Emory University Is Raising Minimum Wage for Student Employees

The Atlanta university will raise the student employee minimum wage from $9 to $12 per hour starting in January and will cap it at $15 per hour by September 2024.

Published on December 19, 2022

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Published on December 19, 2022

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Student employee wages will rise incrementally from January 2023 to September 2024 from $12 to $15 per hour.
Emory is raising wages to be more competitive and fill open positions left after relaxing COVID-19 protocols.
The raise will cost Emory $625,000-$800,000 over the next few years.

Emory University student employees will get a pay raise starting in January.

The university announced it will raise the hourly minimum wage for undergraduate, graduate, and work-study student workers to $15, starting in January 2023 and finalizing by September 2024.

In January 2023, pay will increase to $12 an hour and then again to $13.50 an hour by September 2023. That wage will stay until it is capped at $15 in September 2024.

Students will see the pay increase during the first pay period on Jan. 8, 2023.

"Student workers play a vital role at Emory, and we're pleased that our pay rates will better reflect their important role on our campus and continue to keep pace with the competitive employment market," said Ravi V. Bellamkonda, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

According to the school's press release, Emory approved the change on Nov. 28 to make wages competitive after low employment and many open positions after COVID-related restrictions ended.

Before the change, wages varied from an hourly minimum of $9-$12, with each hiring unit setting individual pay rates. Now, all student wages will be managed by human resources to guarantee competitiveness.

"Just as the job market for Emory alums is strong, so is demand for our current students. It's important we stay competitive to ensure we attract and retain our student workers," said Theresa Milazzo, vice president for human resources.

Emory, which is located in Atlanta, employs just over 5,000 students. This series of raises will cost the university about $625,000-$800,000 before it eventually becomes part of the overall operating budget.

"Emory units want to hire student workers whenever possible — it's a great way to support our students, and Federal Work-Study Program contributions often make hiring students a cost-effective option as well. It's truly a win-win situation," said Milazzo.