• Question: how much money do you earn?

    Asked by to Sam, Sarah on 17 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Sam Connolly

      Sam Connolly answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      Because I’m doing my PhD, I’m still technically a student, so I don’t actually get ‘paid’, I get money to support myself whilst I’m learning (called a studentship, or scholarship). It’s similar when you’re an undergraduate doing a normal degree at University, but PhD students get more money! It’s about as much as you would expect for any first-time job in an office, or anywhere else though. Once you’ve got a PhD, you can get a job as a scientist, instead of being a student, then you start being paid more. If you’re a good scientist you can get paid a lot, but you have to work hard!

    • Photo: Sarah Casewell

      Sarah Casewell answered on 23 Jun 2014:

      I’m a postdoc so I have my PhD and am doing research. In the UK postdocs normally earn between £24 000 and £32 000 although you have to take tax off this! After your PhD you start at the bottom and work up the scale. It’s pretty generous as far as salaries go.

Comments