FY27 Merit Salary Program

Updated 6/26/26: The merit-based salary program described below is included in the FY27 university budget, which was approved by the OU Board of Regents and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in June 2026.

Eligibility Criteria for Benefits-Eligible Staff

To qualify for a merit increase, benefits-eligible staff must meet all the following criteria:

Position & Appointment

Appointed to a benefits-eligible position
Hired before September 1, 2025
Have a minimum of 0.5 Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)

Performance Review & Merit Tiers

Received a Merit Tier assignment of 3, 2, or 1 on their CY2026 Performance Review

Merit Tier	Percentage Pay Increase
Tier 3	4.5%
Tier 2	3.5%
Tier 1	2.5%
Tier 0, N/A	Not eligible

Job & Salary Changes

Staff with a salary increase effective between July 1, 2025 (excluding merit increases), and December 31, 2025, are only eligible for a Merit Tier assignment of 1.
Staff with a salary increase on or after January 1, 2026, through June 30, 2026, are ineligible for a merit increase.

Exceptions

HR Compensation may approve exceptions due to extenuating circumstances.

Merit-Based Raises for Staff Funded by Grants or Contracts

Merit-based raises for staff whose appointments are funded by grants or contracts must adhere to the same guidelines as other staff, including the specified increase amounts, timing, and exclusions outlined on this page.

If legal obligations within a grant or contract may prevent adherence to these guidelines, please send the original signed agreement to HrCompensation@ou.edu for review, along with a list of affected employees that includes the following information:

Employee Details

Employee Name
Employee ID

Position Funding Details

OU chartfield spreads and distribution amounts
Grant or contract name

Contract Period & Contacts

Performance Periods/Dates
Contracting Officer or Granting Agency Point of Contact Name
Principal Investigator Name
Program Manager Name
Contract Manager Name

Contract/Grant Details

Contract or Grant Type (e.g., fixed price, cost-plus, research grant, fellowships, project grants, training grants, etc.)
Funding restrictions or clauses regarding pay increases, or prior approval requirements by the contracting agency for increases or rate changes

Please contact your department administrator or HrCompensation@ou.edu if you have questions.

Academic Appointments

Merit-based raises for employees in academic positions will generally follow the same guidelines as staff, with certain exceptions based on funding source or appointment type. For questions regarding merit-based raises for academic employees, including faculty and researchers, please contact your college administrator or the Provost’s Office.

how are these merit raises administered?

No action is required from the employee to receive a Merit Tier salary increase. If approved by the OU Board of Regents, the increase will take effect on July 1.

HR colleagues, business managers, and financial administrators will receive an email regarding funding for the raise program and instructions for reviewing pay information.