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Geographic regions across the U.S. and Canada

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EXPERTISE AT THE READY

Insights from the 2025-2026
Salary Budget Survey

Unexpected stability

Merit increase budgets remain flat at 3.2% median, suggesting companies are choosing a "conservative and consistent" approach over reactive cost-cutting.

Regional variation

The Pacific Northwest is anticipating some of the highest merit increases, likely influenced by inflation that leads the national average.

Executive increases

In spite of (or driven by) labor market volatility executive job levels are anticipating the highest promotional increases (8% non-exempt to 20% executives).

"You simply cannot create effective pay-for-performance programs when you're trying to spread 3.2% across employees in locations where wage inflation, cost of living, cost of labor, and talent scarcity look nothing alike. The math doesn't work."

—  Dwight Brown, Vice President, Compensation Consultant

white paper

Regional Salary
Budget Insights for
2025–2026

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