QUESTION: Do position descriptions include requirements for advanced degrees? Do the salaries found in the Assessor Series databases assume specific levels of education? I know what to pay someone with 13 years of experience, but how would I take into account that the person has a PhD?
Educational degree "requirements" are normally not listed in the ERI job description, but average education levels and educational premiums are available in the Salary Assessor.
Average Education Level Required is reported in the Job Characteristics tab. This information is gathered through job analyses collected for occupations in the Salary Assessor. Additional detail on these analyses are found in the Occupational Assessor.
The Salary Assessor also includes an Education adjustment in the Adjustments tab that allows the user to modify the education level for the selected job or use the default level. Depending on the job selected, a modification to the Education level may or may not apply a premium to compensation. There are four types of Education adjustments, indicated in the Education Type column:
•Survey Average signals that the selected education is the average education level for the occupation. This education level is associated with a zero percent salary increase when applied to a given job,
•No Change signals that ERI has not found a change in compensation at the given education level. These education levels are associated with a zero percent salary increase when applied to a given job.
•Premium signals that ERI has found a change in compensation at the given education level. These education levels increase compensation when applied to a given job.
•Reduction signals that ERI has found a change in compensation at the given education level. These educations levels decrease compensation when applied to a given job.
Please see the related Assessor Series FAQ #25 about security clearance premiums.