Compensation Philosophy
We are committed to providing competitive total compensation and benefits packages that attract, retain, and reward the talent needed to support our mission and vision. Our holistic view considers the College’s investments in base pay, healthcare cost sharing, retirement plan contributions, tuition benefits, and a range of other benefits the institution offers. The College continues to make significant investments in all these areas, particularly in healthcare, where it is subsidizing nearly 90 percent of the cost of medical plan premiums.
In addition to strong benefits, we are introducing a structured pay model that ensures fairness, transparency, and future growth opportunities for staff. Our philosophy is grounded in our goal of providing a dynamic and rewarding work environment in which each of our staff members are growing and contributing in meaningful ways.
Staff Compensation Structure
The College has a staff classification and compensation program designed to ensure internal equity, market competitiveness, and alignment with institutional values in base pay (salaried or hourly rate). Our goal is to promote transparency, support career growth, and provide fair and consistent compensation practices across all staff positions.
Base pay is informed by various factors including:
- Market data and benchmarking
- Internal equity analyses
- Institutional budget considerations
- Performance and contributions
- Role and responsibilities
Each staff position is assigned a classification based on a combination of factors including job responsibilities, required skills and qualifications, and scope and complexity of work performed. Classifications determine:
- Job Family and function
- Exempt vs. non-exempt overtime status
- Employment type (administrative or operational)
- Job level and associated salary grade and band
These classifications help ensure consistency in evaluating positions across departments and supporting equitable comparison across positions. Position classifications also serve as a key basis for the College’s staff base pay grade structure.
The College has developed a structure designed around pay grades and pay bands. This framework is intended to represent current Colby positions and provide future structure for new and changing positions. Pay grades and their associated pay bands reflect role complexity and required skills, internal job hierarchy, external benchmarking, and position classification.
Staff may progress within a pay band based upon depth and breadth of experience, acquisition of new skills, merit or market-based increases or advance to new bands through promotion or position reclassification.
You will find the pay table reflecting this pay grade and pay band structure here.
This model is used to:
- Support the annual staff compensation review process
- Establish compensation offers as part of the recruiting and hiring process
- Adjust position grade alignments based upon market shifts
- Monitor distribution of pay within and across the grade structure
Additionally, the pay grade and pay band structure is a living and breathing framework that will be continuously evaluated and adjusted based upon market and College needs.
You may find the set of Frequently Asked Questions of help in providing further information and clarification on the compensation model.
Managers and Supervisors may request an evaluation of a position classification for a member of their staff if responsibilities have significantly changed. The process includes:
- Submission of a reclassification request form
- Review by the Office of Human Resources
- Consultation with department and/or division leadership
Reclassification decisions are based on the nature of the work performed and not performance in a position to preserve the methodology behind the pay grade and pay band structure.
Staff Base Pay Grade Structure
Why is the College implementing a staff compensation model?
The College is committed to supporting staff in their essential work in enabling the achievement of the mission and vision. Developing and implementing this new model is a key foundational component of:
- Ensuring internal equity and consistency
- Aligning compensation with external market benchmarks
- Providing a clear structure for job classification and pay
- Supporting staff development and career advancement
How is the new staff compensation model different from what we have now?
The College has not had a formal staff compensation model in the past. Pay decisions were made individually without a standard structure. The new model introduces a clear grade system with salary ranges based on job responsibilities, market data, and internal equity. This brings more consistency, fairness, and transparency than before.
What is a Base Pay Grade System?
A base pay grade system is a commonly used system that organizes jobs into different levels, each with a corresponding compensation range to ensure fair and consistent compensation within an organization. It helps establish a clear hierarchy of pay based on factors like job responsibilities, skills, and experience.
What is a Salary Range?
Each grade level within the structure is associated with a compensation range with a defined minimum, midpoint and maximum salary for positions associated with that grade level. The pay range reflects the market value of positions within the grade. This structure allows for progression within a range based on several factors including performance, experience, and time in position.
How were the compensation bands developed?
The College engaged Willis Towers Watson, a leading global consultancy with deep expertise in workplace and workforce strategies, to partner with the Office of Human Resources as well as college leadership to develop this staff compensation model. Extensive work was done in evaluating job descriptions, job responsibilities, internal equity, and market competitiveness of all staff positions to create a balanced and sustainable structure that supports both individual and institutional goals. Willis Towers Watson utilized internal data provided by the College as well as extensive salary data to assist in the development of the grade structure and associated pay ranges. This was an iterative process with senior leadership deeply engaged in the evaluation of each position and its assignment in the model.
How does the new grade structure relate to the grade information I can see in my Workday profile?
The grade information currently visible in your Workday profile does not reflect your actual job classification or compensation level under the new structure. When Workday was first implemented, the grade fields were primarily used for administrative purposes, such as determining benefit eligibility, rather than for compensation planning.
With the implementation of the new grade structure, these fields will be realigned to accurately represent job levels and salary bands. Once the transition is complete, the information in Workday will be updated to match the new framework.
How will I know what compensation band my position is aligned to in the pay model?
The grade and pay range structure is currently being configured in Workday. Individual grade and pay range details will be visible in individual Workday profiles on September 1, 2025, allowing staff to view their classification at any time.
Will my salary change because of this new system?
The College has been utilizing insights gained through this work to direct investments as needed to better align positions within the assigned grade and pay structure. The College has made a concerted effort to ensure all staff positions are within the range of their assigned grade. The future increases will align with institutional practices around merit, market adjustments, or promotions.
What if my salary is above the maximum of my new compensation band?
We have very few positions which are above the maximum of the compensation range assigned to their grade level. Being above maximum does not automatically mean an individual will not receive future adjustments in compensation. The model helps inform compensation, but it is a flexible model allowing the College to make compensation decisions based upon individual circumstance.
Will this system affect annual merit or performance-based increases?
The grade and pay range model is one data point, among others such as performance, contribution, promotion or expanded responsibilities, and new skills acquired, that will be considered during the annual staff compensation process.
How does this system support career development or progression?
The grade structure supports professional growth by providing paths to progress within a grade as well as to move up to new grade levels based upon changes in an individual’s job responsibilities, increased scope and complexity of responsibilities, skill acquisition, and depth and breadth of experience.
What staff positions were included in the development of the new compensation model?
All full and part time regular positions with the College were included in the process of developing the new model.
Will the Staff Base Pay Grade System be reviewed or updated in the future?
The staff pay grade system is a living framework. It will be reviewed regularly to ensure alignment with market conditions, institutional needs and workforce trends.
Who can I speak with if I have questions about my classification or compensation band?
Your HR Business Partner can assist with questions, clarifications, or individual concerns.
207-859-5510
or
207-859-5512
Understanding Classifications
What is the difference between exempt and non-exempt status and how is this determined?
Exempt vs. non-exempt refers to an employee’s eligibility for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Exempt employees are generally paid a salary and are not entitled to overtime pay, while non-exempt employees are typically paid hourly and are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
What is a Job Family?
A Job Family is a group of jobs within an organization that share similar characteristics, skills, levels of responsibilities and career paths. They typically represent a functional area within an organization such as Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities, Finance, Marketing, Security, etc. The jobs are grouped together based upon the nature of the work performed, allowing for systematic organization and management of the workforce.
What is a Job Profile?
A Job Profile is a standardized approach to describing the key details of a position within an organization, including its responsibilities, required skills and/or experience, qualifications, and expectations. It serves as a reference for recruitment, employee evaluation, and career development.
What is a Position?
At Colby, a Position is the role within the College assigned to an individual staff member. A position is assigned various attributes in our system including full or part time status, reporting structure, location, etc.
What is a Business Title?
A business title is a customizable title used to reflect an employee’s specific role, scope, or responsibilities within their department. It is used for external-facing purposes, such as campus directories, email signatures, and organizational charts, to help communicate an individual’s role more clearly.
In contrast, job profiles, job families, and positions are part of the College’s internal classification framework used within Workday to support organizational structure, compensation, reporting, and workforce analytics. These internal elements ensure consistency, equity, and accurate data across institutional systems.
Where can I find my assignment in the grade structure and the compensation range associated with that grade?
You can view your assigned grade and the compensation range for that grade directly in Workday:
- Sign in to Workday.
- Click your Profile photo → View Profile.
- Select Compensation.
- Under this section, you’ll see your Grade.
- Click the Grade Compensation Range tab to view the pay band, including the Minimum, Midpoint, and Maximum of your assigned grade.
For step-by-step guidance with screenshots, please see the Job Aid: View Compensation
Can my Job Profile change?
Job profiles may be reviewed and adjusted based upon a formal review process if responsibilities significantly evolve.