 230 net total, $61,336 average, $51,744 median.

58 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $111,476 average, $90,555 median; 147 other professionals: $47,743 average, $45,176 median; 25 secretarial and clerical: $24,938 average, $23,916 median.

• School of Dental Medicine: 186 net total, $33,395 average, $30,937 median.

102 other professionals: $39,128 average, $34,683 median; 29 secretarial and clerical: $27,853 average, $27,040 median; 55 technical, skilled and service: $25,685 average, $24,965 median.

• School of Education: 115 net total, $46,240 average, $42,159 median.

10 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $73,030 average, $70,038 median; 93 other professionals: $45,798 average, $42,302 median; seven secretarial and clerical: $29,672 average, $27,982 median; five technical, skilled and service: $24,059 average, $25,039 median.

• School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: 48 net total, $41,016 average, $39,868 median.

44 other professionals: $41,867 average, $40,101 median; four secretarial and clerical: $31,659 average, $28,596 median.

• School of Information Sciences: 21 net total, $46,639 average, $45,821 median.

16 other professionals: $49,729 average, $47,765 median; five secretarial and clerical: $36,750 average, $34,392 median.

• School of Law: 42 net total, $41,218 average, $38,858 median.

Five executive, administrative and managerial employees: $69,799 average, $74,018 median; 24 other professionals: $42,064 average, $44,500 median; 13 secretarial and clerical: $28,663 average, $27,040 median.

• School of Medicine: 1,669 net total, $44,038 average, $40,071 median.

64 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $71,081 average, $75,267 median; 1,387 other professionals: $45,276 average, $41,868 median; 66 secretarial and clerical: $31,931 average, $31,748 median; 152 technical, skilled and service: $26,613 average, $26,000 median.

• School of Medicine Division Administration: 346 net total, $47,849 average, $34,823 median.

35 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $132,992 average, $97,697 median; 140 other professionals: $49,805 average, $46,440 median; 11 secretarial and clerical: $30,528 average, $28,822 median; 160 technical, skilled and service: $28,704 average, $28,977 median.

• School of Nursing: 89 net total, $45,083 average, $42,744 median.

Seven executive, administrative and managerial employees: $73,690 average, $63,074 median; 76 other professionals: $43,745 average, $42,641 median; six secretarial and clerical: $28,658 average, $28,644 median.

• School of Pharmacy: 53 net total, $46,420 average, $41,995 median.

Four executive, administrative and managerial employees: $87,872 average, $79,872 median; 44 other professionals: $44,405 average, $42,617 median; five technical, skilled and service: $30,988 average, $30,576 median.

• School of Social Work: 89 net total, $48,694 average, $51,786 median.

Six executive, administrative and managerial employees: $70,121 average, $70,755 median; 83 other professionals: $47,145 average, $50,800 median.

• Secretary of the Board of Trustees: nine net total, $72,438 average, $64,520 median.

Four executive, administrative and managerial employees: $100,012 average, $77,263 median; five other professionals: $50,380 average, $48,322 median.

• Senior Vice Chancellor and Provost: 298 net total, $62,891 average, $41,245 median.

67 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $152,433 average, $109,772 median; 165 other professionals: $42,093 average, $41,155 median; 57 secretarial and clerical: $23,623 average, $22,105 median; nine technical, skilled and service: $26,304 average, $25,834 median.

• Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences: 47 net total, $75,698 average, $40,311 median.

11 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $201,754 average, $160,546 median; 30 other professionals: $37,764 average, $34,200 median; six secretarial and clerical: $34,267 average, $31,344 median.

• Student Affairs: 153 net total, $43,435 average, $37,874 median.

17 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $89,284 average, $89,000 median; 108 other professionals: $41,182 average, $38,941 median; 28 secretarial and clerical: $24,288 average, $24,093 median.

• Swanson School of Engineering: 105 net total, $47,152 average, $40,211 median.

Eight executive, administrative and managerial employees: $101,953 average, $94,602 median; 80 other professionals: $43,762 average, $40,029 median; nine secretarial and clerical: $28,055 average, $26,520 median; eight technical, skilled and service: $47,738 average, $43,742 median.

• Titusville campus: 47 net total, $31,621 average, $32,180 median.

27 other professionals: $35,394 average, $33,660 median; nine secretarial and clerical: $21,516 average, $19,987 median; 11 technical, skilled and service: $30,627 average, $28,745 median.

• University Center for International Studies: 54 net total, $42,021 average, $39,391 median.

Eight executive, administrative and managerial employees: $71,677 average, $66,393 median; 40 other professionals: $38,593 average, $38,500 median; six secretarial and clerical: $25,337 average, $24,702 median.

• University Center for Social and Urban Research: 27 net total, $41,953 average, $42,480 median.

21 other professionals: $47,131 average, $48,801 median; six technical, skilled and service: $23,827 average, $24,317 median.

• University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute: 149 net total, $41,338 average, $37,485 median.

Four executive, administrative and managerial employees: $56,226 average, $46,320 median; 129 other professionals: $42,023 average, $38,865 median; five secretarial and clerical: $37,087 average, $40,717 median; 11 technical, skilled and service: $29,827 average, $29,557 median.

• Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement: 116 net total, $58,226 average, $45,444 median.

45 executive, administrative and managerial employees: $87,210 average, $72,187 median; 71 other professionals: $39,856 average, $36,771 median.