Postdoc salaries
Paul Smaglik
Friday, 06 February 2009 14:23 UTC
When researching this story on postdoc stipends, I expected to see some variability in base stipends. So much for assumptions; while some variation existed—especially comparing entry-level fellowships with more advanced “superpostdocs”, I saw some big differences—the biggest factors seemed to pop up in terms of top-ups based on mobility allowances, taxation policies, and benefits. These details can make stipends swing a few thousand dollars or euros in either direction. Some national differences emerged as well. For example, postdocs funded by the German government are considered civil service positions,and, accordingly fall into strictly bracketed pay categories. But some German fellowships are considered more “advanced”, depending on discipline and skill. I thought I’d be able to put together a neat and easy chart, by country and region. But with all the exceptions, this proved nearly impossible, since so many caveats exist (ie, if you are a postdoc funded by INSERM, you can expect to make E2,500/month. But what about taxes, if you are from outside of France? And is there a mobility allowance, top-ups for dependents, etc.? Are you better off working in a French lab under a Marie Curie fellowship, which provides some of these benefits? I’m just not sure. So you shouldn’t be, either. The take-home message is to examine total compensation—not just stipends, when considering a fellowship. If you have any examples of compensation variability for postdocs, please post them here and discuss your experiences.
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A labmate is a Marie Curie fellow here in Canada, and his project was submitted by a French lab. As a result, his salary and benefits are the ones that apply in France. His salary get taxed by France ( thus ~50% goes in taxes), but the advantages for him here is that he get French healthcare ( reumbursed for almost all medical cares), French vacations ( 10 weeks as is the norm for university contracts), and savings in national retirement funds. On the top of that you have the strength of the euro over the past years that help a lot. Social security benefits seems trivial when you see how much he gets taxed, yet for people planning to move back to France one day, it is a good incentive. I would say that one of the biggest disadvantages of the postdoc experience in Canada is not getting any social benefits. The Canadian Government started looking into taxing postdocs retroactively (we are not taxed at the moment, at least in Quebec, since we are considered students), but not awarding any benefits. The fight that followed is a double-edge sword. On one hand, we have to explain why they can’t tax us for 2008 because of our student status; On the other hand, we would be better off not having that student status and getting benefits ( but as a result, pay for 10% taxes on salaries that are compensated for the tax-free status). Definitively a lose-lose situation ….
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There is a good resource for women in science and engineering in the UK; it might be worth checking that out in case some of it applies (for example there is a good section on blogging with links to lots of science blogs by women – not exactly a help to anyone’s career of course, but it can be a support and help in other ways), and in case there are links to similar resources elsewhere.
Jenny Rohn’s blog here often has debates on this subject, there is one going on at the moment, if you haven’t seen it.
Of course this is a subject that is endlessly debated and it is quite disgraceful that some of these topics have to be, in my view. (Not just salaries, though that is crucial – no female president of the royal society ever in the UK, for example, in 400 years.) Role models, family-friendly policies, general acceptance by male parents that once the breastfeeding is over, a child is an equal responsibility with the female parent, there are many aspects that require reform. Journals can do their bit by ensuring their coverage of scientists is properly representative, and that when they invite scientists to write prestigious review articles, that process is also properly represtentative. There is far too much else that could be written on this topic.
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I have found post doc salaries vary a considerable amount within the US. A couple of examples that I know off the top of my head.
University in Ohio: 30k
Government: 75K
Biotech in California: 43kConsidering all types of compensation (insurance, vacation, etc..) is important, but in these cases does not make the positions equal (as far as compensation). These numbers are in dollars.
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I think we ought to begin this study by first trying to learn the history of the postdoctorate in America. Second, we should ascertain trends in postdoctoral education over the past two or three decades and projections of participation rates for the future. We ought to try to study the impact of postdocs on universities in general and on individual disciplines in particular. We should know something about the cost of postdocs and who pays those costs. We need to know the range of postdoctoral stipends paid by various disciplines and various universities. We need to study the impact of postdoctoral education on a person’s prospects for permanent employment. We should explore the impact of international postdocs on U.S. universities and on the American research establishment. And finally, our study should look at the typical time limits placed on postdoctoral appointments; our own vice-provost for research tells me it is theoretically possible for a person to come to USC as a postdoc and retire in that position 40 years later.
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Helpful links for the NRSA program:
http://grants.nih.gov/training/outcomes.htm
“Addressing the Nation’s Changing Needs
for Biomedical and Behavioral Scientists. (2000) http://grants.nih.gov/training/nas_report/index.htm
NIH’s response to the “Addressing the Nation’s Changing Needs for Biomedical and Behavioral Scientists (2000)” report:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-01-027.html
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