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!
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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.
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:
Job Title |
Average Annual Salaries |
Assistant Professor |
85,000 USD |
Associate Professor |
97,000 USD |
Professor |
142,000 USD |
Lecturer |
131,000 USD |
Market Research Analyst |
107,000 USD |
Actuary |
135,000 USD |
Life Science Researcher |
157,000 USD |
Laboratory Researcher |
90,800 USD |
Data Scientist |
155,000 USD |
Research Scientist |
151,000 USD |
Quantitative Researcher |
139,000 USD |
Biomedical Scientist |
205,000 USD |
Business Development Manager |
147,000 USD |
Business Analyst |
125,000 USD |
Operations Analyst |
112,000 USD |
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:
Organization |
Average Annual Salary |
Microsoft |
104,000 USD |
|
125,000 USD |
Cisco |
135,000 USD |
Dell |
95,000 USD |
Wipro |
95,000 USD |
Goldman Sachs |
90,000 USD |
136,000 USD |
|
151,000 USD |
|
137,000 USD |
|
110,000 USD |
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?