what is the average phd stipend

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Phd stipends: all your questions answered, published by steve tippins on june 26, 2022 june 26, 2022.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 03:04 am

What are PhD stipends? When you enter a PhD program, you can also get financial support in the form of tuition reduction, free tuition, and PhD stipends. That means compensation for work you’ll do, such as teaching or being a research assistant. Typically, traditional, face-to-face universities and PhD programs—as opposed to online programs from non-traditional schools—will compensate you for being a PhD student.

Do All PhD Students Get a Stipend?

Not all PhD students get stipends. However, most students in traditional programs do get stipends because these are full-time programs that require full-time attention, if not more.

It’s very difficult to keep a job of any kind and be in a full-time doctoral program. In order to have students at an institution, the institution has to make up for the income students lose by not working. PhD students are valuable labor for institutions because it costs less to pay them to teach classes and do research support than someone who has already earned a PhD .

What Is a Good Stipend for a PhD Student?

The average phd stipend.

The average annual stipend in the United States ranges between about $23,000 and $33,000 per year. You’re not going to get rich as a PhD student on one of these stipends, but you can survive.

The Highest PhD Stipend

The highest PhD stipends that most students can get are around $30,000 to $33,000. Interestingly, stipends vary by discipline. The higher stipends tend to be in disciplines where it’s harder to find doctoral students or easier to find PhD jobs.  

Education or musicology will have a stipend below $20,000 on average, and there aren’t a lot of jobs for graduates in these disciplines. However, if you were to look at something like biomedical engineering, the stipend would probably be around $33,000.

There is a factor of supply and demand that goes into stipends, and these are averages across the US. They also vary slightly by institution.

Is a PhD Stipend Enough to Live On?

When you evaluate whether a PhD stipend statement is enough to live on, first think about where you’re going to school. Would $24,000 allow you to survive on your own in New York City? It would be really difficult to find someplace to rent under $2,000 a month. If you don’t have a strong desire to eat, maybe you could get by on something like that. 

On the other hand, if you are somewhere like Little Rock, Arkansas, where rent might be $600 a month, then you have $1,400 left for other things like food. It might be possible there. Many doctoral students share apartments and have roommates to make it easier to survive financially.

Can I Work While Doing a PhD?

You may be able to work a little bit while doing a PhD, though it’s very hard to have time to do much else besides focus on your degree. Some people come from previous jobs and can continue consulting. Some faculty members run consulting businesses and employ students to do more work than the stipend has them assigned to do. Just be aware that if you start making outside work a priority, eventually your stipends will go away.

Is a PhD Stipend Taxable?

We aren’t qualified to give tax advice, but in most cases stipends are considered taxable income to the doctoral student.

How Can PhD Students Earn Money Besides Their Stipend?

There are ways doctoral students can earn money outside of their PhD student stipend . Some doctoral students tutor students on the side. It used to be you could sell textbooks back to the manufacturer, but that’s become increasingly rare now that most textbooks are going electronic.

There are other opportunities like consulting based on previous contacts or working along with other faculty members to help them in their projects. 

In many cases, there are grants that you might receive in addition to your stipend. Apply for grants such as dissertation-writing grants or grants aligned with your demographic background or area of interest. Check with your institution’s financial aid office and with professional associations for grants.

How Often Is a PhD Stipend Paid?

PhD stipends are paid based on your university’s compensation schedule. If your university pays every two weeks, you’ll be paid every two weeks. If it pays once or twice a month, you’ll be paid once or twice a month.

Do PhD Stipends Increase Each Year?

Don’t count on a PhD stipend increasing every year. Universities have vast bureaucracies, and doctoral students are usually low on the pole of influence. If you get a stipend, assume that it will stay at that level. 

Be sure to also check the maximum duration of a PhD stipend. Some institutions have limits, so be aware if the limit is less than the average time it takes someone to complete a PhD.

Final Thoughts

A PhD stipend is a great thing. It allows you to keep living, albeit barely, while digging deep into your preferred area of interest. In most cases and locations, it’s high enough to subsist but low enough that you don’t want to hang around at that level for a long time.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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Graduate students who work as teaching assistants earn an average of $38,040 annually, according to 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But how much you get paid as a grad student can vary greatly.

Grad school compensation depends on your school’s policies and your role at the institution. For example, teaching assistants and research assistants may have different pay scales, as could first-year and fourth-year graduate students.

» MORE: Is a masters degree worth it?

How graduate students get paid

Colleges may pay graduate students who work at the school via a stipend or a salary. Generally, the key differences between these options are as follows:

Stipends are for students. You receive this funding as part of an assistantship or fellowship from the school. The money is meant to support your living expenses while you perform research or your other educational pursuits. Stipend amounts may be based on the length of the academic year, not the calendar year.

Salaries are for employees. The school has formally hired you as an employee to perform specific responsibilities, like leading a class, for instance. As a salaried worker, your wages may be a set amount or based on the hours you work. You may also receive employee benefits such as subsidized health care or workers’ compensation.

How much is a graduate student’s stipend?

Cornell University recently announced it would increase graduate student stipends by 8%, bringing the average annual assistantship stipends for Ithaca- and Cornell AgriTech-based students to $43,326.

But this is not the norm. Many graduate students are paid much less.

The Temple University Graduate Students' Association, for example, began negotiations with the university in January 2021 to raise their average graduate student stipend — currently at $19,500 year.

Because funding can vary by school, it's best to research stipend information on your school’s website. This will likely include how much you’ll receive, as well as any factors that affect your pay rate. For example, the Stanford School of Education pays research assistants more once they’re officially doctoral candidates.

Living on graduate student payments

Working while in school can help cover some graduate program costs. But even with multiple jobs, you’ll likely need additional money to afford all your expenses.

Apply for scholarships and grants you may qualify for. Also, explore any other assistance your school offers. For example, Duke University offers up to $7,000 a semester to Ph.D. students who need child care.

After exhausting free aid and your stipend or salary, you may have to turn to graduate student loans to close any additional gaps in funding. For the 2020-2021 academic year, the average grad student graduated with $17,680 in federal graduate student loans, according to the College Board, a not-for-profit association of educational institutions.

There aren’t subsidized loans for graduate school, where the government covers the cost of interest while you’re in school, but unsubsidized loans are available and you don't have to make payments while enrolled at least half-time.

You can also take out up to your program’s cost of attendance — minus other aid you’ve already received — in graduate PLUS loans from the federal government or private graduate school loans .

» MORE: How to pay for graduate school

On a similar note...

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="what is the average phd stipend"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Stipend rates.

2024-25 Graduate Student Assistantship and Fellowship Stipend Rates

Effective August 21, 2024 ( View 2023-24 rates )

[1] Weekly hours spent on summer appointments must comply with University Policy 1.3, and stipend rates must meet the Board of Trustees mandated minimum (nine-month) stipend rate, prorated for the number of weeks of the summer appointment. The length of the summer appointment (number of weeks) is determined by the Principal Investigator, department, unit, college, or other source of funding.

[2] The maximum academic-year stipend amount that a graduate student may receive when any portion of the stipend comes from any funds held at Cornell (university accounts, college accounts, department accounts, unit accounts, or Principal Investigator sponsored funds) is $52,026. The increase may be from the same funding source as the basic stipend (an “adjustment”) or from a different source (a “supplement”). The limit applies to support from any combination of fellowships or assistantships when part of the stipend is paid from funds held at Cornell. There is no restriction on summer stipends and fellowships.

Prorated Stipends for Non-Standard Appointments

Minimum stipend rates for non-standard appointments classified as graduate assistantships (TA, GA, RA, or GRA) must be proportional to the board-approved stipend. Examples are provided in the table below.

Partial assistantships must include tuition proportional to the stipend. That is, if a student receives a partial TAship with 50% stipend for the semester, the hours must be limited to 7.5 or less per week and he or she must receive 50% tuition for that semester in addition to the stipend. Awards that do not provide tuition and stipend in amounts proportional to the hours expected of a regular assistant are not assistantships and should not be portrayed as such.

Examples – Adjusted Stipend Rates for Non-Standard Appointments

Assistantships for professional degree students.

Students who are enrolled in professional degree programs are generally ineligible for assistantships outside of their graduate field of study, unless the director of graduate studies for the student’s program requests an exception based on the student gaining experience directly supporting the student’s ability to teach the subject matter of the profession. Requests for exceptions must be approved in advance by both the dean of the Graduate School and the dean of the college in which the professional degree program is housed. The college that administers the professional degree in which the student is enrolled is responsible for payment of the full tuition. Professional degree students may be appointed as graduate teaching/research specialists (GTRS) (see below). They may not accept an assistantship without:

• A signed letter from the director of graduate studies for the student’s program requesting an exception based on the student gaining experience directly supporting the student’s ability to teach the subject matter of the profession.
• A signed letter from the student’s college dean or dean’s designate indicating that the college will apply a tuition credit of at least $14,750 per semester.
• A signed letter from the Graduate School Dean or Associate Dean of Administration, approving the assistantship appointment.

Graduate Teaching/Research Specialists 

Students in the professional degree programs may be appointed as graduate teaching/research specialists (GTRS). The GTRS is not an assistantship; GTRSs receive a stipend in proportion to the percent time of their appointment as compared to a full-time graduate assistantship but not tuition and health insurance. Hours are limited to no more than 10 per week. Before a program may begin using the GTRS title, approval must be given by the Graduate School.

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How PhD Students Get Paid

The most common questions (and biggest misconceptions) about getting a PhD revolve around money. Maybe you’ve heard that PhD students get paid just to study, or maybe you’ve even heard that PhD students don’t get paid at all.

It makes sense — how you make money as a PhD student is different from most other career routes, and the process can be highly variable depending on your school, discipline and research interests. 

So, let’s address the big question: do PhD students get paid? Most of the time the answer is yes. PhD programs that don’t offer some form of compensation, like stipends, tuition remission or assistantships, are rare but they do exist. On the other hand, some programs, like a PhD in Economics , are so competitive that unpaid programs are virtually unheard of. 

To help you gain a better understanding of PhD funding and decide if getting a PhD is worth it for you, here are some of the most common examples of how PhD students are paid. 

PhD Stipends

Most PhD programs expect students to study full-time. In exchange, they’re usually offered a stipend — a fixed sum of money paid as a salary — to cover the cost of housing and other living expenses. How much you get as a stipend depends on your university, but the range for PhD stipends is usually between $20,000 - $30,000 per year.  

In some cases, your stipend will be contingent upon an assistantship.

Assistantships

A PhD assistantship usually falls into one of two categories: research or teaching. 

For research assistantships , faculty generally determine who and how many assistants they need to complete their research and provide funding for those assistants through their own research grants from outside organizations. 

A teaching assistantship is usually arranged through your university and involves teaching an undergraduate or other class. Assistantships allow graduate students to gain valuable experience leading a classroom, and helps to balance out the university’s stipend costs. 

Fellowships

Fellowships provide financial support for PhD students, usually without the teaching or research requirement of an assistantship. The requirements and conditions vary depending on the discipline, but fellowships are generally merit based and can be highly competitive. Fellowships usually cover at least the cost of tuition, but some may even pay for scholarly extracurricular activities, like trips, projects or presentations. 

Fellowships can be offered through your university or department as well as outside sources. 

Part-time Employment

PhD students don’t commonly have additional employment during their course of study, but it is possible depending on your discipline and the rigor of your program. Flexible, low-demand jobs like freelance writing or tutoring can be a natural fit for many PhD students, and might be flexible enough to balance along with your coursework. 

All in all, it’s fair to say that though the form of payment may be unfamiliar, PhD students do in fact get paid. But keep in mind that while most PhD programs offer some kind of funding for students, it’s not guaranteed. 

Want to know more about how to pay for a PhD ? Explore our Guide to Choosing and Applying for PhD Programs . 

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English PhD Stipends in the United States: Statistical Report

By Eric Weiskott

This report presents the results of research into stipends for PhD candidates in English conducted between summer 2021 and spring 2022. The report surveys the top 135 universities in the U.S. News and World Report 2022 “Best National University Ranking,” plus the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Of these universities, 80 offer a PhD in English and guarantee full funding for five or more years. Graduate administrators at three universities declined to grant permission to have current or historical stipend amounts published, citing legal concerns (appendix A). The remaining 77 institutions form the data set. Stipend amounts are expressed in absolute dollars (table 1), in cost-of-living-adjusted dollars (table 2), relative to endowment size for universities with institutional endowments of $3.5 billion or less (figure 1), and broken down by type of university (public or private) (tables 3a–3b) and by region (tables 4a–4d).

The stipend data were gathered by consulting program websites and, if no URL is cited, by canvassing departmental faculty and staff members responsible for administering English PhD programs, often holding the title “Director of Graduate Studies” (DGS). 1 In some cases, the standard stipend must be expressed as a dollar range rather than a fixed amount, for reasons specified in the notes.

All figures given in this report are gross pay, reflecting neither tax withholding schemes nor any mandatory student fees. All figures are rounded to the nearest dollar. All figures reflect the base or standard stipend offer, not including supplemental funding offered on a competitive basis at the department, college, or university level. All figures represent twelve-month pay, regardless of whether the program distinguishes between academic-year stipend and any summer stipend, provided both are guaranteed. While every effort was made to procure academic year 2021–22 or 2022–23 figures, in a few cases this was not possible. A limitation of the data therefore is that they mix current and recent stipend amounts. For some programs, the standard stipend increases or decreases during the course of the degree. Where the changes in pay occur in specific years, they are accordingly factored into the numbers given in the report, which represent a five-year average in these instances. However, where the changes depend on the unpredictable completion of program requirements, or reflect differential pay based on past degrees earned or not earned at the time of matriculation, I express the standard stipend as a range. Because programs with a stipend range are ranked and averaged according to the average of the low and high ends of the range, the report may slightly overstate or understate the total value of the stipend over the length of the degree depending how candidates tend to move through those programs, or depending on the academic background of the candidates who matriculate into them.

Cost-of-living comparisons were made using Nerdwallet ’s cost-of-living calculator (“Cost”), checked against the standardized cost-of-living rating on BestPlaces (“2022 Cost”).  Nerdwallet ’s calculator has the advantage of splitting up geography into medium-sized benchmark areas, often roughly corresponding to a commutable radius around a town or city, as opposed to the jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction comparisons of BestPlaces and other cost-of-living calculators, which would be more pertinent to real estate purchases. However, use of the Nerdwallet tool entails limitations, occasionally acute. Some university campuses are located closer to available Nerdwallet benchmarks than others. Certain rural and suburban campuses are located in jurisdictions with somewhat higher or lower cost of living than the closest available Nerdwallet benchmark, often a city. These limitations were corrected for in the more severe cases and to the extent possible by averaging multiple benchmarks selected for geographic proximity and comparable cost of living (as given on BestPlaces ) to the location of the campus, as noted in each case in table 2. The possibility of PhD candidates’ commuting to campus from a distance greater than the radius of a Nerdwallet benchmark, not to mention the possibility of their living farther afield when teaching remotely in the COVID-19 pandemic or dissertating, further complicates a direct benchmark-to-benchmark cost-of-living conversion.

It was particularly difficult to determine the cost of living for one campus, Rutgers University, New Brunswick. This is because Rutgers is within commuting distance of New York, the highest cost-of-living metropolitan area in the United States, coupled with the fact that the Nerdwallet benchmark to which the city of New Brunswick belongs, “Middlesex-Monmouth,” covers two New Jersey counties that include many towns as distant from New Brunswick to the south and west as Brooklyn and Manhattan are to the north and east. That is, New Brunswick is inadvantageously situated in its Nerdwallet benchmark for the purposes of stating an average cost of living that captures patterns of commuting to and from campus. Commutes from south and west of campus are included, while commutes from north and east are excluded. In the Midwest and West, where Nerdwallet tends to have fewer benchmark areas, suburban and smaller urban campuses within commuting distance of a large city often are benchmarked to that city—for example, the University of Colorado, Boulder, to the Denver benchmark and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, to the Detroit benchmark. It would therefore seem to be inconsistent to omit to factor New York into the cost-of-living-adjusted value of a stipend paid by Rutgers University, New Brunswick, particularly as the difference between the cost of living in New York and New Brunswick is so much greater than the difference between the cost of living in Detroit and Ann Arbor, or between Denver and Boulder. My solution, to average the average of the Nerdwallet results for Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens together with the results for Middlesex-Monmouth, is an admittedly provisional one that risks overstating the cost of living of pursuing a PhD in English at Rutgers, which, after all, is not located in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Queens. In a private communication, the DGS reports that a little over one quarter of current Rutgers English graduate candidates reside in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or adjacent Jersey City, NJ. I consider this proportion large enough to confirm my initial expectation that the very high cost of living in New York should factor into an estimate of the cost of living associated with a Rutgers English PhD in some way. I have not systematically polled DGSs about where candidates live. If nothing else, I hope the difficult case of Rutgers illuminates the limitations of representing cost of living with a single standardized number in an age of urban agglomeration, rapid transport, and a prevailing tolerance for work commutes of up to one hour or so.

Endowment figures (figure 1) were drawn from the fiscal year 2020 statistical report on North American university endowments published by the National Association of College and University Business Officers ( U.S. and Canadian Institutions ).

This stipend report is not a substitute for a holistic assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of an individual PhD program and is not intended to guide prospective PhD applicants toward or away from any given program. The report does not take account of such significant variables as relative strength of the program in the applicant’s area of specialty; any competitive fellowships and stipends available; exam requirements burden; teaching and service expectations; cultural life and nearby off-campus intellectual institutions; the number of years of full funding guaranteed past five, if any; or record of placing graduates into full-time academic employment. The report isolates the stipend as one important factor among several shaping the experience, opportunity cost, and financial, intellectual, and professional benefit of pursuing graduate study in English. Graduate candidates are workers as well as students, and the stipend is their salary. It is hoped that by understanding these data, program administrators, graduate administrators, department chairs, current PhDs, and prospective PhD applicants can form an evidence-based impression of what the English PhD pays around the country and in divergent institutional and regional settings.

For completeness, appendixes list the universities among the 135 that either offer the PhD in English but do not guarantee full funding for five or more years (appendix B) or do not offer the PhD in English (appendix C). Note

1 I thank Anna Chang for assistance gathering updated stipend amounts at a late stage of the project.

Works Cited

“Best National University Rankings.” U.S. News and World Report , 2022, www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities .

“Cost of Living Calculator.” Nerdwallet , 2022, www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator .

“2022 Cost of Living Calculator.” BestPlaces , 2022, www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/ .

U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 . National Association of College and University Business Officers , 2021, www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables–Endowment-Market-Values–FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx.

Table 1. English PhD Standard Stipend Nationwide Comparison

Table 1 Average: $25,006

Table 1 Median: $25,000   

Table 1 Notes

1 The figure reflects a stipend of $30,800 for the first year and $36,570 thereafter, averaged over five years.

2 gfs.stanford.edu/salary/salary22/tal_all.pdf . I obtained this figure by tripling the standard arts and sciences per-quarter rate to reflect Stanford University’s three-quarter, nine-month academic year.

3 The figure reflects an academic-year stipend of $27,605 ($3,067 per month), plus a summer stipend that is the average of the 2020–21 summer stipend of $5,300 ($1,767 per month) and three months of the 2021–22 academic-year rate—namely, $7,251 ($2,417 per month). Brown University is phasing in a summer stipend to match the academic-year stipend over the next year.

4 www.tgs.northwestern.edu/funding/index.html .

5 gsas.yale.edu/resources-students/finances-fellowships/stipend-payments#:~:text=students%20receive%20a%20semi%2Dmonthly,2022%20academic%20year%20is%20%2433%2C600 .

6 The figure reflects an academic-year stipend of $28,654, plus a summer stipend of $6,037 for the first four years, averaged over five years.

7 today.duke.edu/2019/04/duke-makes-12-month-funding-commitment-phd-students#:~:text=students%20in%20their%20guaranteed%20funding,54%20programs%20across%20the%20university .

8 english.rutgers.edu/images/5_10_2021_-_Fall_2022_grad_website_updated_des_of_funding_for_prospectives.pdf . The figure reflects an academic-year stipend of $25,000 for the first year and $29,426 thereafter, plus a summer stipend of $5,000 the first summer and $2,500 each of the next two summers, averaged over five years.

9 The figure is anticipated for 2022–23 following an admissions pause in 2021–22.

10 The low figure is a teaching assistant offer; the high figure is a university fellowship. While funding in excess of the rate for teaching assistants is competitive, it is also de facto guaranteed: for 2021–22, all eight offers of admission exceeded the rate for teaching assistants.

11 policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1238 . The figure reflects a stipend of $25,000 with $1,000 in summer funding in year 3 and $4,500 in summer funding in years 4-5, averaged over five years.

12 The figures reflect a stipend range of $18,240–$25,000 for the first year and $23,835 thereafter, averaged over five years.

13 The figure reflects a stipend of $25,166 for the first year, $24,166 for the second through fourth years, and $19,000 for the fifth year, averaged over five years.

14 grad.ucdavis.edu/sites/default/files/upload/files/facstaff/salary_21-22_october_2021.pdf . I obtained this figure by halving the standard teaching assistant annual rate to reflect the rule that PhD candidates at the University of California, Davis, may work no more than half time.

15 Lehigh University guarantees full funding for five years for candidates classified as full-time. This includes all candidates except a few who are nontraditional students and bring an outside salary or other outside funding to the degree.

16 miamioh.edu/cas/academics/departments/english/admission/graduate-admission/graduate-funding/teaching-positions/index.html .

17 The figures reflect an academic-year stipend of $17,100, plus a summer stipend range of $2,500–$5,000.

18 The figures reflect a stipend of $23,688 for the first year and a range of $19,480–$20,250 thereafter, averaged over five years.

19 hr.uic.edu/hr-staff-managers/compensation/minima-for-graduate-appointments/ .

20 The University of Utah guarantees full funding for five years for those entering with a BA but four years for those entering with an MA.

21 Among the doctoral degrees offered by the English department at Purdue University, West Lafayette, the one in question is the PhD in literature, theory, and cultural studies.

22 The University of Florida guarantees full funding for six years for those entering with a BA but four years for those entering with an MA.

23 These figures reflect the range between FTE .40 at level I (BA holder, precandidacy) and FTE .49 at level II (MA holder, advanced to candidacy). See https://graduatestudies.uoregon.edu/funding/ge/salary-benefits for a schedule of salaries.

Table 2. English PhD Standard Stipend Nationwide Comparison, Adjusted for Cost of Living (Expressed in Boston-Area Dollars)

Table 2 Average: $33,060

Table 2 Median: $31,718

Table 2 Notes

1 I used the benchmark for Philadelphia, which, although geographically distant from State College / University Park, has a more comparable cost of living than other benchmarks for Pennsylvania.

2 For programs located in New York City—in this listing, Columbia University; New York University; Graduate Center, City University of New York; and Fordham University—I averaged the results for Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.

3 I averaged the results for Austin and Houston.

4 I averaged the New York City triborough average with the results for Middlesex-Monmouth, NJ. This reflects Rutgers’s liminal geographic location: it is much closer to New York City, without being in the city, than any other campus on this list, and a substantial minority of Rutgers PhD candidates commute to campus from the city.

5 I averaged the results for San Francisco and Oakland.

6 I averaged the results for Bakersfield and San Diego. While Los Angeles is closer geographically, it has a much higher cost of living than Riverside and is just outside of convenient commuting range.

7 I averaged the results for Boston and Pittsfield.

8 I averaged the results for Queens and Albany, a better approximation of the cost of living on eastern Long Island than averaging the cost of living in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.

9 I averaged the results for Los Angeles and San Francisco.

10 I averaged the results for Washington, DC, and Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, MD.

Table 3a. English PhD Standard Stipend Nationwide Comparison: Private Universities

Table 3a Average: $28,653

Table 3a Median: $28,967

Table 3b. English PhD Standard Stipend Nationwide Comparison: Public Universities

Table 3b Average: $22,230

Table 3b Median: $21,500

Table 4a. English PhD Standard Stipend Comparison: West and Southwest

Table 4a Average: $25,661

Table 4a Median: $25,500

Table 4b. English PhD Standard Stipend Comparison: Midwest

Table 4b Average: $23,234

Table 4b Median: $21,966

Table 4c. English PhD Standard Stipend Comparison: Northeast

Table 4c Average: $26,741

Table 4c Median: $26,235

Table 4d. English PhD Standard Stipend Comparison: South

Table 4d Average: $22,438

Table 4d Median: $20,881

Appendix A. English PhD Programs Declining to Have Stipend Data Published

Appendix b. english phd programs not guaranteeing full funding for five or more years.

Appendix B Notes

1 The department will “attempt to fully fund all students admitted to the PhD program for five years” ( english.columbian.gwu.edu/graduate-admissions-aid#phd ).

2 Guarantees full funding for four years.

3 “All admitted students receive a multi-year funding package” ( www.humanities.uci.edu/english/graduate/index.php ).

4 Guarantees full funding for four years.

Appendix C. Universities Not Offering the PhD in English

Appendix C Notes

* Offers a terminal MA in English.

1 Offers a terminal MA in literature, culture, and technology.

2 Offers a terminal MA in English literature and publishing.

3 Offers a PhD in rhetoric and professional communication.

4 Offers a PhD in communication, rhetoric, and digital media.

5 Offers a PhD in communication and rhetoric.

6 Offers a PhD in literature. The University of California, Davis, and the University of Kansas also offer a PhD in literature, yet, unlike the University of California, San Diego, or the University of California, Santa Cruz, the Davis and Kansas degrees are housed in English departments and retain an explicitly anglophone focus.

7 Offers a PhD in rhetoric and writing.

*Campus-specific endowment information is not available in the National Association of College and University Business Officers report.

Eric Weiskott is professor of English at Boston College, where he directs the English PhD program. His most recent book is  Meter and Modernity in English Verse, 1350–1650  (U of Pennsylvania P, 2021).

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PhD Stipend Survey Results

The living wage ratio (LW ratio) normalizes each gross pay entry to the local living wage. The purpose is to allow you to quickly compare the pay received by students at universities in different cost-of-living areas. See the FAQ for more information.

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Is PhD for me

60 Highest PhD Stipends in the US

The financial struggle in academia is not hidden, still many graduate students want to pursue a research career. US offers best research labs and institutions to attract aspiring PhD researchers from all over the world. Its your right to ask about highest PhD stipends offered in the US because PhD is a long journey and you have the right to ensure you are financially safe during these years.

In a nutshell, the highest PhD Stipends in the US are offered in cybersecurity, physics and biomedical engineering. High stipends for PhD researchers helps make them more focused on their research work and career without constant worries that come with financial instability.

Table of Contents

1. cybersecurity, 3. biomedical engineering, 4. neuroscience, 5. computer science, 6. pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics, 7. sociology, things you should know before prioritizing the stipend for phd , sources of data, inclusive criteria, limitations.

Best PhD stipends in the World: If you want to pursue PhD outside of US explore more about countries are paying best to PhD students .

Highest PhD stipends in the US

The data I collected shows that Nova Southeastern University (NSU) offers an attractive annual stipend of $94,000 to its 1st year PhD students in cyber security research. It’s 3.1 times higher than the living cost in the area. Such a gap in PhD stipend and living cost ensures that you can save some money while pursuing your research career.

Major reasons for high stipend of Cybersecurity students can be 

• Need For The Cutting Edge Research: US economy is strongest in the world and a hub of information technology research and development. Universities and research institutions in the US direly need researchers in the field of cyber security. In addition to this, there are a lot of funding institutions that are willing to invest in innovative cyber security research projects.
• High Market Demand for Cyber Security Professionals: Cyber security specialists, data scientists, and artificial intelligence engineers usually receive attractive salary packages right out of college, and as a result, universities and other organizations try to attract top talent in cybersecurity research with higher stipends.

Visit Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Research to know more about your career prospects in cybersecurity research.

Besides this, I observed that US PhD researchers in computer science and information technology on average receive $40,000+ in annual stipend. Usually these PhD stipends are twice the living cost in the area.

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) offers $44,069 per annum to students conducting their PhD research in Physics. This is the second highest annual PhD stipend when I compare it to the average living cost per annum in the area ($19,308), or in other words, a 2.3 PhD stipend to living cost ratio. 

Physics attracts high funding due to the following reasons.

• Remarkable Investment in Physics Research: Myriad of physics research projects which are funded by government grants. Other than this many private organizations are investing in cutting-edge physics research projects. In 2018, universities performed around 58% ($24.3 billion) of federally funded basic research in physical sciences e.g., physics.
• High Demand for Physics Researchers: Statistics alone show a high demand for physics researchers and it is projected to grow in the current decade (2021 to 2031) by 8%. PhD students are the core scientific labor who advance knowledge of physics and its applications so they are compensated accordingly.

Brown university, in general, offers attractive stipends to PhD students in the data I collected from PhDStipends.com . For biomedical engineering it offers $44,000 annually to its PhD students. This amount seems twice the annual average living cost near the campus. Hence, a sweet deal for PhD students who don’t want to struggle financially.

Universities are willing to pay a high stipend for biomedical researchers for a number of reasons.

• High demand for biomedical Engineers: Biomedical engineering is a field with an increasing demand in the third decade of the 21st century. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a growth rate of 10%   (faster than average) to biomedical professionals from 2021. This puts research centers in competition with the industry, which offer a median pay of $97,410 , to attract the top talent. In turn, high PhD stipend offers are an effort to attract and retain  talented students. 
• Biomedical Research significance for healthcare: Due to evolving needs of patients, healthcare costs are higher than ever, and so are the budgets dedicated to its research. The biomedical research institutions receive these funds to solve increasing complexity of medical problems . This way they are able to offer higher compensations to talented scientific workforce which can solve these problems.

Neuroscience PhD students receive a stipend of $44,000 annually by the Brown University in the US. This stipend is plentiful  considering the average living cost in Rhode Island, where the campus is located. According to livingcost.org the average living cost for one person including rent is $21,552 a year. Thus, the PhD stipend offered is almost as twice as the living expenses for a PhD student if she is single in her first year of PhD.

There are several solid reasons for offering such high stipends to PhD students in neuroscience.

• Increasing demand for skilled neuroscientists: Neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases are prevailing due to the aging population in the US. Moreover, the complexity of the brain and nervous system demand the best minds to answer the unanswered questions arising in this field everyday. 
• Increasing funding for neuroscience research: Significant research funding is offered by large public and private organizations who are interested in cutting edge neuroscience research projects such as The BRAIN Initiative by NIH. This research funding is considered as an investment by these grant providers to advance our understanding of the neural system. Such generous funding allows American research institutions and universities to offer high PhD stipends.

Of course we cannot finish the discussion about the highest PhD stipends offered without  the field of computer science. This field indeed has many areas of specializations and it will be naïve to judge or estimate all of those stipends under this one umbrella term. However, if universities and PhD students are mentioning it as a PhD in computer science in general then I am also going to talk about it in general here.

To give you a ballpark figure, 1st year PhD stipends in the year 2022-2023 indicated that $60,000 is the highest PhD stipend offered to computer science PhD students in the US. This stipend was offered by the University of California – Riverside (UCR). If I evaluate it in terms of living cost near the campus it’s almost twice the living expense including rent in the area even for a full year. 

There are a myriad of reasons why computer science PhD students get these high stipends while PhD researchers in other fields like humanities are offered acute low stipends.

• Increasing demand for computer and information research scientists: In simple terms, the market is demanding these professionals more and more. The Bureau of labor statistics shows towering growth for these professionals in the next decade. This high demand creates competition for the qualified computer research scientists. Thus, both universities and the industry try to offer higher PhD stipend to attract and retain the talent.
• Ample Funding from the industry: The Information technology industry is breaking barriers every day with technologies such as AI for each and every domain of work, especially the white-collar labor. Computer science research projects are critical in driving the innovation for tech giants like Google, Apple and many others. This is the core reason why the software companies are willing to allocate more bucks for research. Hence, if some research institute, professors or even PhD students can show the potential to execute these research projects they obviously get paid well for that.

I found University of Delaware (UD) offering the highest stipend in the US to the PhD researchers studying Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics. This stipend is as high as $44,800 which is twice the average living cost for a single person per annum in Newark, Delaware. Consequently, there is a high chance that you can rent a comfy place, afford to maintain a car and still save during your PhD years.

Following major factors contribute to high PhD stipends for Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics.

• Pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics research is critical : Due to increasing complexity in healthcare problems there is a rise for personalized drug recommendation for each individual. Such subtleties require a very specialized scientific workforce with expertise in pharmacology, genomics and even biostatistics. This not only makes PhD positions of pharmacogenomics research brutally competitive but also most lucrative in terms of stipend.
• Pharmaceutical industry needs rapid innovation and Pharmacogenomics is at the forefront of it. These areas of study need constant exploration for arising problems in clinical pharmacy practice . The US government as well as the pharma industry get solutions to these problems by providing grants to universities pursuing their research interests. This way the researchers, like PhD students, get compensated highly for their input.

Yes, I know. I agree sociology shouldn’t be this high on this list. It would be easy to justify it much further in our list. However, I can’t twist data. Generally, OR you can say for the most part, I have seen meager PhD stipends for sociology like other areas of social sciences. 

Despite this, University of California – Irvine (UCI) offers an annual PhD stipend of $62,399 which is obvious considering the high living costs near the campus. Still, I can’t ignore the $31,284 annual average living cost per single person, rent included, for Irvine, CA. The living cost can be higher, however, current values make the PhD stipend almost twice the living cost.

Let’s analyze closely why some universities are willing to offer this high stipend to sociology PhD students.

• High Research fundings dedicated to sociology research: Even though the market is not killing to attract the sociologists like it’s killing for data science professionals. Sociology still receives a good amount of research funding. For instance, the NSF funding dedicated to sociology is  around 65% of total federal support. This percentage is much higher than many other fields. This means a higher grant amount for universities. In turn, if universities want to compensate their sociology PhD students they easily can.
• Interdisciplinary collaborations opportunities: This might be the strongest reason why PhD students, even though some, get compensated warmly. Sociological research has the ability to provide a perspective to other disciplines. It can give an insight on how scientific discoveries and solutions will work in the real human world. I suspect that this might be the reason why some schools consider offering stipends this soaring to its PhD students.
• More research funds. Secondly, the computer science research project funding is high because The academic research projects usually solve crucial issues faced by these companies. Therefore, the overall research funding increases for the professors and in turn for the PhD students too.

Earn more during academic breaks. The hidden story is that PhD students in the field of information technology have more opportunities to engage in summer breaks, where many of them are allowed to take on industry work and internships. These activities can give a real boost to earnings and savings for these students.

Comparing US PhD stipends to Highest PhD stipends in the world. Another interesting thing I found while collecting the data on best PhD stipends offered in the world is that Norway, even though it offers the highest PhD stipends (1.69 PhD stipend to living cost ratio), still fall behind these excellent PhD stipend packages (2.7 PhD stipend to living cost ratio) offered to high demand fields of study in the US. 

Although one can argue that the PhD stipend to living cost ratio was collected as overall average and not specifically for PhD students in computer science and information technology. So the numbers may differ if we go into more detailed comparisons.

Although I think a PhD stipend is the most important thing when it comes to the PhD decision. The reason is that PhD itself is a long journey and you are already going to give up so much besides the finances. So, a high PhD stipend compared to the living cost near the campus should be a priority for a prospective PhD student.

However, there are other things you should note when applying for a PhD. Let me jot down three major ones for you.

• Student-Program Research Match. If you apply and get accepted in a program whose research goals are not aligned with yours then you are going to limit your ability and potential for academic growth. A program that is aligned with your post-PhD goals is a much better choice than a Program offering the highest PhD stipend.
• Student- Supervisor Personality Match. This is what makes a PhD hard. Yes a lot of evidence out there shows that PhD, even though a scientific journey, is still pursued among humans who are evolved in tribes, who have some insecurities, prejudices and preferences. A high academic degree does not mean that anyone can match your personality right away or you can match theirs. Make sure you and your supervisor get along especially when it comes to work standards.
• Student-Location Match. Location location location that’s what the real estate gurus and food business owners said all the time. However, it matters in pretty much all matters of our life. It matters more when you plan to live your highly productive PhD years. These years can be longer than the standard 4 year tag on the cover of your admission letter. 

So, like any other prospective PhD student, I want to live comfortably, spend extravagantly and still save some amount for future suffering of postdoc years. For this, I might look up to the highest PhD stipend offered in the US in the list above. Still, there are many other factors that impact our performance and happiness during PhD years.

Remarks about the collected DATA

I collected this data from phdstipends.com . The PhD stipend information is willingly shared by the PhD students. The data is publicly available at phdstipends.com .

No information is collected regarding any individual. The submitter’s anonymity is maintained on this platform. You can read more about the anonymity of the submitters, sharing of PhD stipends, and other common questions here .

To maintain consistency and provide a fair comparison between PhD stipend offers, I used the following criteria:

• PhD stipend is assumed to be a pre-tax amount . As many of the entries did not include any tax deduction information. PhD stipend is taxed if it is compensation for some work (assistantships) and on the other hand, it is tax-free if it is not paid against any work (fellowships). I explained the PhD stipend in the US in detail here . I hope you will find the infographics in this post useful.
• To ensure the updated information only 1st year PhD stipends were included from the academic year 2022-2023 .
• Only those stipends were included that were reported correctly. Any entry with mistakes and errors was excluded.
• In the case of the same stipend by two universities, the inclusion was decided on living wage ratio e.g., the minimum stipend will be assigned to the lower living wage ratio stipend.

These are limitations of my data so you should accept these PhD stipend values with a grain of salt.

• Most entries do not provide information regarding the duration of the stipend . So I cannot confirm that PhD stipend was offered for 9 or 12 months.
• Most of these stipends are not minimum stipend offers reported on the universities’ websites. Some additional fellowships e.g., any external, additional departmental fellowship, etc. may or may not be reported in the PhD stipend amount. The reasons are the inclusion of internal and external fellowships, summer support packages with the basic financial aid package. For example, the basic financial aid package reported by Stanford and Princeton is much lower than the highest stipend PhD students are reporting.
• If you combine any assistantship or fellowship, the value of the stipend may change due to reimbursement of assistantship and tax.
• Some additional fees and deductions e.g., a part of health insurance, one-time semester fee, etc. may not be reported in the PhD stipend amount.

In contrast to common assumptions, the best PhD stipends – in terms of actual value for PhD students are not always offered by the most popular schools in the US.

It is a good idea to compare living costs in the area with the PhD stipend amount to estimate its actual worth. I hope you realize that a PhD is a long commitment and you as PhD aspirer and applicant should check how easily you can live through your PhD years.

A PhD is already harder than a job and if you are struggling financially then the difficulty level increases further for you as a PhD student.

What is the maximum PhD stipend in the USA?

I observed $94,000 to be the maximum PhD stipend in the US which is offered to cybersecurity students. However, considering the other perks and benefits like medical insurances, summer opportunities and research assistantships attached to funding of many PhD programs we can say that PhD stipends in some lucrative fields can be higher.

Which university pays the highest stipend for PhD in the US?

I found Nova Southeastern University (NSU), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Brown University, University of California – Riverside (UCR), University of Delaware (UD), University of California – Irvine (UCI) giving the highest PhD stipends in the US.

CSStipendRankings: PhD Stipend Rankings

CSStipendRankings is a stipend-based ranking of top-paying computer science departments in US. We may implement support for other countries and you are welcomed to contribute! For a real academic ranking, please refer to CSRankings . For reviewing individual PhD advisors, please refer to PI Review .

• Stipend is the minimal amount of pre-tax allowance graciously granted by the institution to its PhD students. Currently, we support displaying (1) the stipend received by the majority of students , (2) the minimal guaranteed stipend , and (3) the stipend that students receive during the semester only . Note that some departments do not have guaranteed summer funding , and we are currently working to collect such data. For now, this data is not complete.
• Fees are annual non-reimbursible tariffs (including health insurance) reclaimed by said institution. See why health insurance is included in here. If the institution charges a CPT fee or summer enrollment fee for international students, they should also be counted here. In short, this should be the maximum possible fee that the institution charges.
• Living cost is calculated based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator for the institution's city. See why we use this calculator and its limitations in here .
• summer-gtd , indicating summer funding is guaranteed in this department.
• varies , indicating the amount of funding varies from advisor to advisor in this department.
• no-guarantee , indicating this department does not guarantee any funding at all (at least for a subset of its enrolled PhD students, where a PhD student is defined as a graduate student who is required to conduct research under an advisor to graduate and get a degree). Anyone who can prove this is welcomed and encouraged to submit an issue, and we will add this label immediately. See the reason here .
• cpt-fee , indicating international students in this department need to pay a fee for their CPT applications.
• striking , indicating this department is currently under a strike.
• , indicating the stipend is verified for the semesters, but not for the summer. This icon also serves as a hyperlink to the document used for verification, if the document is uploaded to a publicly accessible location, such as GitHub issues.
• , indicating we have a survey for this department. If you are a PhD student at this department, please click the icon to fill it.

To raise issues/comments : We believe issues and comments should be discussed and resolved publicly on GitHub for transparency. If you believe any data is inaccurate or have additional comments, please open an issue or a pull request . The maintainers will not respond to private messages sent to their personal or university accounts regarding this website.

* We have noticed discrepancies in the data reported for this university or department, and we suspect that it may not be entirely accurate. If you have access to more reliable information, we would appreciate it if you could share it with us.

This ranking is part informational and part satire, designed to democratize information on how PhD students in computer science and related areas are paid for their labor – inadequately , in most cases.

Most of the frontend code of this website is from CSRankings , and we intentionally used the same template. The code of this website can be found at https://github.com/CSStipendRankings/CSStipendRankings , and the data presented can be found as a CSV file here .

Contributing: Everyone is welcomed to submit patches or report the stipend via pull requests . Also, feel free to submit issues on GitHub . We encourage submitting datapoints through issues due to its ability to facilitate public discussion. Additionally, it provides the advantage of creating a hyperlink on the checkmark that directs to the corresponding issue. In most cases, we will respond to a submitted issue within a few days.

Frequent-Asked Questions: Please see FAQs here .

Disclaimer: CSStipendRankings is designed to highlight stipend situations across various institutions, based on user-submitted information. We try our best to verify their accuracy, but we cannot guarantee they are correct or up-to-date. Ultimately, while we hope you find this information useful, this should not be used as the primary basis for grad school decisions . We advocate users to do their own research before making life decisions.

THIS SOFTWARE AND INFORMATION IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

CSStipendRankings is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . The frontend (i.e., CSS and HTML) of this website is based on code licensed from CSRankings, a work at https://github.com/emeryberger/CSrankings . The copyright of CSRankings is owned by Emery Berger . The copyright of the non-CSRankings part of CSStipendRankings is owned by its contributors .

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What is a PhD Stipend?

• Updated on  
• Dec 2, 2023

PhD is amongst the toughest, most rewarding degrees in the world. One of the biggest perks of pursuing a PhD is that you get paid for it. A PhD stipend is a monthly allowance given every month to students to cover their daily expenses, research, and accommodation. The expense covered under a PhD stipend varies based on the degree as well as organization. It is governed by three factors: whether they’re assisting in undergraduate teaching, assisting in research, or have secured a PhD. with a stipend. Depending on which of the three categories a student falls within, they will receive an income during their studies, however, the amount will differ by a substantial amount.

Check out the Best Countries for PhD

This Blog Includes:

Stipend vs salary, types of phd stipends, average phd stipend in the uk, average phd stipend in the usa, average phd stipend in australia, average phd stipend in canada, average phd stipend in germany.

Colleges may pay graduate students who work at the school via a stipend or a salary. Generally, the key differences between these options are as follows:

• Stipends are for students. You receive this funding as part of an assistantship or fellowship from the school. The money is meant to support your living expenses while you perform research or your other educational pursuits. Stipend amounts may be based on the length of the academic year, not the calendar year.
• Salaries are for employees. The school has formally hired you as an employee to perform specific responsibilities, like leading a class, for instance. As a salaried worker, your wages may be a set amount or based on the hours you work. You may also receive employee benefits such as subsidized health care or workers’ compensation.

There are three types of PhD stipends:

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs): In exchange for a stipend, you’ll be required to assist in the delivery of one or more courses over a number of years. This includes but is not limited to, marking student tutorials, supervising lab experiments, and providing support to undergraduates during office hours. Besides this, you may have to teach a small section of the course itself. You can discover more about GTAs on King’s College London’s website.
• Research Assistantships (RAs): In exchange for a stipend, you assist a departmental professor with their research. In the ideal scenario, the professor you work with should also be your PhD. supervisor and the research you’re asked to support relates to your own doctoral project.
• Stipend via Studentship: A stipend is a non-repayable grant provided to doctoral students to help support their studies. A studentship covers a student’s tuition fees whilst a stipend covers a PhD. student’s living costs. This includes outgoings such as rent, food, bills, and basic travel. Unlike Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantships, stipends rarely have duties attached to them. The only expectation of receiving a stipend will be that you maintain continuous progress within your degree.

It’s worth noting these earning opportunities can also be combined. For example, it’s possible to be a research assistant whilst also committing time to teach undergraduate students.

The average Ph.D. student salaries in UK for teaching assistantships will vary depending on the level of responsibility you’re taking. However, to provide figures, past doctoral students have reported receiving approx. £10/hr for marking tutorials, £15/hr for leading laboratory sessions, and up £20/hr for leading undergraduate classes and tutorials.

The actual amount you can earn from teaching assistance will depend on the rate your department offers and the hours you can realistically take on. If you’re in a Graduate Teaching Assistantship program, they will require you to dedicate a set number of hours per week. If you’re not on a GTA but would still like to earn an income through this scheme, you will likely need to commit several hours per week consistently. Although this can be a great way to earn whilst you study, you need to make sure you manage your time effectively so as to not become overwhelmed by taking on an additional commitment. The average salary for research assistantships will vary depending on the field of the doctoral degree you are enrolled in. Usually, these positions pay between £25,000 to £30,000 per year, however, it’s possible to come across positions that sit slightly outside of this. As a general rule of thumb, STEM assistors are paid more than non-STEM assistors. Although £15,000 to £18,000 per year is the typical range for a stipend, some can be far greater than this. For example, Wellcome Trust, a research charity based in London, offers an annual stipend of up to £23,300 and £26,000 for doctoral students located outside and within London, respectively.

The United States is home to several of the world’s best universities making it a top destination for international researchers. A Master’s degree is not always required to do a PhD. in the US. Several top universities offer direct entry PhD programs. An American PhD begins with two to three years of coursework in order to pass qualifying exams. During this time doctoral students are able to develop their research interests and hone in on their thesis topic. They will then write a thesis proposal which must be approved before they can start their dissertation. Most programs require PhD students to gain two to three years of teaching experience as well, either by leading their own class or as teaching assistants for a professor. It takes an average of six years to earn a PhD. in the US. Unlike some European countries, there is no mandated minimum salary or national salary scale for PhD students in the US. PhD students earn between $15,000 and $30,000 a year depending on their institution, field of study, and location. This stipend can be tax-free (if it is a fellowship award) or taxable (if it is a salary e.g from a teaching position). American PhD students are usually only paid for nine months of the year but many programs offer summer funding opportunities. A PhD funding package will also include a full or partial tuition waiver.

Also Read: PhD in USA: Top Universities, Application Process and More! 410

The average PhD salary in Australiai s $29,500 per year or $15.13 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $28,092 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $40,000 per year. The Australian Government also offers a stipend for PhD students to live on while they research as part of the RTP. If your research qualifies for the RTP and you come from a qualifying country or are considered a domestic student, then you will also qualify for the stipend.

Must Read: PhD in Australia: A Complete Guide

An increasingly attractive and multicultural study destination, Canada is a great option to consider for your PhD studies, offering a wealth of research opportunities to help you expand your expertise. More than a third of the country’s overall research is conducted at Canadian universities, and this work contributes billions to the country’s economy. The University of British Columbia Four Year Doctoral Fellowship provides a stipend of at least CA$18,200 (~US$13,700) per year plus full tuition for outstanding international/home doctoral students for all four years of their studies.

Must Read: PhD in Canada for Indian Students

With no doctoral fees at all at public universities and a range of funding options for international students, Germany isn’t just one of the most prestigious European destinations for PhD research: it’s also among the most affordable. German PhD funding takes various forms, reflecting the range of different ways you can complete a PhD in Germany . Doctoral students are often supported by traditional academic scholarships and fellowships, but German universities and research institutes also offer salaried assistantships for their PhD researchers. With no doctoral fees at all at public universities and a range of funding options for international students, Germany isn’t just one of the most prestigious European destinations for PhD research: it’s also among the most affordable.

Also Read: PhD in Germany: Types, Eligibility, And Admission Process

A stipend is a non-repayable grant provided to doctoral students to help support their studies.

PhD students in USA can earn between $15,000 and $30,000 a year depending on their institution, field of study, and location.

PhD students in the UK receive approx. £10/hr for marking tutorials, £15/hr for leading laboratory sessions, and up to £20/hr for leading undergraduate classes and tutorials.

This was all about a PhD stipend. For more study abroad services, call Leverage Edu at 1800 572 000 and get a free consultancy session by our experts.

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PhD Salaries and Lifetime Earnings

PhDs employed across job sectors show impressive earning potential:

“…[T]here is strong evidence that advanced education levels continue to be associated with higher salaries. A study by the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce showed that across the fields examined, individuals with a graduate degree earned an average of 38.3% more than those with a bachelor’s degree in the same field. The expected lifetime earnings for someone without a high school degree is $973,000; with a high school diploma, $1.3 million; with a bachelor’s degree, $2.3 million; with a master’s degree, $2.7 million; and with a doctoral degree (excluding professional degrees), $3.3 million. Other data indicate that the overall unemployment rate for individuals who hold graduate degrees is far lower than for those who hold just an undergraduate degree.” - Pathways Through Graduate School and Into Careers , Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and Educational Testing Service (ETS), pg. 3.

Average salaries by educational level and degree (data from the US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2009-2011, courtesy of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce):

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports higher earnings and lower unemployment rates for doctoral degree holders in comparison to those with master’s and bachelor’s degrees:

According to national studies, more education translates not only to higher earnings, but also higher levels of job success and job satisfaction:

“Educational attainment – the number of years a person spends in school – strongly predicts adult earnings, and also predicts health and civic engagement. Moreover, individuals with higher levels of education appear to gain more knowledge and skills on the job than do those with lower levels of education and they are able, to some extent, to transfer what they learn across occupations.” - Education for Life and Work (2012), National Research Council of the National Academies, pg. 66.

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PhD, Professor, and Postdoc Salaries in the United States

The United States is home to several of the world’s best universities making it a top destination for international researchers. Here’s a breakdown of the most common American 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 do a PhD in the US. Several top universities offer direct entry PhD programs. An American PhD begins with two to three years of coursework in order to pass qualifying exams. During this time doctoral students are able to develop their research interests and hone in on their thesis topic. They will then write a thesis proposal which must be approved before they can start their dissertation. Most programs require PhD students to gain two to three years of teaching experience as well, either by leading their own class or as teaching assistants for a professor. It takes an average of six years to earn a PhD in the US.

Unlike some European countries, there is no mandated minimum salary or national salary scale for PhD students in the US. PhD students ear n between $ 15,000 and $30,000 a year depending on their institution, field of study, and location. This stipend can be tax-free (if it is a fellowship award) or taxable (if it is a salary e.g from a teaching position). American PhD students are usually only paid for nine months of the year but many programs offer summer funding opportunities. A PhD funding package will also include a full or partial tuition waiver.

After earning a PhD, many researchers go on to a postdoc. A postdoc is a continuation of the researcher’s training that allows them to further specialize in a particular field and learn new techniques. Postdoc positions are usually two to three years and it is not unusual to do more than one postdoc. There is no limit on the number of years you can be a postdoc in the US. The average salary (2023 ) for postdocs in the US is $61,143 per year.

A lecturer is a non-tenure-track teaching position. They often have a higher teaching load than tenure track-faculty and no research obligations. These positions are more common in the humanities or as foreign language instructors. Lecturers hold advanced degrees, though not always PhDs. The average salary for a full time lecturer in 2021-2022 according to the American Association of University Professors was $69,499.

Assistant Professor

This is the start of the tenure track. An assistant professor is responsible for teaching, research, and service to the institution (committee membership). Assistant professors typically teach two to four courses per semester while also supervising graduate students. They are also expected to be active researchers and publish books, monographs, papers, and journal articles to meet their tenure requirements. The average salary for assistant professors in 2021-2022 was $85,063 according to the American Association of University Professors . 

Associate Professor

An assistant professor who has been granted tenure is then promoted to an associate professor. An associate professor often has a national reputation and is involved in service activities beyond their university. The average salary for associate professors in 2021-2022 was $97,734 according to the American Association of University Professors . 

This is the final destination of the tenure track. Five to seven years after receiving tenure, associate professors go through another review. If they are successful, they are promoted to the rank of professor (sometimes called full professor). Professors usually have a record of accomplishment that has established them as an international or national leader in their field. The average salary for professors in 2021-2022 according to the American Association of University Professors was $143,823. 

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PhD Stipends: Everything You Need To Know

• by Silas Canice
• August 13, 2023

The pursuit of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree entails a significant commitment that necessitates both academic commitment and careful financial preparation. Many individuals pursuing careers in research and academia often face uncertainties regarding the financial aspect of their doctoral studies. One commonly discussed term in this context is “PhD stipend.” A PhD stipend refers to a financial package that is offered to doctoral candidates in order to provide support for their academic studies and research endeavours.

However, analysing the complexities of PhD stipends might feel like trying to solve a riddle because there are so many different aspects involved. In this blog post, we’ll navigate the complex landscape of PhD stipends, shedding light on what PhD Stipends are, how they work, and strategies for optimising the benefits of PhD Stipends.

Passion And Financial Realities: Should I Go For A PhD?

A PhD is a significant investment of time and money, so it’s important to carefully weigh your motivations and the financial realities before committing to the programme. Even if it may be difficult to afford your educational and intellectual pursuits, you should not let that stop you.

You may successfully manage the financial environment of a PhD programme with careful planning, ingenuity, and a willingness to adapt. Never forget that the rewards of your academic pursuits and the contributions you might make to your profession can far transcend any financial difficulties you may face.

What Is A PhD Stipend?

A PhD stipend refers to a monetary compensation provided by universities and research institutes to doctorate students. This is to cover their living expenses, tuition fees, and research-related expenditures during the duration of their doctoral studies. In contrast to conventional employment, a stipend is commonly offered as remuneration for a student’s scholarly endeavours, such as research, teaching, or other academic services rendered to the university.

It is crucial to acknowledge that a stipend is fundamentally different from a wage, as its purpose is to provide financial assistance for a student’s academic endeavours rather than functioning as remuneration for routine or full-time employment.

What Are The Components Of A PhD Stipend?

A standard doctoral stipend package encompasses numerous components that collectively contribute to the comprehensive financial aid of the PhD student. Some of the components of a PhD Stipend include, but are not limited to:

i. Living Stipend

The living stipend is the primary source of funding for a PhD stipend. It pays for the student’s accommodation, food, transportation, and other necessities of life. Location, school, major, and cost of living all play a role in determining how much of a living stipend a student receives.

Related: How To Survive As An International Student In Canada

ii. Tuition Waiver/Fellowship

Tuition waivers and fellowships are common components of PhD stipend packages. Given the expensive cost of a PhD education (particularly in some subjects like Chemistry or other STEM fields or at private universities), this may be a significant perk.

iii. Health Insurance

The provision of health insurance is a common component of PhD stipend packages. Since students’ health and productivity are directly tied to their access to affordable medical care, this aspect of the stipend is critical.

iv. Research Grant/Funding

It’s common for students to get stipends that include extra money specifically for research. This might include things like textbooks, research materials, and registration fees for academic conferences.

v. Teaching Assistantship

As part of their academic training, PhD students frequently take on the roles of teaching assistants (TAs) or research assistants (RAs). Along with the stipend, these roles offer the chance to gain work experience and build professional connections.

What Is The Reason For The Rising Interest In Pursuing PhD Programs?

There has been a notable increase in the number of people showing serious interest in enrolling in PhD programmes in recent years. A wide variety of students from different academic backgrounds have committed themselves to this challenging academic journey because of the promise of cutting-edge research possibilities, intellectual inquiry, and ground-breaking discoveries.

According to Cláudia S. Sarrico in her work “ The expansion of doctoral education and the changing nature and purpose of the doctorate” she stated that , “ Doctorate level attainment has increased significantly in developed economies. In 2019, the average share of 25–64-year-olds with a doctorate across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) was around 1%. However, if current trends continue, 2.3% of today’s young adults will enter doctoral studies at some point in their life”.

Related: Best Countries With The Highest Paid PhD Stipends

What Makes PhD Programs Appealing?

The promise of intellectual exploration, the chance to enhance knowledge, and the prospect of becoming an authority in one’s profession all add to the attraction of pursuing a doctorate. The need for specialised knowledge has grown as businesses change and technology alters our reality.

In order to produce researchers, innovators, and intellectuals capable of tackling difficult challenges and driving advancement across a wide range of fields, PhD programmes provide a means to satisfy this requirement.

Additionally, the evolving dynamics of the labour market have also played a role in the increasing inclination towards doctoral programmes. In an increasingly competitive job market characterised by heightened specialisation requirements, obtaining a PhD can confer a notable competitive edge.

The possession of a PhD degree can enhance one’s reputation and depth of knowledge, hence creating opportunities for employment in many sectors such as academia, research institutes, government agencies, and industries that require sophisticated analytical and problem-solving skills.

The Financial Challenges of A PhD Program

While a PhD holds great appeal, prospective students should be aware of the financial burdens connected with earning one. Although PhD Programs are stipulated to last for 3 years, they are often far more time-intensive and might take up to 5 – 10 to complete.

Tuition, housing, books, and research are just some of the potential financial strains that students may encounter during this period. Given the rising cost of tuition and the generally high cost of living in many places, the financial problems might seem particularly challenging.

Although stipends should help students with their education, they may not be enough in high-cost areas. Therefore, many college students look for ways to supplement their income, such as through teaching or research assistantships or part-time work. It may be quite difficult to combine all of these responsibilities with schoolwork.

Furthermore, as competition for PhD programmes grows, so does the difficulty of winning stipends and scholarships. Many funding opportunities attract a large number of well-qualified applicants, so students must prepare compelling applications and provide evidence of their research potential to stand out. The pursuit of a PhD is already difficult, and this condition just makes things more difficult.

How To Navigate The Financial Challenges of A PhD Program

Notwithstanding the prevailing financial obstacles, embarking on a doctoral programme might prove to be a gratifying undertaking. Nevertheless, successful execution necessitates meticulous financial strategizing and a proactive stance towards overseeing the accompanying expenditures.

After successfully obtaining a PhD stipend, it is crucial to adopt prudent financial management practices to maximize its value. Here are some tips on how to navigate the financial challenges of a PhD program and enhance the worth of your PhD stipend.

i. Lookout For Funding Opportunities

Do your homework on the financial options at each school before enrolling for a PhD programme there. There may be substantial financial support available through some programmes (such as stipends, tuition exemptions, and health insurance), while other opportunities may be more limited in this regard.

ii. Make A Realistic Budget

Create a complete budget that covers all expenses like school fees, meals, transportation, research, living expenses, rent, utilities, groceries and other essentials. Allocate a portion of your stipend for discretionary spending and emergencies. Knowing your financial needs helps you manage your money better.

iii. Seek External Funding Where Necessary

Explore external funding sources, such as government grants, private scholarships, and research fellowships. These can provide additional financial support and alleviate some of the burdens associated with the program.

iv. Financial Literacy

It is important to educate yourself on money management, saving, and budgeting. This will help you make well-informed decisions and proficiently manage your finances.

v. Look Out For Part-Time Work

Depending on the workload and requirements of your academic programme, it may be advisable to explore menial job opportunities that align with your studies. Engaging in freelance work, teaching, or consulting might offer supplementary financial resources while ensuring that one’s academic obligations are not unduly burdened.

vi. Frugal Living

Living frugally will allow you to get more out of your stipend. Save money by taking advantage of student discounts, preparing meals at home, and living with roommates.

Decoding the Factors Affecting PhD Stipends: What Factors Influence The Amount And Structure of PhD Stipends ?

Understanding the factors that influence the amount and structure of PhD stipends can help prospective students navigate the decision-making process effectively. Here are some of the factors that determine the amount and structure of PhD stipends.

1. Geographical Location

There is significant variation in the cost of living across different cities or regions. The stipend amounts are frequently modified to accommodate these variations. For instance, it is plausible that a stipend provided in a metropolitan location characterised by a substantial cost of living may potentially exceed the amount offered in a smaller town.

2. Field Of Study

Various academic disciplines receive different amounts of financial support. Disciplines characterised by a strong research demand, such as computer science , engineering and natural sciences , frequently provide more competitive stipends as a result of the possibility of pioneering breakthroughs and transformative advancements.

3. Duration Of The Program

The duration of a doctoral programme has the potential to impact the financial support provided in the form of a PhD stipend. Programmes of longer duration may offer larger stipends in order to accommodate the increased length of study.

4. Type Of Funding

Stipends may be supported by several funding sources such as the government, universities, private foundations, and corporations. Depending on the financing mechanism, the regularity and availability of the stipend may fluctuate.

5. Institutional Funding

Generally speaking, stipends are larger for universities with larger research budgets and endowments. Stipends at prestigious universities are often greater in order to compete for the best and brightest students and faculty.

6. Look Out For Assistantships And Fellowships

It is imperative that you take advantage of the available options to increase your overall PhD Stipend package. By exploring teaching or research assistantships, as well as fellowships, you can significantly boost your income and accelerate your career growth. Do not overlook these valuable opportunities.

How To Secure A PhD Stipend

Navigating the application process: tips and strategies.

There are several requirements and steps in the application procedure for a PhD stipend. To enhance the likelihood of achieving favourable outcomes or secure a PhD Stipend, it is advisable to consider the following steps:

1. Research Funding Opportunities

It is important to conduct comprehensive research on those institutions and programmes that pique your interest. It is advisable to do a thorough search for academic departments, teachers, or research groups that demonstrate alignment with your specific areas of interest. Conduct an inquiry into the many financial options that are accessible, encompassing stipends, assistantships, fellowships, and grants.

2. Prepare A Strong Application

Compose a persuasive application that effectively highlights your scholastic accomplishments, areas of research interest, and prospective contributions to the department. Please emphasise any pertinent experience, such as involvement in research initiatives, publications, or teaching engagements.

3. Statement Of Purpose And Research Proposal

It is important to exercise meticulous attention when crafting one’s personal statement and research proposal. Please provide a clear and concise explanation of your research objectives, areas of interest, and how they correspond with the objectives of the programme. Express your determination and unwavering commitment to the selected academic discipline.

4. Connect With Faculty Advisors

Establishing relationships with prospective advisers may greatly boost the strength of your application. Initiate contact with academics whose research is connected with your academic objectives. A robust endorsement from a highly regarded member of the faculty can possess significant influence.

5. Establish Contact With The Financial Aid Or Admissions Office

To obtain comprehensive information on stipend packages, tuition waivers, health insurance coverage, and other forms of financial help, it is advisable to establish contact with the financial aid or admissions office of the selected educational institution.

6. Be Mindful Of The Application Deadline

Remember to pay attention to the application criteria and the deadlines. Early application submission displays your dedication to the process and gives you more time to make any necessary revisions.

7. Compare And Negotiate Your Options

When presented with various offers, it is advisable to engage in negotiation without delay. One may engage in an inquiry regarding the potentiality of an augmented stipend or supplementary perks. Moreover, it is advisable to do a comparative analysis of stipend packages offered by different universities in order to make a well-informed selection.

Cracking the code of navigating the landscape of PhD stipends requires a combination of research, preparation, and financial management skills. Understanding the components and factors that influence stipend packages can empower prospective PhD students to make informed decisions about their academic and financial futures. By approaching the application process strategically and managing their finances wisely, PhD candidates can embark on their journey with confidence and lay the foundation for a successful academic and professional career. Remember, a PhD stipend is not just financial support; it’s an investment in your growth as a scholar and researcher.

Silas Canice

Silas Canice is a freelance writer and has co-authored some books. He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry respectively from Imo State University. He is a scientific researcher and has published some articles in some reputable scientific journals. As a result of his passion for academic excellence, he enjoys writing academic-related articles for blogs to contribute to the society.

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5 countries offering the highest PhD stipends

Did you know that as a PhD student, there is a difference between salary and PhD stipends?

This is just one of the many things you should know when deciding to do a PhD .

As the highest level of education, a Doctor of Philosophy or PhD can take anywhere from four to 12 years to complete .

Embarking on a journey towards a PhD is an intellectually rewarding pursuit, but it often comes with financial challenges.

So, how do students cope?

If you receive a salary, then you are likely an employee the school hired to carry out a job like leading a class.

Like most jobs, salaried workers get a set wage based on their hours and often have employee benefits like subsidised healthcare or compensation.

A PhD stipend is a financial support system for doctoral students to cover living expenses, tuition, and research costs during their academic journey.

There are three types of PhD stipends :

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs): For this, you are required to assist by delivering one or more courses over a number of years. You would also need to take on other responsibilities, such as marking student tutorials, supervising lab experiments, and providing support to undergraduates during office hours.
• Research Assistantships (RAs): In this role, you will assist a departmental professor with their research. If you are lucky, the said professor is your PhD supervisor, and their research (and the support you give) will relate to your own doctoral project.
• Stipend via Studentship: This is a non-repayable grant for doctoral students. Unlike the other two stipends, this one rarely has additional suits, but you must progress with your degree.

Have PhD stipends always been like this?

PhD stipends have a rich history that mirrors the evolution of higher education.

Our current understanding of a PhD originated in 19th-century Germany , but doctoral degrees were awarded long before this.

Over time, PhD stipends have evolved into a cornerstone of doctoral education, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder the pursuit of advanced knowledge.

Fun fact: The term “stipend” itself has Latin origins, coming from “stipendium,” which refers to a soldier’s pay.

This etymology underscores the idea that stipends are a form of financial support for individuals committed to advancing knowledge, akin to soldiers committed to a cause.

Sometimes, these PhD stipends are not enough.

At the beginning of this year, The Guardian reported about how PhD students in Australia were barely earning enough to survive.

“Through Melbourne’s winter, I know people forced into less than suitable housing who weren’t turning on their heat,” said Tara-Lyn Camilleri, who lobbied to raise the stipend at Monash University from 30,000 Australian dollars to A$37,000 while completing her PhD last year.

It was eventually raised to A$33,000, about A$4,500 less than the minimum wage after tax.

As PhDs can take years to complete, it is always easier to do one when you have money saved away instead of relying entirely on the PhD stipend.

Eric Schmidt, former CEO and Chairman, Google has a PhD in electrical engineering.

In fact, Forbes even released a list of the most popular PhDs among billionaires :

• Former CEO of Google Eric Schmidt (estimated net worth: US$16.2 billion), UC Berkeley
• The man behind Garmin GPS Min Kao (US$4.2 billion), University of Tennessee
• Cofounder, Chief Technology Officer and Chairman, Broadcom Henry Samueli (US$7.7 billion), UCLA
• Cofounder, Broadcom Henry Nicholas III (US$6.6 billion), UCLA
• Founder, D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P. David Shaw (US$7.9 billion),  Stanford University
• Co-Founder & Co-Chairman, Two Sigma David Siegel  (US$6.8 billion), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• The man behind some of Microsoft’s most successful software, including Word and Excel, Charles Simonyi (US$5.2 billion), Stanford University
• Cofounder, Netscape Communications Corporation James Clark (US$2.9 billion), University of Utah
• Art Levinson (US$1.3 billion), Princeton University
•  Timothy Springer (US$2.1 billion), Harvard University

These are just some of the billionaires who have earned a PhD.

Fret not if you are not a billionaire yet. You can always apply to universities with the highest stipends.

The University of Vienna is a public research university located in Austria. Source: University of Vienna

Top 5 countries with the highest PhD stipends

• Average PhD stipend: US$104,328
• Average cost of living: US$1,705.67

Boasting over 50 institutions of higher education, it is no surprise that Austria is a top choice for a PhD.

Its rich cultural and academic heritage offers competitive stipends, with institutions like the University of Vienna leading the way.

This is because of the country’s commitment to academic excellence and research.

Universities often collaborate with international partners, contributing to a vibrant research community.

Government funding and a focus on supporting doctoral research contribute to the attractiveness of stipends in Austria.

Here are the most common PhD qualifications in Austria :

• Doctor of Arts
• Doctor of Economic Sciences
• Doctor of Medical Science
• Doctor of Natural Sciences
• Doctor of Psychotherapy Science
• Doctor of Technical Sciences

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by UvA: University of Amsterdam (@uva_amsterdam)

Netherlands

Average PhD stipend: US$74,163

Cost of living: US$861.45  to US$1292.17

The Netherlands, known for its innovation and research-driven culture, offers competitive stipends, with institutions like Delft University of Technology providing substantial financial support.

About 10 Dutch research universities are ranked in the top 200 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022.

The Netherlands is also highly ranked internationally for the number of publications per researcher (second) and for the impact of research publication (fourth).

“The PhD salary in the Netherlands is one of the best in the world,” a former PhD says to Dutch News .

“In the UK, the salaries are just 1,000 pounds and PhD students need to work at weekends. I was able to buy a house while being a PhD student here.”

Here are some of the top universities in the Netherlands :

• University of Amsterdam
• Leiden University
• University of Groningen
• Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
• Erasmus University Rotterdam

The University of Helsinki has one of the highest PhD stipends. Source: University of Helsinki

Average PhD stipend: US$46,537

Cost of living:  US$646.09 to US$969.13

Renowned for its high-quality education system, Finland offers competitive stipends, with institutions like the University of Helsinki providing substantial financial support.

Government funding often supports stipends in Finland, reflecting the country’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of researchers.

Students are also encouraged to take ownership of the research in Finland.

Here are the top universities in Finland :

• University of Helsinki
• Aalto University
• University of Oulu
• Tampere University
• University of Turku

Universities in Denmark often offer industrial PhDs. Source: University of Copenhagen

Average PhD stipend: US$53,436

Average cost of living: US$11,45.62

Denmark strongly emphasises education and research, and the country’s social welfare system ensures that stipends are sufficient to cover living expenses.

The country also offers an Industrial PhD option if you want to conduct a research project with commercial perspectives.

Denmark is also popular for the balance of robust academics and a great living standard, giving international students the best of both worlds.

Here are the best universities in Denmark:

•  University of Copenhagen
• Technical University of Denmark
• Aarhus University
• University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
• Aalborg University

Average PhD stipend: US$42,618

Average cost of living: US$2,512.13

The land of innovation and Vikings beckons ambitious scholars with competitive stipends and one institution that stands out is the renowned Karolinska Institute.

Sweden’s commitment to pioneering research and its unique blend of modernity and tradition make it an alluring destination for those pursuing a PhD.

Most universities in Sweden offer salaries instead of stipends.

Here are some of the leading institutions in Sweden :

• Blekinge Institute of Technology
• Chalmers University of Technology
• Dalarna University
• Halmstad University
• Jönköping University
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology
• Karlstad University
• Karolinska Institutet

*All figures were converted as at the time of writing

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Phd Stipend In ...

Phd Stipend In USA: How to Find a Job After PhD in USA?

A PhD is considered to be one of the most challenging degrees around the world but equally rewarding too. It takes about 4 to 6 years to complete a PhD in USA. One of the best parts about doing a PhD is that you get paid for it. If you are interested in the academic field, a PhD can give your career a boost and result in a salary increment by almost 25% than a master’s degree. Not only will you be entitled to a PhD stipend in USA that is around $15,000-30,000 per year but also a lucrative salary after PhD in USA between $60,000-1,00,000 and above.

You have come to the right place to know about PhD stipend in USA. Here is a complete guide to provide you with details of PhD stipend in USA for international students, average salary after PhD in USA and answers to all your commonly asked questions about job after PhD in USA!

PhD Stipend in USA for International Students

Let us kick start the discussion on job and salary after PhD in USA by answering one of the most common questions among international students: what is the average stipend for PhD students in USA? 

Take note of the following details regarding PhD stipend in USA:

• Just like salaries for employees, students pursuing PhD are paid stipends which are funding from the institution to help you meet your living expenses while performing research.
• Here it is to be noted that the PhD student stipend in USA is paid on the basis of the number of months in an academic year i.e. usually 9 months per year rather than the entire calendar year.
• You can expect an average PhD stipend in USA between $15,000-30,000 per year.
• PhD stipend in USA for international students vary depending on the institution, your field of specialization and location.
• There is no minimum fixed stipend in PhD in USA like in some European countries.
• A PhD stipend in USA which is a fellowship award is tax-free while the one that is a salary for a teaching position is taxable.

Also Read: What is the total cost of pursuing Phd In USA?

Job and Salary after PhD in USA

Your salary after PhD in USA will depend on the type of job position, industry, level of experience and skills among other competent factors. Most commonly after earning a PhD, the candidate is likely to look for an academic position such as professor, lecturer, post doc, etc. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to find jobs outside the academic arena as multinational companies are also looking for expert researchers who can take their organization to the next level.

Having said that let us take a look at the table below and explore the various job and salary after PhD in USA:

Also Read: How you can apply for Phd In USA to earn from above-listed jobs?

Top Recruiter and Salary after PhD in USA

It is a pre-assumed notion that the scope of getting a job after PhD in USA is limited to academics. Opposed to this, with your level of knowledge and field of expertise, you can approach recruiters in various sectors including government institutions, hospitals, insurance companies, laboratories, large corporations as well as private companies.

Here is a list of top recruiters that you can eye on depending upon your area of specialization after PhD in USA:

How to Find a Job after PhD in USA?

As you must have understood from the above discussion that PhD job roles are related to academic positions. Here what needs to be understood is that as a PhD candidate you will be treated more as a part of the university staff than a student. A job vacancy for pursuing PhD is the opening of the position to apply for PhD at a university itself where you will be given a stipend.

Here are the ways you can find a job after PhD in USA:

• Research: Proper research on your part is quite essential as after completing your PhD which will already be a long journey, you cannot sit back and relax to find a job. Being proactive and looking for job opportunities is necessary to make your PhD worth all the effort and time invested.
• Networking: Networking is indispensable in today’s job market as almost 70% of the vacancies in USA are filled through networking.
• Job search websites: 
• Career services at the university: The university where you have completed your PhD can help you by providing resources and information about job openings.
• Newspapers: You can keep an eye on the newspapers to find details of jobs that require a PhD qualified candidate.

This was all about PhD stipend in USA for Indian students. We hope this article has helped you realize the salary and job opportunities in PhD beyond the all-time favorite academic field. With several leading universities, the US is considered to be one of the hotspots among international researchers and could provide you with great career prospects. Speak to our Yocket counselors today to know about the best opportunities for PhD in USA and get insights on salary after PhD in USA. 

Also Read: How to pursue Phd in USA without GRE?

Frequently Asked Questions about PhD Stipend in USA

How much is the PhD stipend in USA for Indian students?

The PhD stipend in USA for Indian students is around 12,00,000-24,00,000 INR per year.

What are the top non-academic job after PhD in USA?

The top non-academic/part-time jobs after PhD in USA include market research analyst, actuary, life science researcher, data scientist, research scientist, business analyst, operations analyst, biomedical scientist, etc.

Does a PhD increase salary?

Yes, a PhD can help you increase your salary by almost 25-30%.

How can I work in USA after a PhD?

You can apply for a H-1B visa to live and work in the US after completing your PhD. You will need an employer from the academic or industrial field to sponsor your H-1B visa to the USCIS.

Is a master’s degree required to pursue PhD in USA?

It is not mandatory to hold a master’s degree to pursue PhD in USA. Several top universities offer direct admission to PhD programs without a master’s degree.

Kashyap Matani

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• PhD Salary in UK – Explained
• Funding a PhD

What Are PhD Salaries?

The average cost of undertaking a PhD in the UK is approximately £20,000 per academic year for UK students and £40,000 for international students. To help offset the cost of this, many students question whether undertaking a doctorate comes with a PhD salary.

The salary of a PhD student is governed by three factors: whether they’re assisting in undergraduate teaching, assisting in research, or have secured a PhD with a stipend. Depending on which of the three categories a student falls within, they will receive an income during their studies, however, the amount will differ by a substantial amount.

To help show you how you can fund your postgraduate degree and how much you can expect to earn whilst doing so, carry on reading below.

Types of PhD Salaries

There are three types of PhD degree salaries:

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) . In exchange for a salary, you’ll be required to assist in the delivery of one or more courses over a number of years. This includes, but is not limited to, marking student tutorials, supervising lab experiments and providing support to undergraduates during office hours. Besides this, you may have to teach a small section of the course itself. You can discover more about GTAs on King’s College London’s website.
• Research Assistantships (RAs) . In exchange for a salary, you assist a departmental professor with their research. In the ideal scenario, the professor you work with should also be your PhD supervisor and the research you’re asked to support with relates to your own doctoral project.
• Stipend via Studentship: A stipend is a non-repayable grant provided to doctoral students to help support their studies. A studentship covers a student’s tuition fees whilst a stipend covers a PhD student’s living costs. This includes outgoings such as rent, food, bills and basic travel. Unlike Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantships, stipends rarely have duties attached to them. The only expectation of receiving a stipend will be that you maintain continuous progress within your degree.

It’s worth noting these earning opportunities can be also be combined. For example, it’s possible to be a research assistant whilst also committing time to teach undergraduate students.

Average PhD Salary in UK

The average PhD student salary for teaching assistantships will vary depending on the level of responsibility you’re taking. However, to provide figures, past doctoral students have reported receiving approx. £10/hr for marking tutorials, £15/hr for leading laboratory sessions and up to £20/hr for leading undergraduate classes and tutorials.

The actual amount you can earn from teaching assistance will depend on the rate your department offers and the hours you can realistically take on. If you’re on a Graduate Teaching Assistantship programme, they will require you to dedicate a set number of hours per week. If you’re not on a GTA but would still like to earn an income through this scheme, you will likely need to commit several hours per week consistently. Although this can be a great way to earn whilst you study, you need to make sure you manage your time effectively as to not become overwhelmed by taking on an additional commitment.

The average salary for research assistantships will vary depending on the field of the doctoral degree you are enrolled in. Usually, these positions pay between £25,000 to £30,000 per year, however, it’s possible to come across positions which sit slightly outside of this. As a general rule of thumb, STEM assistors are paid more than non-STEM assistors.

In the UK, PhD students can receive a stipend which varies between £15,000 and £18,000 per annum. As part of the studentship your stipend is provided under, your tuition fees will also be paid for. UK tuition fees will vary between universities but are approximately £4,500 per year for doctoral courses starting in 2021/22 as per the UKRI recommendations .

Although £15,000 to £18,000 per year is the typical range for a stipend, some can be far greater than this. For example, Wellcome Trust , a research-charity based in London, offers an annual stipend of up to £23,300 and £26,000 for doctoral students located outside and within London, respectively.

Are PhD Salaries Taxed?

PhD stipends are tax free. Therefore, you don’t need to pay any income tax nor do you need to make any national insurance contributions. This means you’ll keep all the money you receive from an annual stipend. However, this is not the case for Research Assistants.

In the UK, Research Assistants are employed as university staff members and are paid a direct salary as opposed to a stipend. As a result, it will require you to pay tax on your earnings and make national insurance contributions.

To put this into perspective, for the 2019/20 UK tax year, you’re required to pay a 20% tax on any income above £12,500 but less than £50,000. You’re also required to make national insurance contributions of 12% of your weekly earnings over £166 but less than £962. This means that an annual Research Assistantship salary of £30,000 will equate to a take-home salary of £23,938 per year.

How to Get a PhD Stipend

To find research positions which offer stipends, we recommend you search our PhD database and filter by ‘funded’ positions.

Besides this, you can also secure a studentship from UK Research Councils or directly from your university as a scholarship. Independent organisations, such as charities and research trusts, and innovative firms within your industry also offer funding. You can read our PhD studentship guide to see how these work or our Where to find a PhD guide for further ideas.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How to Get a Research Assistantship PhD

Unfortunately, research assistantships opportunities aren’t as common to come across compared to PhD stipends. Besides this, when they are available, they’re predominantly in STEM subjects such as computer science and engineering. The reason for this is these subjects usually have access to greater research grants and have a greater volume of practical work available.

To find a research assistantship, we recommend that you contact the university departments who host the courses you’re interested in directly. This is because research assistantships help professors with their research, and while they may require help, they may not be openly advertising for it. They may, therefore, be able to create a role for you within their department or put you into contact with one of their colleagues who already has an open position.

International Students

It’s worth noting that international students will have a harder time securing a funded PhD position than UK ‘home’ students will. This is largely because there are usually fewer funding opportunities available to international students, which as a result also attract significant competition.

Besides this, if you’re an international student studying in the UK you will most likely than not be on a Tier 4 visa. Although a Tier 4 visa will allow you to work to earn an additional income alongside any studentship you may have, there will be certain restrictions on what you can and can’t do. For example, during term-time, you won’t be allowed to work more than 20 hours per week. For a full list of restrictions, please refer to the government website.

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