Annual Surveys

Professionals in Higher Education Survey Methodology, 2025-26

CUPA-HR has been collecting data on higher ed professionals since 1998. The data collection period for CUPA-HR’s Professionals in Higher Education Survey ran from November 3, 2025, to January 15, 2026. The survey was conducted through Surveys Online.[1]

Positions Surveyed

The survey collected data on 409 positions grouped into the following professional areas:[2]

Academic Affairs

  • Academic Coordinators, Accrediting and Credential Specialists, and Advisers
  • Instructional Design and Media, Training Delivery, and Faculty Development
  • Librarians (with and without faculty status)
  • Museum Professionals, Performing Arts Professionals, and Religious Officials
  • Admissions, Financial Aid, and Enrollment Management Professionals

Athletics

  • Athletics Professionals and Trainers
  • Head Coaches
  • Specialty Coaches
  • Assistant Coaches

External Affairs

  • Development and Fundraising Professionals
  • Alumni Relations, Community Relations, and Public Policy Professionals
  • Communications and Marketing Professionals
  • Media Heads and Managers
  • Event Professionals
  • Extension Program Professionals

Facilities

  • Heads of Printing or Mailing Services, Maintenance, and Construction
  • Facilities Planners and Architects
  • Engineers
  • Environmental Safety and Risk Management, Facility Operations, and Retail Operation Professionals

Fiscal Affairs

  • Accounting Professionals
  • Audit and Finance and Budget Professionals

Information Technology (IT)

  • IT Heads
  • IT Analysts, Web Professionals, and Other End-User Specialists
  • IT Database, Client Support, and Network Support Professionals
  • IT Systems Support, Security, and Telecommunications Specialists

Institutional Affairs

  • Administrative Professional Associates
  • Legal and Human Resources Professionals
  • Organizational Development and Planning Professionals
  • Institutional Research and Assessment Professionals
  • Materials Management and Business Operations Professionals
  • Supervisors of Office and Clerical, Skilled Craft, and Service and Maintenance Personnel

Research Professionals, Statisticians and Data Scientists, and Health Science and Environmental Sustainability Professionals

  • Research Professionals: Physical and Social Sciences
  • Research Professionals: Medical and Life Sciences
  • Laboratory Coordinators
  • Research Support Professionals
  • Statisticians and Data Scientists
  • Health Science and Environmental Sustainability Professionals

Student Affairs

  • Student Success Professionals
  • Housing Professionals
  • Student Activities, Wellness, and Counseling Professionals
  • Cultural, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity Professionals

Data Collected

This year’s survey includes data for 342,480 professionals. For each professional reported, the following data were collected:

  • Annualized base salary (effective date November 1, 2025)
  • H-1B status
  • Exempt/non-exempt status
  • Full-time/part-time status
  • Sex (optional)
  • Race/ethnicity (optional)
  • Year entered current position (required)
  • Birth year (optional)
  • Bonus eligibility (yes or no; for coaches only)
  • State of residence

Participants uploaded a file containing this data.

Institutional Basics

Basic data on institutional characteristics were collected from all participants:

  • Total expenses reported to IPEDS in 2024-25
  • Student enrollment (effective date approximately October 15, 2025)
  • Faculty size (effective date November 1, 2025) and number of separations in the past year
  • Staff size (effective date November 1, 2025) and number of separations in the past year
  • Human resources staff size and number of separations in the past year
  • CHRO reporting relationship
  • Whether collective bargaining exists for the following groups:
    • Full-time faculty
    • Part-time or adjunct faculty
    • Full-time staff
    • Graduate students

Basic information on total expenses as well as student, faculty, and staff size were required questions. All other questions were optional.

Respondents

Respondents were largely human resources professionals from higher education institutions in the U.S. There were 981 institutions that completed the survey.

Citation Information

CUPA-HR. (2026). Professionals in Higher Education Survey, 2025-26 [Data set].

Methodology – Printer-Friendly (PDF)

1 Surveys Online is a product of Peerfocus.

2 See the Faculty Survey Participation and Information Template for a complete list of all professional positions surveyed, instructions to participants, and more information on how data were collected.