How much were you paid as a research assistant?

[mac_kin]

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I would just like to know because I'm curious if I am getting ripped off at my new potential job.

By "research assistant" this implies that I am responsible for everything from literature review to participant intervention to writing the final protocol (with the help of others of course). What should one demand for this kind of work?

 

[brooklynblunder]

um are you a post-doc?

if you mean research assistant, thats usually lower than research tech/specialist but its around 30k

 

[apumic]

Honestly? ...Do you have your BA/BS? If not, minimum wage...or less (i.e., nada). If you have a BA/BS, probably around $9-12/hr unless you have specific skills and a fair amount of research experience already (i.e., been published, etc.).

Edit: Seeing as your status is "Post-Doc," it would depend upon your field. I'd look around by talking to colleagues, advisors, etc. who've actually been where you are now. A lot also depends upon grant money available and such. As a post-doc, I'd expect you could bring in $30-60k/yr as a post-doctoral researcher, seeing as grad students are generally paid a $15-30k/yr stipend on top of tuition. The pre-med forums probably aren't a good place to ask this if you're a post-doc, IMO....

 

[Disinence2]

I got paid 0

 

[Chemdude]

I got paid 8.50...

 

[Beren]

50K/year and tuition for grad courses, for recent grad (B.A.) with minimal experience in the field. This is wayyyy better than I got from any university or biotech offers. Apply early and be choosy.

 

[BerlinDude]

50K/year and tuition for grad courses, for recent grad (B.A.) with minimal experience in the field. This is wayyyy better than I got from any university or biotech offers. Apply early and be choosy.

Delusional...

 

[Chemdude]

50K/year and tuition for grad courses, for recent grad (B.A.) with minimal experience in the field. This is wayyyy better than I got from any university or biotech offers. Apply early and be choosy.

No way dude. The guy I worked with, who had a BS, only made 18.50/hour(which is on the high-end). That's about $35,000/year...

 

[Beren]

No way dude. The guy I worked with, who had a BS, only made 18.50/hour(which is on the high-end). That's about $35,000/year...

lol, I'd rather not scan my pay stubs, it's not like an extra 15,000 for 2 years makes a big difference. But... my point still is to be very proactive and do things very early. I began job hunting at the start of my last semester and had it all settled by April.

Don't settle for the scraps of others after graduation.

 

[JFK90787]

Most places I've looked at scale it based on experience. I've seen as low as $25K/year, and as high as $36K/year. If you don't have research experience by the time you graduate, finding work as a tech is so impossibly hard you should work for anything you get offered

 

[doctor712]

I got exactly $0.00.

However, I loved the experience. And I'll probably get two-three really nice letters.

D712

 

[medcourses09]

The school by me pays the research specialist just $28,000 - $30,000. Not great, and not horrible either.

 

[schussboarder]

got paid 12.50 an hour, but I definitly put in more hours that I was able to write down on my time sheet.....didn't really do it for the money though, but more for the awesome letter of recommendation.

 

[austinap]

I would just like to know because I'm curious if I am getting ripped off at my new potential job.

By "research assistant" this implies that I am responsible for everything from literature review to participant intervention to writing the final protocol (with the help of others of course). What should one demand for this kind of work?

What is your degree and field, how much research experience do you have, do you have any special skills, and where is the job at? Without these details, we're all just firing into the dark.

 

[Jolt21]

i started right out of college. 35k.

 

[teenmachinery1]

research technician > research assistant

🙂

 

[amakhosidlo]

After graduating with a B.S, I got offered a job as a research tech at 28k+benefits. I think that's pretty middle-of-the-road, range is probably 25-35 depending on where your work and how much experience you've got.

 

[scuti]

I guess I'm lucky...

As an undergrad I get 14/hour and 10/hour depending on which lab I'm at.

 

[Compass]

🤣 Don't make me laugh. I PAY to work as a research assistant.

 

[austinap]

Without specifics, here are some going rates. This is for the bay area, so rates are likely lower in other areas.

Industry positions:

B.S. with significant undergrad research experience: research assistant positions can be 35-55k/yr, research technicians can be 40-70k/yr starting.

PhD with no post-doc but decent record: biochem positions starting around 70k, chemist positions starting around 80k.

PhD with post-doc, scientist I positions: starting around 90k for biology, 100k for chemistry.

There are roughly current rates, scientist I positions for chemistry started at about 115k/yr two years ago.

Academic positions:

undergrad research: $0/hr.
graduate student: 25k/yr
B.S., lab tech: ~30-40k/yr, not working towards a degree
post-doc: 35-45k/yr.
lab tech with PhD: ~60-80k/yr.

 

[memedimonkey]

I have a BS and am an RA at a university, 35 hours a week, full benes, vacation, etc $34,000.

 

[rockaction]

I got paid 10$/hr for my summer research job (full-time)

 

[austinap]

I got paid 10$/hr for my summer research job (full-time)

Summer research positions for undergrads are often competitive with REU stipends (e.g, ~3-4k over the summer). However, if you work in that same lab during the school year, don't expect the lab to offer you a stipend for the summer (though you're not necessarily expected to stay around).

 

[FlowRate]

I get paid $10 per hour as an undergraduate researcher. 2-10 hours a week or so. (up to 20 if I had the time). Chemical engineering.

 

[rockaction]

Summer research positions for undergrads are often competitive with REU stipends (e.g, ~3-4k over the summer). However, if you work in that same lab during the school year, don't expect the lab to offer you a stipend for the summer (though you're not necessarily expected to stay around).

I wasn't getting a stipend, I was working by the hour as a temporary employee of the university and the lab said I could come back whenever I wanted to do more work.

 

[Ok2Panic]

16/hr here.

 

[brooklynblunder]

erg, 30k at penn w/ full health, dental, vision, life and tuition reimbursements


🙁

 

[austinap]

I wasn't getting a stipend, I was working by the hour as a temporary employee of the university and the lab said I could come back whenever I wanted to do more work.

Sure, and the hourly wage you listed is almost exactly what they need to be competitive with REU students: $10/hr, 40hrs/wk, ~10 weeks ~= $4k.

It is possible to get small scholarships through your university, etc, but in general it is the rule that undergrad researchers don't get paid.

 

[mdeast]

It'll depend on where you're working...but if you're at an academic center the pay should be around $30k/year. That is the standard rate (I interviewed in 10 labs across 4 cities including Boston, Philly, NYC, and DC, so I would definitely know), and is the typical number used in grant applications for hiring new techs. Be picky though, and even ask for more money. I got $35k just for asking for the additional 5k...which is much easier to do if you have multiple offers. You can possibly make more if you're living in an expensive city (a friend of mine makes 45k, but lives in Manhattan on the Upper East Side, so it's not as if you'll be saving anymore than someone in a less expensive city). You generally get excellent benefits (amazing health insurance at a cheap rate, tuition assistance, free courses, I get 5 weeks of vacation per year, which generally aren't even tracked).

If you go private (pharm company) you definitely could get between 40k-60k/year but the work you'd do may be less intellectual and a bit more "techy". Be picky about where you want to work, some positions may just have you maintaining a mouse colony, others will have you attached as a slave to a postdoc, while the best ones will be where you can develop your own project. Get to the know the lab, the people in it (sooooo important), and consider whether or not you'd get anything out of it. If you're taking time between med school (or grad school) and college you might as well make it some that will be beneficial to you in the long run. I picked based off of factors in order of importance

(1) quality of position, availability for individual project, would I be able to publish a first author paper in two years?
(2) research area of interest
(3) people and colleagues in the lab
(4) whether or not I liked the PI
(5) pay
(6) location

 

[foster033]

research technician > research assistant

🙂

this is not true everywhere...many of these titles can be misleading and are based on the institution you're working at.

At my current job the levels go something like this...
lab aide -- $8-10/hr
lab assistant -- $10-13/hr
lab tech -- $13-17/hr
lab specialist -- $17-25/hr
senior lab specialist --$25+/hr

However, I'm about to transfer to another state with my PI and the titles there are different...

research aide
research assistant -- $13+
research associate --15.5 +
senior research associate --$22+

basically a lab tech = research assistant
my bf is currently a lab assistant but will be getting a promotion to research assistant when he moves.

be careful basing pay solely off of a title as the titles really only have meaning at the specific institution.

For what it's worth after graduation I started off making around $14/hr working for a company...took a paycut to $13/hr to do research at a University...after 3 years I'm making ~$16/hr and will make a salaried $38k after the move as a research associate/lab manager.

Both states have cost of living <= to average cost of living in America.

 

[fahimaz7]

$38,500 full-time position.

 

[kami333]

this is not true everywhere...many of these titles can be misleading and are based on the institution you're working at.

At my current job the levels go something like this...
lab aide -- $8-10/hr
lab assistant -- $10-13/hr
lab tech -- $13-17/hr
lab specialist -- $17-25/hr
senior lab specialist --$25+/hr

However, I'm about to transfer to another state with my PI and the titles there are different...

research aide
research assistant -- $13+
research associate --15.5 +
senior research associate --$22+

basically a lab tech = research assistant
my bf is currently a lab assistant but will be getting a promotion to research assistant when he moves.

be careful basing pay solely off of a title as the titles really only have meaning at the specific institution.

For what it's worth after graduation I started off making around $14/hr working for a company...took a paycut to $13/hr to do research at a University...after 3 years I'm making ~$16/hr and will make a salaried $38k after the move as a research associate/lab manager.

Both states have cost of living <= to average cost of living in America.

Not to mention that a research assistant here is an entry level ($10-13/hr) clinical research position (non-wet lab, non-patient contact) and a research associate is a salaried post-doc level position.

 

[phoenixsuns]

36k for the year with full benefits (health, dental, vision, lawyer [never heard of this before lol], life insurance etc.)

just graduated and am working at the university i went to. much better than i thought i would get when i started

 

[shouldvestudied]

Your status says post-doc. If the position you're taking is "post-doctoral research assistant" it should be in the $50k-60k range at most major universities for biology/chemistry research.

If you are just a Research Assistant I,II, or III, the pay is lower (think $30k-50k).

If you are a Lab Tech, the pay is in the $25k-30k region.

 

[CoolWhipp]

Your status says post-doc. If the position you're taking is "post-doctoral research assistant" it should be in the $50k-60k range at most major universities for biology/chemistry research.

If you are just a Research Assistant I,II, or III, the pay is lower (think $30k-50k).

If you are a Lab Tech, the pay is in the $25k-30k region.

50-60k post-doctoral research? Show me.

 

[kami333]

Maybe in SF or NYC?

Post doc position around me go for 28-38k.

 

[FallenHero]

started out of college, ~35k/year. academic research lab. "40" hour work weeks but i actually work maybe 10.

 

[lixxx669]

30k/year, just graduated and hired by the lab I worked as an undergrad

 

[dabeste]

$33k a year + benefits with BA/BS 1 yr out of college. About average for my institution's research tech payscale.

 

[mdeast]

started out of college, ~35k/year. academic research lab. "40" hour work weeks but i actually work maybe 10.

You work 10 hours? lol do you only go in 2 days a week? How is this possible?

I make 36k now (after my small one year raise).

 

[halekulani]

this is not true everywhere...many of these titles can be misleading and are based on the institution you're working at.

At my current job the levels go something like this...
lab aide -- $8-10/hr
lab assistant -- $10-13/hr
lab tech -- $13-17/hr
lab specialist -- $17-25/hr
senior lab specialist --$25+/hr

However, I'm about to transfer to another state with my PI and the titles there are different...

research aide
research assistant -- $13+
research associate --15.5 +
senior research associate --$22+

basically a lab tech = research assistant
my bf is currently a lab assistant but will be getting a promotion to research assistant when he moves.

be careful basing pay solely off of a title as the titles really only have meaning at the specific institution.

For what it's worth after graduation I started off making around $14/hr working for a company...took a paycut to $13/hr to do research at a University...after 3 years I'm making ~$16/hr and will make a salaried $38k after the move as a research associate/lab manager.

Both states have cost of living <= to average cost of living in America.

most accurate list i've seen so far
i have a BA and MA, got paid 14.50/hr for being a lab tech.

 

[Pills Of Soap]

as a research associate (staff),
if you work in academia, you will earn ~35k/year
in industry, you will earn ~50k/year (about how much a postdoc makes in academia)

fact

 

[surftheiop]

After my freshman year in Chem Engineering I got a $15/hour, 40 hour/week, summer research job in industry. Man I felt rich at the time

Other lab techs with two year associate degrees were making 40k-45k and lab techs with BS were doing 40k-60k depending how long they had been there. I think the PhD chemists make 100k-130k depending how long they had been there.

 

[ShinyDome19]

most accurate list i've seen so far
i have a BA and MA, got paid 14.50/hr for being a lab tech.

^^ This is what I make in Mississippi with a MS in microbiology..I made about 14/hr in Texas doing the same thing..

Unless you go to california, where janitors make $50/hr, dont expect too much pay...especially when the gov. isnt funding research as much as they use to. You'll definately make more in industry.

 

[Moosecakes]

Ohhhh bout Tree-Fiddy!
😀

Pretty much everyone in here covered it, itll be nothing to very little.

 

[Algophiliac]

I have a few questions about this whole research assistant business.

Upon getting a B.S. in biology, how likely is it to find a job as a research assistant or research technician? Where exactly are these jobs found (hospital, college, industry, etc?)? Is anything aside from a B.S. required to obtain these jobs?

And just for kicks, can someone make a permanent career out of something like this? Obviously sticking with a B.S. in biology as a fallback plan is not the best idea, but I'm just curious if worse comes to worst.

 

[surftheiop]

And just for kicks, can someone make a permanent career out of something like this? Obviously sticking with a B.S. in biology as a fallback plan is not the best idea, but I'm just curious if worse comes to worst.

When I worked in industry for a summer there were probably 30 people in the labs with various B.S. degrees who were making a career out of it. I don't know exactly how much they were making, but several mentioned to me that they were extremely happy with their pay.

 

[ShinyDome19]

You can make a career out of it...I do know of a guy who has a bachelors in biology and worked as a lab tech for something like 10 years, making pretty low salary...but then he found a job as a lab manager for a big hospital...and is actually making a pretty decent pay. But, it took him a while to get there.

Generally a Masters degree is equivalent to two years of experience and a phD is considered equivalent to like 4-5 years of experience. So, with a bachelors, you'll need to have 4-5 years of working under your belt to be considered as "experienced" as a phD. But, that being said, at the bachelors level, your not going to get the oppertunity to get grants and publications as easily as a phD would. So, even with 5 years of experience with a bachelors degree, I still think your likely to be overlooked if someone with higher education is applying.

An example of this would be my situation. I applied for a research position that had something like two dozen other applicants, all with bachelors degrees (according to my boss). I submitted an application during the last week of hiring for the position, the next day the hiring manager called me up and asked me if I wanted the job..without even interviewing me, simply because I had a masters degree (even though the job only required a bachelors).

 

[FallenHero]

You work 10 hours? lol do you only go in 2 days a week? How is this possible?

I make 36k now (after my small one year raise).

i go in 5 days a week. but most of the time is spent surfing SDN, watching youtube, hitting on the undergrad 'lab helper' chicks etc. sometimes i go into the storage room and do pushups.

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

22$/hour in school as an engineer coop program with Boston Scientific.

Currently making 70k a year as an R&D Engineer for drug eluting coronary stents at Abbott Vascular.