Mass Salary Update
Fiscal Year 2026-27 Staff Mass Salary Update Guidelines
To assist departments in preparing their annual operating budgets, UNM administration is releasing the following guidelines for staff compensation increases for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Consistent with the UNM 2040 Strategic Framework and UAP 3500: Wage and Salary Administration, these guidelines apply consistently to regular staff employees at all campuses and all funding sources.
Mass Salary Update
Departments should determine staff salary increases based on the following guidelines:
- All eligible staff employees will receive a 1% salary increase.
- Contingent on sufficient internal funding, departments may provide increases above 1%, but not greater than 4%, to address equity, market competitiveness, performance, retention, or salary compression.
- Departments must use consistent criteria for determining additional increases and maintain internal documentation supporting their increase decisions. Examples of criteria to determine increases above 1% may include:
- The extent an employee’s education and job-related experience exceed the minimum requirements for their position.
- The extent an employee’s salary level trails market (salaries below the midpoint of the grade).
- Exceptional performance on goals or job responsibilities as documented in an employee’s performance evaluation.
- Salary, compression, and internal equity recommendations based on HR’s Salary Placement and Equity Tool (SPET).
- Departments must use consistent criteria for determining additional increases and maintain internal documentation supporting their increase decisions. Examples of criteria to determine increases above 1% may include:
- To be eligible for July 1 increases, staff must meet the criteria below:
- Employees must have been hired prior to January 1, 2026 and will have completed their probation period prior to July 1, 2026.
- Employees must not have received a “Not Successful” Overall Job Responsibilities or Overall Goal rating on their 2025 Performance Evaluation.
- Salary increases for bargaining unit employees are subject to the applicable collective bargaining unit agreement.
Additional Information
- All salary increases must be entered into the UNM Salary Planner system prior to published deadlines.
- In alignment with HR’s standard practice, the Staff Salary Structure grade ranges will adjust to account for the FY27 1% salary increases.
- Increase guidelines for main/branch campus faculty will be issued by the Office for Academic Personnel.
- Increase guidelines for Health Sciences faculty will be issued by the respective Health Sciences school/college.
- Any exceptions to these guidelines will be considered only upon written approval by the appropriate Executive Vice President.