Annual Surveys
The Leader in Higher Ed HR Research
CUPA-HR has been the recognized authority on higher ed workforce data for more than 50 years. Our annual surveys provide critical salary, workforce and workplace data to inform decision-making by higher ed HR professionals and other campus leaders.
About Our Annual Surveys
CUPA-HR’s five annual surveys provide:
- timely data from the current academic year
- data confidentiality maintained to the highest standards
- participants representative of all higher ed institutions
More than 1,000 institutions participate each year, contributing institutional and incumbent-level data that reflects nearly one million faculty and staff. We also collect important demographic data that offers additional insight into the composition and structure of the higher ed workforce. In addition, we collect data on traditional employee benefits, flexible work, remote work, professional development opportunities, outsourcing, and more, providing a comprehensive picture of the higher ed workplace.
Data from CUPA-HR annual surveys allows higher ed institutions to:
- Benchmark compensation for all employees
- Compare traditional benefits with what similar institutions are offering
- Benchmark the size and structure of departments
- Assess pay equity
- Make better decisions about succession planning
- Compare policies on well-being, flexible work, outsourcing, performance reviews, and more
The Data We Collect
Over the years, CUPA-HR has continued to refine its surveys to ensure we’re collecting the data higher ed HR leaders need to inform their decision-making. Explore the methodology, data collected, and participating institutions for each survey.
How We Protect the Data
Protecting the data CUPA-HR survey participants provide is an essential part of the work we do. Our Data Use Agreement and Data Anonymity Statement outline the protections we’ve put in place for both collection and use of data.
- Data Use Agreement
- Data Anonymity Statement
- Surveys Online – Privacy Policy and Security Overview (PDF)
How to Access the Data
CUPA-HR conducts analyses of this data to publish reports and interactive graphics that highlight important findings and trends for higher ed HR professionals. CUPA-HR members have access to even more in-depth information.
DataOnDemand (DOD) is CUPA-HR’s subscription-based data service, which provides not only access to the data, but also analysis and reporting tools for creating custom data comparisons. An important part of this tool is the ability to specify which peer institutions you want to include in your benchmarking. Institutions that contribute data during the data collection process receive a deep discount on the DOD subscription for the survey(s) in which they participate. CUPA-HR offers resources, tutorials and labs for those who want to use data and DOD more effectively.
Read our full research disclaimer and terms of use.