Professor Salary System in American Universities and Implications

This study analyzes the global competitiveness of university professor salaries in Taiwan and summarizes the main characteristics of the university salary system in the US. This approach provides implications based on the US experience, which can be used as a reference for Taiwan. In addition, the opinions and views of Taiwanese scholars and experts on the university salary systems in Taiwan and the US are cross-validated through semi-structured interviews with 11 university education personnel in Taiwan and document analyses. The interview topics are derived from the results of a literature review and information from relevant documents. Finally, four implications are proposed based on the research findings. 1. The salary level of university professors in Taiwan is domestically competitive, but its global competitiveness requires improvement. 2. Gradual increases in professor salary level differences to promote talent flow between countries and industries. 3. The university professor evaluation system requires improvement to effectively strengthen teaching quality and research capacity. 4. Basic guarantees and performance-based awards should be combined to induce better teaching, research, and service quality.