PhD, Professor, and Postdoc Salaries in the United States in 2024
The United States is home to many of the world’s top universities, making it a leading destination for international researchers. Here’s a breakdown of the most common American academic job titles and their associated average annual salaries. All salary statistics in this article are in American Dollars (USD) and are pre-tax.
PhD Student
A Master’s degree is not always required to pursue a PhD in the U.S., as many top universities offer direct entry PhD programs. American PhD programs typically begin with two to three years of coursework, after which students take qualifying exams. It takes an average of six years to earn a PhD, and most students gain teaching experience during this time, either as teaching assistants or by leading their own courses.
In the U.S., there is no mandated national salary for PhD students. PhD students’ stipends vary widely depending on the institution, field of study, and location. As of 2024, PhD students typically earn between $20,000 and $35,000 per year. Stipends may be tax-free (if they are fellowship awards) or taxable (if classified as salary for teaching or research assistant roles). Many students are funded for nine months of the year, with optional summer funding ( WorldMetrics ).
After earning a PhD, many researchers take on postdoctoral positions to further specialize in their fields. Postdocs typically last two to three years, although it's common to complete more than one postdoc in the U.S. As of 2024, the average salary for postdocs is $61,000 to $72,000 per year, depending on factors such as the field and location ( UnivStats ) ( WorldMetrics ).
A lecturer is a non-tenure-track teaching position. These positions usually carry a higher teaching load and no research obligations. Lecturers may or may not hold a PhD, and their positions are more common in the humanities and social sciences. The average salary for full-time lecturers in 2024 is approximately $70,000 per year ( WorldMetrics ).
Assistant Professor
This is the first rank on the tenure track. Assistant professors are responsible for teaching, research, and contributing to service activities within their institution. They typically teach two to four courses per semester while also supervising graduate students and maintaining an active research agenda. As of 2024, the average salary for assistant professors is $75,000 to $85,000 per year, with some variation depending on the institution and discipline( UnivStats ).
Associate Professor
An assistant professor who is granted tenure is promoted to the rank of associate professor. Tenure is a key milestone that provides job security and reflects recognition of the professor's contributions to their field. Associate professors typically have a national reputation and are involved in service activities beyond their institution. The average salary for associate professors in 2024 is around $90,000 to $101,000 per year ( UnivStats ).
Professor (Full Professor)
After five to seven years as an associate professor, faculty members can apply for promotion to full professor. This rank is granted to those who have established themselves as national or international leaders in their field. Full professors have a significant track record of research and publications. As of 2024, the average salary for full professors is $115,000 to $130,000 per year, with some earning well above this in fields like law and engineering( WorldMetrics ) ( UnivStats ).
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Jobs by field
- Electrical Engineering 172
- Machine Learning 165
- Artificial Intelligence 148
- Programming Languages 134
- Mechanical Engineering 112
- Molecular Biology 108
- Materials Engineering 107
- Computational Sciences 103
- Cell Biology 98
- Electronics 93
Jobs by type
- Postdoc 262
- Assistant / Associate Professor 251
- Professor 152
- Tenure Track 110
- Researcher 104
- Lecturer / Senior Lecturer 94
- Engineer 47
- Management / Leadership 41
- Research assistant 37
Jobs by country
- Belgium 228
- Switzerland 125
- The Netherlands 124
- Luxembourg 68
Jobs by employer
- Mohammed VI Polytechnic Unive... 79
- KU Leuven 78
- University of Luxembourg 65
- ETH Zürich 65
- KTH Royal Institute of Techno... 57
- Ghent University 54
- Eindhoven University of Techn... 53
- Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) 32
- University of Oulu 31
Postdoctoral Salary and Health Insurance Rates
The Vice President for Research periodically updates the community on standards related to postdocs. Below please find summary information related to salary/stipend thresholds and health benefits for postdoctoral fellows. We have an outstanding population of over 1500 postdocs at MIT, and we are committed to providing mentoring and career development that supports each postdoc’s advancement on the path to professional independence.
Mandatory Minimum Salary Level for Postdoctoral Scholars (Associates and Fellows)
Effective January 1, 2024, the minimum salary/stipend for all postdoctoral scholars (Postdoctoral Associates and Postdoctoral Fellows) is $66,950.
The minimum salary/stipend for postdoctoral scholars is reviewed each fall, and adjustments take effect annually on January 1. The annual reappointment of a postdoc does not trigger an increase as a matter of policy; however, PIs retain discretion to provide a salary or stipend above the Institute-wide minimum and are encouraged to consider the competitive landscape when doing so. For more information, see the letter from the Vice President for Research .
Maximum Salary Level
The maximum postdoctoral salary is $85,000. DLCIs should direct requests for exceptions to this maximum to [email protected] . The Office of the Vice President for Research will work with the relevant dean’s office to review all requests.
Health Benefits for Postdoctoral Scholars
We are committed to equalizing the cost of health insurance between postdoc fellows and associates, so that the premiums paid by fellows for the SHIP/Affiliate health plan are not greater than what they would be paying if they were postdoctoral associates on the employee health plan .
At the time of a fellow's initial appointment, MIT administrative contacts conduct an evaluation, factoring in any health insurance coverage included in the fellowship. When the remaining cost to the fellow would exceed that of a postdoctoral associate, they arrange in advance for the faculty host to provide the difference between the cost to the individual for fellows versus associates. For each category of coverage, the current annual premium cost difference is indicated below.
2024 Annual Rates
- Faculty Postdoctoral Advisory Committee (FPAC)
- MIT Postdoctoral Association
- Key Administrative Contacts for Postdocs
- Information for New Postdocs
- Join the Postdoc Mailing List
- Defining Postdoc Fellows and Associates
- Looking for a postdoctoral position?
- Salary and Health Insurance
- Eligibility
- FAQs for New Parent Postdocs
- Postdoc Time Off Benefits
- Portable Child Care Benefits at MIT
- Tax Information
- From Associate to Fellow
- From Fellow to Associate
- Postdoctoral Mentoring and Advising Toolkit
- Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) Training
- Postdoc Involvement in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Taking a Course at MIT
- Teaching at MIT
- Getting Help: Medical and Stress Management Resources
- Personal Safety
- Transportation and Parking
- MIT Acronyms
- MIT Policies and Procedures
- Establishing an Internal Fellowship
Cornell University --> Graduate School
Office of postdoctoral studies, postdoc salary and benefits.
- The level for federal fiscal year 2024 is $61,008.
- The minimum rate is not applicable to postdoctoral fellows, unless otherwise provided by the fellowship award.
Salary for postdoctoral associates and fellows on NIH awards must follow the minimum salary requirements based on years of experience.
For NIH details, see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-24-104.html .
Postdocs who are funded by the university (funding coming from a faculty advisor or a prestigious fellowship) and are appointed as postdoctoral associates receive full Cornell benefits including health care and retirement.
To find information about benefit rates for postdocs, visit the Employee Benefits and Benefits Eligibility pages.
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- Career Feature
- Published: 15 February 2023
Career feature
Retaining postdocs by recognizing their worth
- Esra Yalcin ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1064-7989 1 , 2 , 3 na1 ,
- Rosa Martinez-Corral 2 , 4 na1 &
- Mayank Chugh ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5167-6890 2 , 4
Nature Biotechnology volume 41 , pages 296–298 ( 2023 ) Cite this article
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Data from a postdoc salary and benefits survey may assist in retaining PhD holders interested in academia but considering alternate options owing to financial considerations.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are indebted to Gary McDowell for providing valuable resources, personally communicating data, discussions and feedback on this manuscript. The authors also thank D. Khong, E. McKay, T. Sainburg, G. Romero, A. Cha and S. Nandagopal. They are grateful to J. Gould and M. Tally at the Office of Postdoctoral Fellows of the HMS for their unwavering support, funding and resources.
Author information
These authors contributed equally: Esra Yalcin, Rosa Martinez-Corral.
Authors and Affiliations
Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Esra Yalcin
Harvard Medical Postdoc Association, Boston, MA, USA
Esra Yalcin, Rosa Martinez-Corral & Mayank Chugh
Boston Postdoctoral Association, Boston, MA, USA
Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Rosa Martinez-Corral & Mayank Chugh
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R.M.C., E.Y. and M.C. conceived and designed the manuscript, and curated and interpreted the data. E.Y. acquired the data and R.M.C. analyzed it. M.C. wrote and supervised the manuscript. All authors read the manuscript.
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Correspondence to Mayank Chugh .
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Yalcin, E., Martinez-Corral, R. & Chugh, M. Retaining postdocs by recognizing their worth. Nat Biotechnol 41 , 296–298 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-01656-4
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IMAGES
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COMMENTS
Postdoc After earning a PhD, many researchers take on postdoctoral positions to further specialize in their fields. As of 2024, the average salary for postdocs is $61,000 to $72,000 per year, depending on factors such as the field and location ( UnivStats ) ( WorldMetrics ).
Explore 20 of the highest-paying Ph.D. programs, examine the average salary of jobs within each field and read about the main topics you study in each degree.
Here's a list of the average salary for postdocs in each state: Alabama: $45,435 per year. Alaska: $64,222 per year. Arizona: $56,675 per year. Arkansas: $51,745 per year. California: $50,473 per year. Colorado: $71,002 per year. Connecticut: $57,023 per year. Delaware: $50,538 per year.
Graduate students’ yearly salaries will rise by $1,000, amounting to an annual salary of $28,224. The agency will also provide an extra $500 in subsidies for childcare and $200 for...
Effective January 1, 2024, the minimum salary/stipend for all postdoctoral scholars (Postdoctoral Associates and Postdoctoral Fellows) is $66,950. The minimum salary/stipend for postdoctoral scholars is reviewed each fall, and adjustments take effect annually on January 1.
The minimum starting salaries of U.S. biomedical postdocs should increase to $70,000, up from the current minimum of $56,484, concludes a report released today by an advisory group to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Searching for a permanent academic position after the postdoctoral term is not for the faint of heart. In some ways, postdocs have made a lot of progress—U.S.-based postdocs broke the USD 50,000 starting salary milestone this year as set by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service Award pay scale ( 2 ).
The level for federal fiscal year 2024 is $61,008. The minimum rate is not applicable to postdoctoral fellows, unless otherwise provided by the fellowship award. Salary for postdoctoral associates and fellows on NIH awards must follow the minimum salary requirements based on years of experience.
Memorial Sloan Kettering provides postdoctoral researchers with a highly competitive salary and benefits package with yearly increases. Minimum salary is guided by the postdoc’s corresponding title. MSK has three postdoc titles: two for the early phase, Research Fellow, Research Scholar, and Research Associate for senior postdocs.
Data from a postdoc salary and benefits survey may assist in retaining PhD holders interested in academia but considering alternate options owing to financial considerations.