Postdoctoral scholars at #PrincetonU will receive a minimum full-time salary of $65,000 per year, beginning March 1. The new minimum salary, which represents a nearly 20% increase over a federally required minimum, applies to all current and future employees hired in the University’s postdoctoral ranks.
Should be way more
Princeton knows and can do much better.
About time! In 1989 with a prestigious NIH postdoctoral fellowship, I received $16,000 for a family of three and our U.S. President decided to tax these fellowships so I received a salary of $13,000. at one of the top research centers in the country. (without housing allowances or subsidies and moving expenses)A fair salary at the time:$30-40,000.In postdoctoral servitude and apprenticeship, we expected to stay 3-5 years (rather than 1-2 in the 1970's )This salary is only $10,000 above the average salary of Americans without a 4-yr degree,5 year graduate research project& years of a postdoctoral training, until about 28 yrs old. Then you have to enter competitive workplace Finally, a full, tenured professor at CUNY with a PhD salary equals today, after a thirty year career, the same salary of a 25 yrs., tenured NYC high school teacher with a Masters in anything: $118,000 -~135,000.First, It is not about salaries. Secondly, if anyone thinks that $65,000 is compensation for amount of work required has no idea of the work of a doctoral student or postdoctoral researcher. Finally the amount of return for the postdoctoral work upon society is not commensurate with the salaries.Human cost of monastic service until ~28-30 is unfair.
Leigh Baxt
1y
Now imagine what someone in Boston, the Bay Area or NYC should be making with a cost-of-living adjustment! It is time that scientific trainees were paid appropriately. When PhDs were 3 years and postdocs a couple years a lower salary might have been more tolerable (not acceptable by any means but tolerable). With the length of PhDs and postdocs these days many postdocs are starting families and supporting them while on these ridiculous salaries.
The idea that postdoctoral employees are well compensated perpetuates the myth which we say to get all kids to go to college.... Institutions are making billions by not providing the compensation back to the employees....similar to the college athletes Remember the postdocs are working to support the grants that are funding the institution along with enrollment. Here is the myth...the more you continue your educational training the higher salaries that you expect....missing is the lag between compensation and the numbers that actually achieve that salary as a result of educational pursuits. Compounding degrees without purpose leads to a dead end
Finally, a step in the right direction for these extremely talented individuals. Every institution and the NIH should follow this example. To expect bright minds to push the frontiers of science while living in poverty makes no sense whatsoever.
Is this truly competitive? Does it deliver on a suitable Living Wage for the area?
Really a great initiative 🙏🏻
Th...that's an increase?