Annual Pay Increases
WPI recognizes the contributions of its faculty and staff through a pay increase program that supports competitive and equitable pay. The program provides for a university-wide base pay increase and a merit increase that reflects individual performance. Increases are determined annually and take effect on January 1.
This page outlines the annual increase process and explains who is eligible, how your increase is determined, when to expect it in your pay, and how staff promotions fit into the annual salary increase pool.
Dates for the current cycle appear in the Key dates box next to the process steps.
How the annual increase process works
Pay increases follow the same cycle each year, with all increases taking effect on January 1.
| When | What happens |
| Sep |
WPI announces the salary increase pool The university shares the funding available for annual increases, merit, and promotions. |
| Oct–Nov |
Merit administrators recommend merit increases in Workday Merit administrators will receive the timeline and instructions for the cycle. When the merit process opens in Workday, administrators recommend increases for eligible employees, using performance ratings from the most recent review period. |
| Nov |
Recommendations are reviewed and approved Merit recommendation approvals cascade upward through senior leadership to cabinet members, who review and determine the final distribution for their organizations. |
| Dec |
Employees are notified of their increase Eligible employees receive an email and a Workday notification confirming their total pay increase (annual base increase + merit increase, if applicable). |
| Jan 1 |
Increases take effect New pay rates are effective from the first day of the year. |
| Jan |
Pay increases appear in paychecks Depending on how pay periods fall, the first January paycheck may include only part of your increase. See “Your paycheck” below. |
Key dates
Dates for the current cycle:
| Jul 1, 2026 | Eligibility: start date before this date |
|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2026 | Increase pool announced |
| Oct 22, 2026 | Merit administrators receive instructions |
| Oct 26, 2026 | Merit process opens in Workday |
| Oct–Nov 2026 | Merit administrators make recommendations that are reviewed by senior leadership up through cabinet |
| Nov 24, 2026 | Merit process closes in Workday |
| Dec 8, 2026 | Supervisors notified of final increases |
| Dec 10, 2026 | Employees notified |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Increases take effect |
| Jan 8, 2027 | First paycheck with a partial increase |
| Jan 22, 2027 | First paycheck with the full increase |
Eligibility
Faculty and staff are eligible for pay increases if all of the following apply:
- Started at WPI before July 1 of the year before the increase takes effect.
- Are benefits-eligible.
- Received a performance rating of “successful” or “meets expectations” or above for the most recent review period.
Questions
If you have questions about your pay increase, please contact your Talent Strategy Partner.
Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement
Please refer to the terms of your contract. Eligibility, timing, and pay-increase provisions may differ.
Your Paycheck
Increases take effect January 1. However, your increase may show up over two paychecks because biweekly pay periods don’t align with the calendar year.
- First January paycheck: if the pay period covered by this check began in December, only compensation effective January 1 is paid at your new rate, so this check may reflect only part of your increase.
- Next paycheck: the first pay period that falls entirely in the new year reflects your full increase.
The first two paycheck dates of 2027 are listed in the Key dates box above. For full pay schedules and other payroll information, please visit the Payroll page.
Promotions
Staff and faculty promotions are funded from a separate part of the annual salary increase pool. Click the links below for more information.
Information about WPI’s approach to equity reviews is coming soon.