The non-exempt staff workforce at U.S. colleges and universities has steadily declined over the past seven years, with both full-time and part-time positions showing significant reductions, according to new research from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR).
The organization's latest workforce trends report, "The Non-Exempt Higher Education Staff Workforce: Trends in Composition, Size, and Equity," reveals a 9 percent overall decrease in full-time non-exempt staff positions since 2017. Part-time staff numbers fell by 8 percent during the same period.
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have accelerated this downward trend, with data showing a 3.3 percent reduction in full-time positions and a dramatic 17.2 percent drop in part-time positions beginning in 2020.
The report also highlights demographic shifts within this workforce. The proportion of non-exempt staff aged 55 and older has declined from 34 percent in 2019-20 to 31 percent in 2023-24, indicating a slightly younger workforce than before the pandemic.
Women constitute 59 percent of non-exempt employees in higher education, with the highest representation in office and clerical positions. However, gender-based pay inequities persist, with women earning 96 cents for every dollar paid to white men in similar positions. The disparity is even greater for Black women (92 cents) and Hispanic women (94 cents).
People of color make up 33 percent of the non-exempt workforce—a higher representation than in other higher education employment categories, including administrators, faculty, and professionals.
The research identified further inequities affecting women and Black staff members, who are disproportionately represented in lower-paying positions such as dishwashers and custodians, while being underrepresented in higher-paying roles like metalworkers and lead electricians.
CUPA-HR, which has collected data on higher education workforce trends for more than 50 years, serves approximately 33,000 HR professionals at nearly 2,000 institutions across the United States and internationally.
