At UMich Salary Explorer, my goal has always been simple: give people the clearest, most useful salary data possible. No fluff, no jargon, no buried numbers—just the information taxpayers deserve to see. And today, I’m excited to share some major updates that make this site even better.

Comparing Salaries Year to Year

One of the most common questions people ask when looking at salary data is: How has this changed over time? Now, that question is much easier to answer. With our latest update, you can now see percentage changes in salaries from year to year. No more guessing. No more manually comparing numbers. Now, it’s all laid out for you in a way that actually makes sense.

A New Way to Measure Overpayment

Let’s be honest—some people are making way more than others, and sometimes, that difference is hard to justify. That’s why I built a new Overpayment Meter to make these disparities crystal clear.

Here’s how it works:

Green means the salary is within a reasonable range.
Yellow means it’s pushing the limits.
Red means the salary is sky-high and way beyond expectations.

For example, one recent data point:

Dusty May, Head Basketball Coach
- Department: Athletics
- This employee makes 72.50x the average Michigan salary (Highly Overpaid).
- This employee makes 60.42x the national average salary.

Now, when you look at a salary, you don’t just see a number. You see what it actually means.

More Transparency, Always

At UMich Salary Explorer, we believe in keeping things open and honest. That’s why we will always let you know about changes and improvements to the site. Transparency isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we practice.

Every time we add a new feature, refine an existing one, or improve the way we display data, you’ll hear about it right here. Because if the goal is clarity, then that should apply to everything we do.

What’s Next?

There’s still more work to be done. I’m always looking for ways to make this platform more useful and accessible. If you have ideas, suggestions, or even just thoughts about what data matters most, I want to hear from you.

For now, explore the new updates, play around with the Overpayment Meter, and see how salaries stack up over time. More is coming soon—and as always, I’ll keep you posted.

Stay informed. Stay empowered.
- Tyler Esch