Data show modest increases in Rice faculty salaries, continuing salary disparities based on gender

By Kern Vijayvargiya     1/15/09 6:00pm

In 2007-'08, Rice University faculty earned the highest average faculty salaries and compensations of any Texas university, according to data published by the American Association of University Professors. In that term the average salary for Rice faculty members was $103,700. When benefits are included, the average compensation for all Rice faculty members was $129,100.The data also showed that salary disaprities continue to exist between male and female faculty members.

Behind Rice were the University of Texas-Dallas with an average salary of $103,300 and the University of Texas-Austin at $92,200. UT-Dallas and UT-Austin were also second and third in terms of compensation, with $127,400 and $110,800 respectively. The University of Houston had an average salary of $82,900 and average compensation of $101,700.

Rice's average faculty salary beat the national average of all colleges by $17,180. Among private colleges, it was $2,572 greater than the national average.

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Among national universities, faculty members are classified in four categories: professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor. At Rice, 99 percent of professors and 99 percent of associate professors have tenure, the privilege of holding their appointment until resignation or retirement. Tenured faculty can only be terminated for reasons relating to their professional capacity.

At the national level, professors last year earned an average salary of $137,100, an increase of 5 percent. The national salary increase for professors was 4.1 percent among private colleges. In total, professors earned an average annual compensation of $171,000. On average, male professors earned $7,200 more than female professors at Rice. Rice ranks 13th in Texas for the largest gender-salary gap among professors.

Associate professors can be appointed without tenure for a term of up to three years. However, at Rice, 99 percent of associate professors are tenured. Associate professors earned an average salary of $94,500, an increase of 7.7 percent over the previous year. The national salary increase for associate professors was 4.2 percent among private colleges. In total, associate professors earned an average annual compensation of $116,800. On average, female associate professors at Rice earned $1,600 more than male associate professors.

Assistant professors are appointed for an initial term of four years, which can be renewed for an additional four years. Assistant professors earned an average salary of $81,600, an increase of 6.7 percent over the previous year. The national annual salary increase for assistant professors was 3.6 percent among private colleges. In total, assistant professors earned an average annual compensation of $100,300. On average, male assistant professors earned $11,200 more than female assistant professors at Rice. Rice ranks second in Texas for the largest gender-salary gap among assistant professors.

Instructors are appointed for an initial term of two years. This term can be extended for up to eight years. Instructors at Rice earned an average salary of $50,400 last year, an annual increase of 3.4 percent. The national annual salary increase for instructors was 7.2 percent among private colleges. In total, instructors earned an average annual compensation of $62,300. On average, female instructors at Rice earned $2,300 more than male instructors.

According to Speaker of the Faculty Senate Deborah Harter, the salary gaps between male and female faculty are not surprising: Female instructors and associate professors may be paid more than men because they stay employed at the same level longer.

"If more women than men remain or are employed at this level, then their salaries, over time, would tend to be higher than those of men," Harter said.

According to Provost Eugene Levy, his office periodically monitors the salary differences between male and female faculty. Every spring, the Provost's Office meets with the dean of each school to analyze salaries, looking for any inappropriate patterns. His last report indicated no statistically significant gender imbalance.

"It is something we pay a lot of attention to," Levy said. "Every year, we do a broadscale budget analysis."

Levy said he did not believe there was an imbalance in salary between males and females, claiming two main factors that an average does not account for. First, he cited a large number of women employed early in their careers. According to Levy, faculty salaries tend to increase with time. Second, he noted a trend where fewer women are entering higher-paying fields including science and business. However, Levy said that in several departments, the highest-paid faculty member is female.

Three years ago, the faculty governance changed from a Faculty Council which met infrequently, to a Faculty Senate which meets once a month. The new Faculty Senate, however, does not include a Committee on Salary Equity, which statistically analyzed the salary differences between men and women for the Faculty Council.

Harter said she is working to address this issue.

"I am currently working out with the provost a structure that will ensure reports to the Faculty Senate on salary gender equity," she said.

Leebron's Salary up 11.4%

Every year, the Chronicle of Higher Education publishes the compensation of executives at private universities. In 2006-'07, Rice President David Leebron earned an annual salary of $719,588 along with $147,876 of benefits for a total compensation of $867,464. These benefits include deferred compensation and retirement contributions. This was an 11.4 percent increase from Leebron's 2005-'06 total compensation of $778,167.

Leebron's total compensation ranked twentieth among executives at private institutions. Leebron declined to be interviewed about his salary. According to B.J. Almond, Rice's director of News and Media Relations, Leebron's compensation falls in the "mid-range" for leading private research institutions. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Trustees decides on Leebron's salary after an annual review of his performance.

"Every year the Committee has to approve President Leebron's compensation," Almond said. "They look at how well he has been doing in his job."

Colleges file the 990 form every year with the Internal Revenue Service. This form lists the compensation of college executives. The most current 990 form available is for the 2006-'07 year.

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