Abstract
This study examines the role of research performance and seniority in determining faculty salary in university graduate departments. Four fields were studied: chemistry, physics, political science, and sociology. Seniority was found to be positively related to the pay structure in most of these fields and in most of the prestige levels, though slightly more so in the social sciences. Overall, research performance dimensions were found to be the major predictors of salary. Articles are most effective in predicting salary in the physical sciences and least effective in the social sciences. The reverse is true regarding published books.
The applicability of these findings to university administration is discussed and potential changes in the reward systems are elaborated.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, J. S. Inequity in social exchange. In L. Berkowitz (ed.)Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 2. New York: Academic Press, 1965, pp. 267–299.
Bayer, A. E.College and university faculty: statistical description. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1970.
Berelson, B.Graduate education in the united states. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1960.
Cartter, A. M.An assessment of quality in graduate education. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1966.
Cole, S., and Cole, J. R. Scientific output and recognition: a study in the operation of the reward system in science.American Sociological Review 1967,32 377–390.
Elton, C. F. and Rodgers, S. A. The Departmental rating game: measure of quality or quantity?Higher Education 1973,2 439–446.
Gross, E. Universities as organizations: a research approach.American Sociological Review 1968,33 518–544.
Hagstrom, W. O. Competition in science.American Sociological Review 1974,39 1–18.
Katz, D. and Kahn, R.The social psychology of organizations. New York: Wiley, 1966.
Kerlinger, F. N. and Pedhazur, E. J.Multiple regression in behavioral research New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.
Kuhn, T.The structure of scientific revolutions, 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970.
Lawler, E. E.Pay and organizational effectiveness. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971.
Lodahl, J. B.Paradigm development as a source of consensus in scientific fields (Doctoral Dissertation, Cornell University, 1970).
Lodahl, J. B., and Gordon, G. The structure of scientific fields and the functioning of university graduate departmentsAmerican Sociological Review 1972,37 57–72.
Pfeffer, J., Salancik, G. R., and Leblebici, H. The effect of uncertainty on the use of social influence in organizational decision-making.Administrative Science Quarterly 1976,21 227–245.
Somit, A. and Tanenhaus, J.American political science: a Profile of a discipline. New York: Atherton Press, 1964.
Tosi, H. L., and Carroll, S. J.Management: contingencies, structure and process. Chicago: St. Clair Press, 1976.
Useem, M. State production of social knowledge: patterns in goverment financing of academic social researchAmerican Sociological Review 1976,41 613–629.
Weber, M.Theory of social and economic organization. New York: Oxford, 1947.
Yoels, W. C. The Structure of scientific fields and the allocation of editorship on scientific journals: some observations on the politics of knowledge.Sociological Quarterly 1974,15 264–276.
Zuckerman, H., and Merton, R. K. Patterns of evaluation in science: institutionalization, structure and functions of the referee system.Minerva 1971,9 66–100
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Neumann, Y. Determinants of faculty salary in prestigious versus less-prestigious departments: A comparative study of academic disciplines. Res High Educ 10, 221–235 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00976266
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00976266