Scale Overview
The Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire – PSQ was developed by Herbert G. Heneman III & Donald P. Schwab (1985). It is designed to measure Pay Satisfaction. The scale is intended for use with Working adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Pay Level, Benefits, Raises, Pay Structure and Administration.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Pay Level |
1,5,10,14 |
4 |
| Benefits |
2,6,11,15 |
4 |
| Raises |
3,4,7,16 |
4 |
| Pay Structure and Administration |
8,9,12,13,17,18 |
6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 18 to 90. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Pay Satisfaction: 18 – 42
- Moderate Pay Satisfaction: 43 – 66
- High Pay Satisfaction: 67 – 90
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Composite alpha: .77 to .88; Subscale alphas: .73 to .96.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.