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Common Fee Assessments
To manage the cost of doing business, UB assesses units for personnel related services, income-generating efforts and research activities. Learn how and on what funds UB applies fees to business operations.
On this page:
Fringe Benefits cost refer to those disbursements incurred for the benefit of employees that are not part of their pay (expressed as a percentage).
Funding Source: State
The assessment of Fringe Benefit charges differs for each state funding sources.
State Operating
Benefits are paid directly through the Office of the State Controller and are not charged at the campus account level.
Dormitory Income Fund Reimbursable
Benefits are assessed to Dormitory Operations cash and are not charged to campus accounts.
Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR)
Fringe Benefits are assessed on Personal and Temporary Service expenditures (excluding student, teaching and graduate assistants).
- Non-Federal - IFR accounts that do not receive federal revenue are assessed at the Non-Federal fringe rate.
- Federal - IFR accounts that receive federal revenue (often through salary recovery) are assessed at the Federal fringe rate.
State University Tuition Reimbursement (SUTRA)
- Summer/Winter - SUTRA accounts that receive tuition revenue from summer and winter sessions are assessed at the Summer/Winter rate. Rate applied to revenue collections in this account rather than expenditures.
- Non-Summer/Non-Winter - SUTRA accounts that do not receive tuition revenue from summer and winter sessions are assessed at the Non-Federal rate. Fringe Benefits are assessed on Personal and Temporary Service expenditures (excluding student, teaching and graduate assistants).
| State Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR) | State University Tuition Reimbursement (SUTRA) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | Non-Federal* | Summer / Winter | Non-Summer/ Non-Winter | |
| Retirement | 19.83% | 20.09% | Flat rate assessed on revenue | 20.09% |
| Social Security | 5.59% | 5.59% | 5.59% | |
| Health Insurance | 33.69% | 33.68% | 33.68% | |
| Dental Insurance | 0.39% | 0.39% | 0.39% | |
| Workers' Compensation | 3.09% | 3.09% | 3.09% | |
| Unemployment Benefits | 0.03% | 0.03% | 0.03% | |
| Survivors' Benefits | 0.07% | 0.06% | 0.06% | |
| Vision Benefits | 0.06% | 0.05% | 0.05% | |
| Employee Benefit Funds | 0.97% | 0.97% | 0.97% | |
Total: | 63.72% | 63.95% | 29.70% | 63.95% |
Fringe Assessments:
- Fringe is posted approximately 2 weeks following the end of the month and is back dated to the end of month date.
- Fringe charges are posted to cash as a reduction to Revenue and can be viewed in SIRI Money under the IFR Account tab.
| 24/25 | 25/26 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | Non-Federal* | Federal | Non-Federal* | |
| Retirement | 11.01% | 20.09% | 12.54% | 15.04% |
| Social Security | 5.43% | 5.59% | 7.65% | 7.65% |
| Health Insurance | 40.30% | 33.68% | 37.05% | 37.05% |
| Dental Insurance | 0.21% | 0.39% | 0.37% | 0.37% |
| Workers' Compensation | 5.47% | 3.09% | 3.90% | 3.90% |
| Unemployment Benefits | 0.08% | 0.03% | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Survivors' Benefits | 0.07% | 0.06% | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Vision Benefits | 0.04% | 0.05% | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Employee Benefit Funds | .82% | 0.97% | 0.96% | 0.96% |
Total: | 63.43% | 63.95% | 62.68% | 65.18% |
* Most State IFR's use the Non-Federal rate
| Fiscal Year | Federal | Non-Federal | Summer/Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 63.72% | 63.95% | 29.70% |
| 2022-23 | 63.72% | 63.95% | 29.70% |
| 2021-22 | 61.85% | 62.70% | 28.90% |
| 2020-21 | 57.71% | 62.39% | 27.40% |
| 2019-20 | 60.96% | 63.86% | 26.90% |
| 2018-19 | 62.48% | 63.89% | 26.10% |
| 2017-18 | 59.97% | 61.48% | 24.00% |
| 2016-17 | 54.61% | 58.71% | 28.46% |
| 2015-16 | 53.58% | 55.88% | 27.51% |
Funding Source: Research Foundation (RF)
Research Foundation
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7/1/24- 6/30/25 | 7/1/25- 6/30/26 | 7/1/26- 6/30/27 | 7/1/27- 6/30/28 | 7/1/28- 6/30/29 | |
| Research Foundation Employees | 39.50% | 39.50% | 40.00% | 41.00% | 42.00% |
| SUNY Summer-only Appointments | 14.00% | 14.50% | 14.50% | 14.50% | 14.50% |
| Graduate Students | 13.00% | 13.50% | 14.00% | 14.50% | 14.50% |
| SUNY Undergraduate Students | 5.50% | 5.50% | 5.50% | 5.50% | 5/50% |
| Research Foundation Post-Doctoral Employee | 31.00% | 33.00% | 33.00% | 32.00% | 27.00% |
| SUNY Employees (IFR) | 63.43% | 62.68% | 64.84% | 67.27% | 69.75% |
Funding Source: University at Buffalo Foundation (UBF)
The current practice for UBF is to allocate the exact cost of each individual’s benefit program to the account designated for these costs. For budgeting and planning purposes, these costs can be estimated by using other rates commonly applied throughout the University, or by using the historical averages for specific individuals. If necessary, contact UBF benefits administration (645-3013) for assistance with these estimates.
The General University Service Fee is a flat rate charged to revenue deposited in State Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR), University at Buffalo Foundation(UBF), Research Foundation(RF) or Campus Dining and Shops (CDS) accounts.
Effective November 1, 2011
| General University Service Fee (GUSF) | 13.00% |
The Salary Recovery Fee is a flat fee, charged on Salary Recovery funds deposited into Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR) Accounts. These funds are utilized to preserve research infrastructures, service and facility compensation.
Effective November 1, 2011
| Salary Recovery Fee | 20.00% |
Indirect costs are real costs related to sponsored projects that are not easily attributable to individual projects, such as maintenance, security, heating, cooling, lighting, space, disposal of hazardous waste, secretarial support, the library, and cost of compliance with government regulations.
F&A or Indirect Cost Rates
Type | On-Campus | Off-Campus | ||||
| Fiscal Year | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Research | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Federal or federal flow through | 60% MTDC | 60.5% MTDC | 61% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC |
| Non-Federal | 60% TDC | 60.5% TDC | 61% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC |
| Instruction | ||||||
Federal or federal flow through | 55.5% MTDC | 55.5% MTDC | 55.5% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC |
| Non-federal | 55.5% TDC | 55.5% TDC | 55.5% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC |
| Other Sponsored Programs | ||||||
| Federal or federal flow through | 42% MTDC | 42% MTDC | 42% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC |
| Non-federal | 42% TDC | 42% TDC | 42% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC |
| Clinical Trials | ||||||
| Federal or federal flow through | 60% MTDC | 60.5% MTDC | 61% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC | 26% MTDC |
| Non-federal | 26% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC | 26% TDC |
| IPA | ||||||
| Federal or federal flow through | 8.5% MTDC | 8.5% MTDC | 8.5% MTDC | 8.5% MTDC | 8.5% MTDC | 8.5% MTDC |
| Non-federal | 8.5% TDC | 8.5% TDC | 8.5% TDC | 8.5% | 8.5% TDC | 8.5% TDC |
Contact an Expert
IFR Fringe and GUSF
![Sean Gardner.]()
Sean Gardner
IFR, Revenue Accounting and Treasury Management
Financial Management
Phone: 716-645-2621
Email: spg1@buffalo.edu
RF Fringe and Indirect Cost Rate
Salary Recovery Fee
Erin Guiffrida
IFR, Revenue Accounting and Treasury Management
Financial Management
Phone: 716-645-2601
Email: erinhunt@buffalo.edu