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How to Read the Salary Schedules
General Conditions of Appointments
Schedule 1: Instructions and Qualifications
Schedule 2: Instructions and Qualifications
Schedule 3: Instructions and Qualifications
Summer Quarter Hourly GRSA: Instructions and Qualifications
Resident Tuition Policies for Graduate Appointees
Variable Rate Compensation Policy for Graduate Research Assistants
Variable Rate Compensation Policy for Graduate Teaching Assistants
Salaries listed on the various salary schedules are at the 50% equivalent rate, since that is the most common appointment percentage. You will need to adjust the salaries to convert to an appointment at a different percentage.
Each appointment category has its own job code, and each job code also has a corresponding step that must be entered into OPUS. It is imperative that job codes and steps are entered correctly so that the correct salary applies to the appointment. For all regular TA/RA/SA salary rates, the step is always 010. Variable rate RAs and TAs will have their own steps associated with each appointment level.
There are three different "schedules" for each type of appointment: Schedule 1, Schedule 2 and Schedule 3. Each has different instructions and qualifications for use, as described on this page.
Schedule 1 salary rates apply to an Academic Student Employee (ASE) who meets all of the following conditions:
An ASE meeting the above conditions also receives exemption from paying the operating fee portion of total state tuition and fees and qualifies for health insurance (GAIP) paid by the University. For current tuition and fee information and fee explanations please refer to the Office of Planning and Budgeting website. For additional information on health insurance benefits, please refer to the Benefits & Work Life website.
Schedule 2 salary rates apply to an Academic Student Employee (ASE) who meets one or both of the following conditions:
Guidelines for Use of Schedule 2
While most ASE appointments meet the requirements for Schedule 1 salary rates, and therefore qualify for a resident operating fee tuition waiver and university paid health insurance benefits, there are a limited number of situations where appointments do not meet these conditions. These include appointments that are for less than 50% FTE and/or appointments for less than 5 of the 6 pay periods during any quarter during the academic year or less than two consecutive pay periods during Summer Quarter.
Schedule 2 salary rates should be used only under these circumstances. Schedule 2 rates include a pro-rata share of the operating fee portion of current Tier 1 PhD tuition as salary compensation in order to provide the ASE with a comparable compensation package. Schedule 2 appointments do not qualify for university paid health insurance.
For current tuition and fee information and fee explanations please refer to the Office of Planning and Budgeting website. For additional information on health insurance benefits, please refer to the Benefits & Work Life website.
Schedule 3 salary rates apply to an Academic Student Employee (ASE) who meets all of the following conditions:
Guidelines for Use of Schedule 3
Schedule 3 is to be used ONLY in situations where an outside funding agency will not allow tuition to be charged to a project budget AND the appointment is for at least 50% FTE for at least 5 of the 6 pay periods in a quarter.
The only difference between Schedule 1 and Schedule 3 appointments is the way in which resident operating fee coverage is provided to the appointee. As with Schedule 1 appointments, the non-resident differential and technology fee are automatically waived. The appointee also qualifies for the same GAIP coverage provided by Schedule 1 appointments.
Procedures for Processing Schedule 3 Appointments
Schedule 3 appointments provide a base salary equivalent to Schedule 1 rates. They also provide additional compensation equivalent to the resident operating fee of the specific tuition tier rate charged to the appointee.
Hiring units using Schedule 3 appointments must use the appropriate Schedule 3 job code. Schedule 3 appointments have TWO distribution lines in the payroll system. The first is for the base salary (with earn type GSA). The second distribution line is for payment of the student's resident operating fee. This should be entered with earn type G3S. There is no associated FTE% with this distribution line - it is entered in the same way that temporary salary increases are entered for staff. The amount to enter is the resident operating fee of the student's tuition tier divided by either 3 (if paying over all 6 pay periods in the quarter) or 2.5 (if paying over 5 out of the 6 pay periods in the quarter). Appointments for less than 5 complete pay periods should never be paid via Schedule 3 appointments. They should instead be paid on Schedule 2
In order to determine the correct resident operating fee amount to enter, hiring units should verify the appointee's tuition tier. For verification, the appointee can provide a copy of their tuition statement showing the tier. Or someone in the hiring unit who has access to student accounts on SDB can look the student up and provide verification. Please note that appointees who are concurrently enrolled in more than one degree program will be charged tuition based on the higher of the tuition tiers (if they are different). Tuition tiers should be verified each quarter in case the appointee has added a concurrent degree or changed their degree program completely. Changes in tuition rates take effect each autumn quarter and adjustments in ongoing appointments will definitely need to be made at that point.
Once you have verified the correct tuition tier, look up tuition rates on the Office of Planning and Budgeting website. Look at the pdf for the resident tuition rates only, and then make sure you only take the resident operating fee amount into your calculations.
If the appointee has another ASE appointment that provides tuition coverage OR has tuition coverage from another source, you will need to take this into account when calculating how much extra compensation to pay beyond the base salary.
Please contact the Fellowships and Awards Office with any questions.
During summer quarter only, RAs may be appointed on an hourly basis through the GRSA (job code 0854) designation. A GRSA appointment requires that a student NOT enroll in any kind of classes/credits during the summer quarter as tuition and health insurance benefits do not apply. Hourly pay rates are set according to the ASE contract and are listed here. Specific policies apply to this appointment; more information can be found at the Student Compensation website and in the ASE contract.
An academic student employee (ASE) is treated as a resident for state tuition purposes regardless of residency status during the quarter of his/her appointment if all of the following conditions are met:
An academic student employee (ASE) employed as an RA is paid at the salary rate applicable to her/his home academic department, no matter where on campus s/he is employed as an RA.
An academic student employee (ASE) employed as a TA is paid at the salary rate applicable to the department in which s/he is serving as a TA.
Work Study appointees are required to be compensated on an hourly basis. Hourly rates are calculated using the Schedule 3 monthly rates which include tuition. Work study appointees do not qualify for tuition exemption or University paid health insurance because they do not meet the minimum 50% FTE threshold.
If you have questions about this information, please contact Helene Obradovich, helene@u.washington.edu