Compensation Study Program
Bryn Mawr College is committed to attracting, supporting and retaining talented faculty and staff who advance our mission and contribute to our community. To ensure that our compensation practices are fair, competitive and aligned with our values, we launched this comprehensive staff and faculty compensation study in partnership with an external leader in the field of total rewards, Segal.
We invite you to follow updates on this site as the study moves forward.
Project Timeline
(May - June 2025)
- Project initiation
- College and review data
- Conduct stakeholder interviews
(June - July 2025)
- Develop job families
- Create job level framework
(June - August 2025)
- Identify benchmark jobs to price
- Determine appropriate survey sources for comparison markets
- Obtain data for market pricing
- Perform competitive market analysis
- Conduct compression analysis
July - September 2025
- Create salary structure(s)
- Discuss job evaluation approaches and assign jobs to the structure
- Conduct employee and cost implications analysis
Mid - Late Fall 2025
- Develop implementation strategy
- Provide communications and training support
2026
- Draft report of findings and recommendations
- Review draft report with team
- Present report to Senior Leadership
Project Scope
Bryn Mawr College has initiated a project to assess our faculty and staff compensation program. A compensation program is a structured system that is designed to attract, retain, and motivate employees through direct compensation. We are partnering with Segal, a human resources consulting firm nationally recognized for its work with hundreds of higher education institutions, to complete this important work.
Our ability to recruit and retain professional talent requires a competitive and fair compensation program that reflects our culture and work environment. As per best practices within the higher education industry, our compensation program should be updated regularly, understood easily, and be financially responsible. At the conclusion of this assessment, we will have a revised compensation program for faculty and staff, as relevant. Key outcomes of this work will include:
- Overarching compensation program that is clear, market competitive, fair, and ensures internal equity
- Comprehensive compensation philosophy that includes positioning of salaries to the appropriate talent/labor markets and balancing benefits and cash compensation
- Framework that groups and organizes jobs by clearly defining the nature/type of work and level of work performed
- Contemporary, market-based salary structure and pay ranges
- Pay administration guidelines for ongoing salary administration and maintenance
Compensation Study Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Study Purpose & Scope
The initiative modernizes compensation, strengthens recruitment and retention, and ensures pay practices are equitable and competitive. Through conversations with various campus stakeholders, we have identified several key areas for enhancement:
- Identifying career progression pathways
- Supporting staff development and manager effectiveness
- Standardizing pay structures across departments
- Aligning compensation with market standards
- Promoting transparency and fairness in pay practices
The study encompasses all staff positions, with a separate compensation review occurring for faculty, to ensure equity and market competitiveness across the institution.
The study spans several phases: establishing guiding principles, gathering input, conducting market analysis, developing new salary structures, and planning implementation.
This is a collaborative, cross-campus effort. Samir Datta, VP for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial & Administrative Officer is working with Jill Walsh, AVP of Human Resources and a core team from Human Resources to manage the project day-to-day. This group is working closely with Senior Leadership and the Provost’s Office to guide and shape this project.
The study aims to create a more transparent, equitable, and supportive work environment for both faculty and staff:
- Faculty will benefit from a review of salary equity and competitiveness, helping ensure alignment with peer institutions and market standards.
- Staff will gain clearer job expectations, transparent career paths, and a better understanding of how competitive compensation is determined.
Yes. One of the primary goals of this initiative is to make career growth more visible and accessible. The new job architecture will identify initial career progression through the salary structure and criteria for moving from one job level to the next. Future initiatives will highlight how your skills might be applicable to other areas within the College.
Your daily responsibilities and reporting structure are unlikely to change. Some job titles may be adjusted for consistency and clarity, with advance notice and explanation provided.
No. While job titles may be consolidated to improve consistency and clarity, no positions will be eliminated because of this initiative.
Project Team
Segal will work with the Senior Staff team on compensation philosophy, and the Faculty Welfare Committee and the Staff Association will provide representatives to engage with Segal representatives as they visit campus for feedback. Samir Datta, Vice President for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial & Administrative Officer will work with a core team from Human Resources to manage the project day-to-day.
The Segal project team brings an excellent combination of skills and experience that we feel will enhance our ability to deliver exceptional and timely results. The project team consists of experienced consultants who are dedicated to meeting the needs of the College in a manner that is cost efficient, timely, and of high quality.
Kari Aikins, CCP, SPHR
Client Relationship Manager
Kari is a Vice President in the New York region. Responsible for helping the New York region to grow and expand its presence in the
higher education marketplace, she has over 20 years of HR experience with expertise in total rewards and extensive experience in compensation, benefits, talent management, organizational design and development, communications and HR technology.
Carolyn Cowper
Engagement Leader
Carolyn is a Vice President at Segal with over 20 years of experience in human capital consulting, with a focus on compensation and performance management assessment and design in higher education. She provides innovative solutions for attracting and retaining key talent as well as aligning the organizational structure and employees to the institutional strategy. She leads many of the firm’s compensation-related initiatives across a variety of industries.
Compensation Study Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Topic: Study Purpose & Scope
Why is the colle conducting a job architecture and compensation study?
The initiative modernizes compensation, strengthens recruitment and retention, and ensures pay practices are equitable and competitive. Through conversations with various campus stakeholders, we have identified several key areas for enhancement:
- Identifying career progression pathways
- Supporting staff development and manager effectiveness
- Standardizing pay structures across departments
- Aligning compensation with market standards
- Promoting transparency and fairness in pay practices
The study encompasses all staff positions, with a separate compensation review occurring for faculty, to ensure equity and market competitiveness across the institution.
What does this study include?
The study spans several phases: establishing guiding principles, gathering input, conducting market analysis, developing new salary structures, and planning implementation.
Who is leading the initiative?
This is a collaborative, cross-campus effort. Samir Datta, VP for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial & Administrative Officer is working with Jill Walsh, AVP of Human Resources and a core team from Human Resources to manage the project day-to-day. This group is working closely with Senior Leadership and the Provost’s Office to guide and shape this project.