pay grade

noun

: a level of compensation for work especially when understood to reflect responsibility and authority

"People listen to you regardless of your pay grade," a Goldman managing director told me. "There is a real respect for the individual voice."

—John Cassidy

—often used figuratively

The unanswerable questions ascend into the skies, far above your pay grade, whatever it may be.

—Robert W. Lucky

Unfortunately … he appears to think the task of community development is below his pay grade.

—Faith Bautista

No one will read this book and come away wondering if steroids really work. Oh, they work. They bump a competitor up a whole pay grade—from finishing in the middle of the pack in the final heat to breaking the tape and collecting the winner's bonus.

—Michael Sokolove

Examples of pay grade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The abusive father and violent end were a little above our collective pay grade, and paired very poorly with tea and Girl Scout cookies. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025

But that’s above my pay grade, certainly. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025

Where are the biggest paychecks for this pay grade? —Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 1 Sep. 2025

That is a topic above my pay grade! —Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pay grade

• afraid
• allayed
• arcade
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted