Compensation Glossary
Welcome to ERI SalaryExpert's compensation glossary, your resource for commonly used terms, formulas, and phrases related to compensation.
MSA
Metropolitan Statistical Areas are U.S. geographic areas consisting of a large population nucleus together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with the nucleus. Where metropolitan areas are combined to form Consolidated Metropolitan Areas (CMSAs), the component metropolitan areas are designated Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSAs). Metropolitan areas that are not combined to form CMSAs are designated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).
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Demotion
Restricted Stock
Lead-Lag Pay Structure Policy
Compensable Factors
Green Circle Rate
Bonus
Stock Option Incentive
Red Circle Rate
Broadbanding
Merit Increase
Range Spread
Cost of Living
Black-Scholes Model Z
Percentile
Standard Error of Estimate
Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
Pay Equity
FICA
Benchmarking
Range Penetration
Geographic Differential
Market Index
Works Council
Mix
Sales Compensation
Lag the Market
Long-Term Incentive Plan
Job Evaluation
Market Pricing
Mean
Market Based Salary Increase Budget
Pay Range Overlap
Median
Linear Regression
General Salary Increase
Defined Benefit Plans
Benchmark Job
Turnover
Shift Differentials
Range
Pay Grade
Internal Equity
Quartile
Lead Pay Structure Policy
Cost of Labor
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Standard Deviation
Step Rates
Total Rewards
Lump Sum Merit
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
Minimum Wage
Compa-Ratio
Salary Range
Salary Grade
Mode
Coefficient of Determination
Defined Contribution Plans
Midpoint Progression
Gender Pay Gap
Job Family
Aging Survey Data
Year of Service
Annual Incentive
Hours of Work
Promotional Increase
Salary Structure Change
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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.
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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