Compensation Survey FAQ

You can submit your data to PSMJ directly through the online surveys. When you’re done entering your data, just click submit and you'll have access to a copy of your responses. We'll also send an email to confirm that we’ve received the submission.

If you've already received survey links:
The personal links emailed to you by PSMJSurveys@psmj.com allow you to access the surveys, save your progress, and return (via the links in your email) to complete them at your own pace.

If you don't have your survey links:
Go to our participation page, provide your contact info, and we’ll email you secure links to the surveys you select. You'll be able to access the surveys, save your progress, and return (via the links in your email from PSMJSurveys@psmj.com) to complete them at your own pace.

Yes, our online surveys are saved and submitted to our Survey Team when you’re finished entering data.

After you submit the surveys, you’ll receive an email confirmation and a copy of your data. You’ll also be able to purchase the full results at the participant price ($999 vs. $1999).

If you don’t receive an email confirmation or you aren’t redirected to the purchase page, please contact us.

We'll be in touch if we have any questions about your data and we’ll email production updates in the weeks/months leading up to the release of the survey results.

Yes! You'll have access to a copy of your responses directly after submitting your data.

When the survey results are published, we’ll also send your firm’s Primary Survey Contact an Excel version of your results that you can use to plug your data into your free benchmarking tool.

Yes! Click the “Continue and Save” buttons as you move through each page, and your progress will be saved.

If you need to close your browser before finishing and submitting the survey, you can use the survey links we email you to return to the spot where you left off.

Yes! If you need to close your browser before finishing and submitting the survey, you can use the survey links we email you to return to the spot where you left off.

Click the “Continue and Save” buttons as you move through the survey, and your progress will be saved.

We hope you’ll love our online surveys, but if you prefer an Excel version, please contact us at PSMJSurveys@psmj.com.

If you’d like an Excel file for reference, or for pasting data into the online survey, please let us know and we’ll be happy to send you a copy.

See our detailed pop-up note instructions by hovering your cursor over this symbol ⓘ.

Please read these instructions to ensure consistency across participating firms.

You can print the instructions here: Management Compensation & Staff Compensation

Unless otherwise noted, answers should reflect your firm's compensation practices/policies in effect as of January/February 2026.

No, percentages should be entered as just the raw number – for example, 3% should be entered as 3 or 3.00, not 0.03.

Yes, indicate the current total number of employees, including all professional staff, technical staff, clerical and administrative staff, partners/principals, and the full-time equivalent for part-time staff, seasonal help, and paid interns.

To convert part-time staff, seasonal help, and paid interns to full-time equivalents, divide by 2,080 hours for U.S. or 1,950 hours for Canada. Count full-time employees who work more than 2,080 hours as one employee.

For the Compensation Surveys, you only need to provide data for the positions related to your firm. If you don’t have a specific position/discipline in your firm, please skip it and leave the entire position blank.

If you have difficulty providing data for a certain metric, contact us and we’d be happy to discuss options.

We would rather you leave the item blank. However, approximation is fine.

Yes, but we ask that you convert part-time staff to full-time equivalents by multiplying their hourly salary rate by 2,080 hours for U.S. or 1,950 hours for Canada.

Canadian firms should report results in Canadian dollars. You may skip any questions not applicable to Canadian firms.

Please only provide data for A/E Services. Do not report employee data for divisions of your firm that are not involved in providing professional services.

For the Compensation Surveys, you only need to provide data for the positions related to your firm.

Descriptions are included in pop-up notes in the surveys.

Many non-management disciplines are self-explanatory and are based only on years of experience.

Please classify your management and staff into the titles we have included in the survey, even if your titles are different.

Please pick a representative (median) individual rather than averaging all people in the position.

Please classify them in the position that is their primary responsibility or commitment of effort for the firm — pick the function on which he/she spends the most time (more than 50%).

Please DO NOT include the same employee in multiple positions/surveys, unless they are a Project Manager who spends less than 50% of their time managing projects, as noted in the Management and Staff Surveys.

Please DO NOT include the same employee in both the Management and Staff Surveys, unless they are a Project Manager who spends less than 50% of their time managing projects, as noted in the surveys.

Measure relevant experience from the first applicable bachelor-level degree. Years in graduate school should be counted one-for-one as if the employee were working. Relevant experience gained prior to achieving a bachelor-level degree should also be counted one-for-one. Approximation is acceptable.

No, we are asking for performance-based, discretionary bonuses only. Exclude owner distributions based on share ownership.

No, please do not include overtime pay in base salary. If a salaried employee is rewarded/paid for extra hours worked, include this in the performance bonus section. For hourly employees, do not include OT in base salary or bonus.

If a salaried employee is rewarded/paid for extra hours worked, include this in performance bonus.
For hourly employees, do not include overtime in base salary or bonus.

No, we ask for the percentage of time the manager typically spends on projects and business development (BD) only. Please note, BD is separate from general and administrative activities (G&A). The total for projects and BD does not have to total 100%.

Licensed by a governing body recognized for this position.

There is NO COST to participate.

In fact, participants receive a free Excel-based benchmarking model.

They also receive a 50% discount on the full results, if they choose to purchase.

Every firm is different, and it depends on how you have your data organized. For some firms it only takes a few hours or less, for others it could be a few days. The first year is more of a time investment as you organize your information to fit our data collection standards – but it’ll be well worth it! As a thank you for participating, we give you a free benchmarking tool that’ll save you hours or even days on your benchmarking process. And you’ll receive a 50% discount on the full results, if you choose to purchase.

We don’t currently offer this service for the Compensation Surveys, but if you’re interested in having us complete the comp surveys for you, please let us know.

The Bonus & Benefit Survey is collected every other year. We’ll be offering the survey for 2027 -- we hope you’ll participate!

Participants receive a free Excel-based benchmarking tool with key survey results for each survey they provide data for, and a 50% discount on the full results, if they choose to purchase.

Perks and production updates will be sent to the primary survey contact a few months after data collection.

See the Survey Report Samples & Tables of Contents section of our FAQ to view tables of contents, sample tables, and screen shots of our products.

After you submit your data, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase the full results at the participant price ($999 vs. $1999). We’ll also email reminders later in the season.

Management & Staff Compensation Survey results are published in May.

Bonus & Benefit Plans Survey results are published in July (odd years only).

Participants receive 50% off the full results ($999 vs. $1999).

This is by far the best pricing we offer for our compensation and benefits products.

Please note: Participant pricing applies only to the specific survey title and year in which you participated and cannot be combined with any other offer or bundle. For example, 2026 Compensation Survey participants would receive participant pricing only for the 2026 Compensation Benchmark results.

The Compensation Benchmark Model is an Excel-based tool that includes all metrics from the Compensation Surveys in a more interactive format, allowing you to compare your firm’s data to the peer groups you’ve selected with a click of your mouse. We offer an abridged version with key metrics that participants receive for free and a full version that contains all metrics from the survey results. The Excel Model is designed to easily start off your benchmarking process with key metrics, as well as the full data set for a deeper dive. All versions include both tabular and graphic formats, as well as the ability to calculate a peer average based on the groups you've selected. In addition, our full Compensation Model includes inflation and metro-area adjustment features.

See the Survey Report Samples and Tables of Contents section of our FAQ to view tables of contents, sample tables, and screen shots of our products.

Please note: The Compensation Model is separate from PSMJ’s Salary Equity Tools, which are exclusively provided in PSMJ workshops and through consulting engagements.

We conduct the Bonus & Benefit Plans Survey every other year. We're offering the survey for 2027 -- we hope you’ll participate!

No, these are PSMJ’s HR/Compensation Surveys. To be eligible for the Circle of Excellence, you must participate in our annual Financial Performance Survey. It is the ONLY way to be considered for PSMJ's prestigious COE, the year's most successful firms based on 9 key survey metrics. By participating in the Financial Survey your firm will automatically be eligible for the award. Click here to learn more.