Compensation Glossary
Welcome to ERI SalaryExpert's compensation glossary, your resource for commonly used terms, formulas, and phrases related to compensation.
Effort Bargain
The effort bargain is what an employee receives (level of compensation, benefits, etc.) from an employer in exchange for what the employee: brings to the table (knowledge and experience) AND does (the tasks of the job or the “effort” made) for that employer. The terms of the bargain are typically outlined in an employment contract.
Popular Searches
Pay Grade
Compa-Ratio
Step Rates
Benchmark Job
Compensable Factors
Promotional Increase
Restricted Stock
Bonus
Range
Defined Contribution Plans
Hours of Work
Long-Term Incentive Plan
Works Council
Range Spread
Market Pricing
Red Circle Rate
Total Rewards
Cost of Living
Salary Range
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Mix
Turnover
Benchmarking
Range Penetration
Midpoint Progression
Shift Differentials
Salary Grade
Coefficient of Determination
Standard Error of Estimate
Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
Sales Compensation
Pay Equity
Market Index
Job Family
Quartile
Merit Increase
Median
Geographic Differential
Lead Pay Structure Policy
Lag the Market
Mean
Gender Pay Gap
Percentile
Green Circle Rate
Broadbanding
FICA
Linear Regression
Black-Scholes Model Z
Pay Range Overlap
Salary Structure Change
Lead-Lag Pay Structure Policy
Stock Option Incentive
General Salary Increase
Cost of Labor
Internal Equity
Standard Deviation
Market Based Salary Increase Budget
Year of Service
Demotion
Minimum Wage
Job Evaluation
Defined Benefit Plans
Annual Incentive
Aging Survey Data
Lump Sum Merit
Mode
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
Featured White Paper
Common Compensation Terms and Formulas - January 2026
Find commonly used compensation terms and formulas for your reference when planning compensation.
Ready to Streamline Your Compensation Strategy with Us?
Discover how our Assessor Platform can help you attract top talent, stay on top of market trends, and set your organization up for success, all in one platform.
Try a Free Demo
White Papers
Insights on Compensation
About Us
ERI SalaryExpert was launched in 2000 by ERI Economic Research Institute to help organizations and individuals optimize salary planning. Our robust compensation management solution houses the global salary survey data and applications needed to design competitive and effective compensation structures. From benchmarking with reliable market data to analyzing geographic differentials and conducting pay equity analyses, our intelligent platform is an innovative way of merging integral salary survey data with efficient features, all in one system.
Learn More
Featured White Paper
Common Compensation Terms and Formulas - January 2026
Find commonly used compensation terms and formulas for your reference when planning compensation.
Ready to Streamline Your Compensation Strategy with Us?
Discover how our Assessor Platform can help you attract top talent, stay on top of market trends, and set your organization up for success, all in one platform.
Try a Free Demo
About Us
ERI SalaryExpert was launched in 2000 by ERI Economic Research Institute to help organizations and individuals optimize salary planning. Our robust compensation management solution houses the global salary survey data and applications needed to design competitive and effective compensation structures. From benchmarking with reliable market data to analyzing geographic differentials and conducting pay equity analyses, our intelligent platform is an innovative way of merging integral salary survey data with efficient features, all in one system.
Learn More