Sets out the general policy for the use of off-scale salaries and the UC Irvine Merit Scale.

A. UC System-wide Salary Scales

The UC system-wide salary scales provide University of California salary rates or salary ranges established for a given academic title or title series. The scales may be divided into steps or into ranks and steps within the ranks.

B. Off-Scale Salary

The term “off-scale” is used by the Office of the President to indicate that a salary is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step.  Off-scale salaries may be approved for academic appointees in the Professor series or comparable titles when necessary to meet competitive conditions (see APM 620-14 for a complete list of eligible titles).

Calculating Off-Scale Salary at Advancement.

Limitations of Off-Scale Salary

  1. An off-scale salary may not be the same as any salary on the published scale for the particular title or series.
  2. An off-scale salary may not be less than the salary associated with the rank and step in the UC system-wide salary scales.
  3. Salaries above the thresholds require Presidential or Regental approval.
C. UC Irvine Merit Scale

University budget reductions over the past years have contributed to the lag between the system-wide faculty salary scales and average salaries of comparison universities. In an effort to address this lag in salaries and to reward faculty for their productivity and valuable contributions to the campus, UC Irvine has implemented the UC Irvine Merit Scale. UCI ladder rank faculty who are awarded a promotion or merit at the Assistant, Associate Professor or Full Professor rank are eligible for an increase equivalent to the appropriate rank/step salary on the UC Irvine Merit Scale.

Using the UC Irvine Merit Scale

The UC Irvine Merit Scale is re-calibrated annually on July 1st. Faculty with a review outcome effective that July 1st will have their salaries checked against the UC Irvine Merit Scale after all applicable salary increases are calculated (e.g. range adjustments, discretionary increases, salary adjustments, etc.). If their final salary is below the UC Irvine Merit Scale, their salary will be brought up to the scale for their appropriate rank/step.  If their final salary is above the scale, no changes will be made.

The UC Irvine Merit Scale should not be used when calculating a proposed salary at advancement.  For salary calculations, please see: Calculating Off-Scale Salary at Advancement.  Salaries for newly hired faculty members should be offered on or above* the latest published UC Irvine Merit Scale.

Scales are located on the Academic Personnel website:

  1. Academic Year (9 month) Regular Professor Series
  2. Academic Year (9 month) Professor Series—Specialized Economics/Engineering Scales

These scales illustrate both the UC system-wide scale, as well as the UC Irvine Merit Scale.

All faculty who move to the UC Irvine Merit Scale will be off-scale from the UC system-wide salary scale. This off-scale designation will be noted in the payroll system.

*NOTE: Salaries for newly hired faculty members above the UC Irvine Merit Scale require prior approval from the Vice Provost of Academic Personnel BEFORE a tentative offer letter is issued to the candidate.