Salary After PhD

[climaxman2000]

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I wanted to ask about salaries after doin PhD....is pharmaceutical sciences (particularly drug design and delivery) is a good programme for research. I was just keen to know about salaries as its so hard to find about it on internet.

 

[cure4cancer]

I'm not too sure since I'm a first year student, but I believe that phD's get paid with grants, and more pay with big breakthroughs ...

 

[zidanereal2003]

I'm not too sure since I'm a first year student, but I believe that phD's get paid with grants, and more pay with big breakthroughs ...

It depends what field you are studying..
Usually phd in engineering you will get around 80k

 

[QofQuimica]

I'm finishing my PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry this year. Most people in chemistry do a post doc after their degree, especially if they want to go into academia. This will not be a very well-paid position (maybe $30k or so depending on where in the country you are) but it is almost always necessary for academic postions. As an assistant professor, your starting salary might be $45k or so, but it will increase when you get tenured or if you get grant support. If you go into industry as a new PhD, you might expect to make around $60k to start, and again your salary will increase commensurate with your experience. People in industry will usually earn more money compared with people in academia.

 

[PsychStudent]

Sorry, I accidentally posted this in the wrong place. *editing*

 

[lumanyika]

since climaxman2000 inadvertently started this thread, I'll unofficially continue it by encouraging discourse on this article that i stumbled upon.I thought it's very comprehensive information for anyone contemplating on the biosciences PhD. besides, it's the most extensive study i've found so far on bioscience PhD salaries.

 

[USAF_Dentman]

since climaxman2000 inadvertently started this thread, I'll unofficially continue it by encouraging discourse on this article that i stumbled upon.I thought it's very comprehensive information for anyone contemplating on the biosciences PhD. besides, it's the most extensive study i've found so far on bioscience PhD salaries.

The article you presented re-affirmed my decision not to pursue a PhD. As much bs that i have witnessed by current grad students as well as other things led me to avoid this type of career.

I know money isnt a big thing, but to me it needs to be in relation to the amount of education put in. I recently spoke to one of my high school friends, who went right into the workforce out of high school, decided to go work at one of the paper mills and now he makes ~$45,000 plus bennys (401k, stock investments, etc)..Oh, and he's only 20 yo. This is how much an assoc. prof at my school makes after 13 years of education! To me this isnt worth the social and financial risks involved with pursuing this type of career.

And there are the hours, scut work, and other things that equally contribute to many negative feelings i have (as well as the people mentioned in the article)

However, there are people who enjoy this type of work, and should very well pursue this career choice. Unfortunately for me, i think i might have enjoyed this type of work (assuming there are better job opportunities) and wanted to go this route from the beginning. Now, i have decided to enter a medical profession.

 

[gmcsierra]

80K for an engineering PhD?
Any engineer with a BS can start at 45K double that within 10 years. Somehting's wrong, especially beings the PhD will work much longer hours in most cases than the engineer with a BS.

 

[DrMojorisin]

The referred to article is dead on accurate for ph.D. job opportunities and salaries, but it states I think its mba salary projections are way too high... 65000$ for a starting mba? 175,000$ avg for a highly experienced one... I think not.

I am really glad I got my ph.d (and I'll be done in just a few months), but only because I am going back to med school and it will give me a tremendous advantage at matching for the specialty I want.

I would advise against anyone becoming a biosciences ph.d. under the current system unless they either:

a) are obsessed with the idea of personally affecting the course of medical science

or

b) plan on being an m.d. afterwards, and want to get a very competitive specialty, or are interested in clinical research (if eligible you should probably do phd./md. combined program instead of this, but those are tough to get into)

Otherwise, an evaluation of the risks/sacrifices/rewards just don't seem to warrant the endeavor, in my opinion. Consider some of the other options available to someone who is eligible to become a ph.d which pay better with better work hours:

pharm.d.
dentistry
health care administration
biotech management (bio bs + mba)
pharmaceutical sales (bio bs + mba)
chiropractic
medicine/DO

 

[lumanyika]

The referred to article is dead on accurate for ph.D. job opportunities and salaries, but it states I think its mba salary projections are way too high... 65000$ for a starting mba? 175,000$ avg for a highly experienced one... I think not.

It's good to hear from someone who's been/going through the grind. i think the MBA salaries you dispute are a consequence of the time period in which this article was written (when MBAs were the "hot route" if you will) . best of luck in your post doctorate endevours. 👍

 

[CoffeeCat]

I really would like to see this article and don't have access. Any suggestions?

 

[blindluck]

I know in academic inst. the uni will set you up at a salary and only pay for 50% and the rest you have to bring in with grants. However if you get a lot of grants or you get really good ones (RO1 I think they're called), then your salary can increase.

Even in academic inst (and the gov't too...like NIH or in the army) there is chance to get paid well into the 200s and higher, it all depends on how much funding you get. Funding however, is only partially based on how "good" you are, a lot of it is luck, so nothing is guarenteed or permanent.

I know a lot of PhDs and NONE of them are living poorly (or make 65k..maybe they did when they were just starting out as associate profs or something like that). They all live in at least half-million dollar homes, drive nice cars and have cash to burn...and none of them work in industry. So there definately is money in academic inst, don't believe that you'll be poor and broke if you don't go into industry.

 

[raptor5]

If you go into industry as a new PhD, you might expect to make around $60k to start

Most Pharm Companies in Phili that I know of will start you at 80K, especially with a post doc. If you actually work for the company while getting your PhD then continue there after you finish you could expect something in 60K range. In the pharm world your salary can shoot up pretty fast. I know many who are pulling in around 100K.

 

[pseudoknot]

I know in academic inst. the uni will set you up at a salary and only pay for 50% and the rest you have to bring in with grants.

This varies by institution. At many or even most medical schools, basic science faculty are responsible for 100% of their salaries, even with tenure. No grants, no pay. (This is the case at Harvard Medical School, for example.) On the other hand, in the UC system many professors are paid 75% of their salary by the school and only need to bring in their summer salary from grants.

However if you get a lot of grants or you get really good ones (RO1 I think they're called), then your salary can increase.

Even in academic inst (and the gov't too...like NIH or in the army) there is chance to get paid well into the 200s and higher, it all depends on how much funding you get.

I don't know if I would call the R01 a "really good" grant, since it's sort of the basic one that everyone has. (An R01 is a type of NIH grant that supports a single investigator, typically lasting about 5 years and worth $100-200k/year.)

Also, there are professors who make $200k/year, but that's not typical. Most professors who have a lot of money have companies or consulting jobs on the side, and it can take a long time to get to a point in one's career where this is possible.

Most professors I know are able to provide for their families, but also aren't very materialistic anyway. I don't think being an academic scientist condemns you to a life of poverty, at least not forever (it certainly does for the first ~10 years), but most scientists do make more in industry. Also, if money is important to you, I'd really think hard about whether science is worth it to you, because you will be sacrificing a lot to go into the field.

 

[DrMojorisin]

At my med school, no professor makes over 100K, unless they are a chair. The dean doesn't even make 200K. No one gets chair or dean before theage of 50. So if you don't mind working your butt off for 20 years straight with little reward, there "might" be an upper middle class life in store for you at the end of your career.

As stated above, the current situation is that some schools expect professors to acquire their own salaries through grants. This is slowly becoming the standard. Competition for grants and faculty positions has skyrocketed. . Even if you have good ideas and work hard, you may be unlucky (your data may not prove your hypotheses), and you'll be out of the loop on grants and likely never get back in. The bigtime researchers (the fewer than 10% that actually make over 150k yr by the time they retire), make it to the top on the backs of their grad students and postdocs. As an incoming Ph.D candidate, you are expected to do more and more for less and less in academia... more education/postdocs, more lead time to ph.D., longer time to tenure, if tenure at all, less guaranteed pay, lower salaries than similarly educated peers, and less and less autonomy in research, fewer patent rights, reduced tenure benefits (universities take them now, as well as businesses). You have to really enjoy regurgitating the same material to bored students year after year to put up with it.

In industry, the rewards are better, but you will likely be told what to do and have no security. If you are looking for rewards you can do better than a ph.d in industry at any of the other professional careers i mentioned above. I have to admit there are some good opportunities in industry, though, particularly for good networkers. The biotech/pharmaceutical sector is really growing in the US, too.

Keep in mind that I advising in terms of averages. Some folks will have incredible careers as Ph.D.s. If you are in the right place at the right time you can get a noble prize, revolutionize medicine, or become a millionaire or university/business administrator overnight. If you go to the right institution, you may find a very relaxing and stimulating working environment that far outways the value of increased pay. But a very large percentage will end up pigeon holed, doing something mundane, and making 40-50K for 20 yrs, changing jobs 5 times after postdocs, barely managing to payoff the loans accrued over the 15 year long post high school "education" and substandard existence.

 

[Stroszeck]

I am about to begin an MS in Chemistry at Cal State Hayward with Biochemistry option. This program DID NOT require GRE. After the 2 years, does anybody know roughly what salary range I could expect to begin working in? And just what job possibilities are out there? (I'm a bit confused as counselors, students etc. tell me different things) Thanks

 

[j8131]

I am about to begin an MS in Chemistry at Cal State Hayward with Biochemistry option. This program DID NOT require GRE. After the 2 years, does anybody know roughly what salary range I could expect to begin working in? And just what job possibilities are out there? (I'm a bit confused as counselors, students etc. tell me different things) Thanks

What kind of job? Research? Business?

I agree in part with these posts on the sacrifices of getting a biomedical PhD, but the case is being overstated. First of all, there are many industry benefits to having the PhD. For some certain management roles, you practically need it, and these are the roles that might be most interesting to a science-minded person. It opens other doors too. And even if some of these roles are attainable without the PhD, the degree helps. There are non-monetary benefits too (personal fulfillment and respect, etc.)

On top of that, the sacrifice of getting it is overstated. Of course, it's very hard work, I'm not disputing that at all, but high-powered jobs are hard work too. You don't make much money, but the poverty isn't as dire as people make it out to be. All in all, it's not a bad way to spend a few years if you enjoy science.

 

[DrMojorisin]

I admit I've presented a lopsided view. If you go to a small university you can get very reasonable work hours as a Ph.D. Candidate. At some point, though, you'll almost certainly have to put in some pretty heavy hours if you want to make it in either academia or business. If you really like science that may might not be bad at all. No matter what, a ph.d. is still a better choice than getting no postgraduate degree at all in my opinion. I guess the main reason that I'm so harsh on it is that the professional fields available to postgraduate science students are seem much more financially rewarding per unit of input. Beyond that, I see some of the other fields as more interesting (i see most of research as monotonous) and prestigious (I think prestige is more linked to salary than job type), but all these are matters of opinion.

The truth is, at my school, most of the ph.d. students are happy with their jobs and their career prospects. Only 1st year students complain very often (because thats when the courseload is heaviest). Many of the students see science as a "calling" and can't imagine doing anything else but research, and they don't care about the money. This is actually a problem I have with the degree - the competition. Some of these people just love their jobs more than anything, and I just can't keep up with them. I know folks who work 12 hour days for no extra pay just because they're so excited about their experimental results. If you get in the right lab, where you can see your research potentially revolutionizing medicine, then its easy to fall in love with the dream of doing that. With one experiment, you might save more lives than 10 physicians could in a lifetime. Combine that with the role of an educator, and you are poised to have more impact on society than any other profession IMO. If impacting society drives you, then you should definitely consider a ph.d.. This unique ability to impact medical technology in a revolutionary way is probably the reason that the salaries are not up to par.

Most of the ph.d's I know are happy with their jobs despite their salaries. Once tenured, they can get away with working less than 20 hrs a week/avg at some places (but they will probably be resented by their coworkers for doing so). Biomedical ph.d's have more career options and get paid more in academia than any other type of ph.d. After grad school, pretty much all biomedical ph.d's make a salary good enough to support a a large family, but very few will be driving mercedes. I hear that if you go back and get a degree in patent law you can have the mercedes, too. I know a guy that started at 65K as a health commisioner with no postdoc experience. A Ph.D. is a very versatile degree - it is almost impossible that you'll be unemployed. If you can get tenure, its almost impossible to get fired. If the gvmt socializes medicine to save medicare, your career won't be destroyed like it would be in health care professional fields. In conclusion, a ph.d. is not a good choice for a person who values materialistic things greatly or cares much about work-life balance, although its is possible to get really rich as a ph.d or have a cake job. The real "salary" of a ph.d. is the ability to change lives and technology through education/research. But if you try it and don't like it, its very easy to apply it to something else like med school, health commissioner, mba/phd biotech mgmt, patent law, etc. So you'll almost certainly be able to find some way to apply a ph.d. to get a job that suits you. With good grad student stipends, its hard to go wrong, as long as you don't mind taking the long road to career development.

 

[reddirtgirl]

random thoughts/personal ramblings & rant:

-after a PhD, you can go in 2 directions (well, 3): academia, gov't, industry.

- I know of a few professors who make well over $100K. They are able to supplement their base institution income w/ grants (the rules at each inst differs- kinda intricate). They also "buy" themselves out of teaching obligations w/ grants.

-personally, I could never live & die by the grant especially under the Bush admin ... the last 5 years have been really difficult for many that rely on NIH grants in research... I am hearing this from professors and upper level NIH administrators.

-a PhD doesn't really seem that versatile to me, contrary to "DrMojorisin"....perhaps I just haven't come across the right Mojo... I've probably had no less than 5 people tell me that a master's is the most versatile. The jobs that I am seeing are pretty specific in description...

-If you go the gov't route, you will either be an administrator or researcher, more or less. If you're at the NIH, you can make 6 digits, but not much more. Until recently , many supplemented their salaries w/ outside consulting &/or investements (biotech). There are places other than NIH.

FDA is nearby, but you will want to have some regulatory experience/certification/coursework etc. Anything DoD (defense) sees to be more secure. According to admin friends at NIH, however, the science is more shakey (but if you recall, in yrs past, DoD has done stuff like pay hundreds of $$ for toilet seats.... extrapolating from that, it seems like they can get away w/ lots of spending, which spells job security).

-As for industry, I should probably refrain from commenting... You might want to gauge your "risk tolerance". There a zillion and one small start ups and midsize companies out there. They all think tey'll be the next Amgen or Genentech. Just like all the waitresses in hollywood think they'll be the next big star. (At least they have the porn industry to fall back on, if they are young enough.... )

(personally, I wouldn't mind starting a business that helps these small/mid biotechs unpack... maybe I could run a 2-for-1 special: discounts for those who pack & unpack w/in 5 years, prepaid only).

There are also the big Pharma's/Biotech's out there.

Do the research & figure out what is most important to you in a job (or even in life). Look at the histories of companies. Keep in mind any of these guys, big or small, can turn on a dime. They are subject to the whims of investors... not to mention that issues can arise after a product is marketed (rightfully so, in some cases).

-See which titles make how much doing what kind of work & where at something like www.salary.com .

I know that I am glad I never invested (loose use of the tem) years of my life doing a PhD. I probably should have squeezed out a masters by now, but I wouldn't be making that much more. I am glad I don't have the expectations that a PI or industry PhD has... nothing like being caught between executive mgt and staff... unless the company is well oiled and well run. And even if it were, I have found out the long and hard way that the process & outcome of academic & industry research leaves me disappointedly unfulfilled. I'd rather not be involved w/ domething where a megaton of effort yields a picogram of theraputic application.... in a few decades....but this is just my opinion... I am sure there are others who *love* working in research.

I will gladly trade all the energy I've put into research for some scutty, sleep deprived residency.... at some inner city hospital w/ crappy ancillary staff. I might have to eat my words someday - I can't wait for that chance.

Pardon my rant. Research is a necessary piece to biomedical health (maybe 25% of all the research that's out there, anyway). But it ain't for me.

I don't come across as a burnout, do I

Good luck

 

[DrMojorisin]

I'm burnt out with research,too RedDirtGirl. The sparkling positivity of my previous post in this thread was an effort to try to offset all the vitriole I had spewed forth earlier. Overall, I think we have pretty similar feelings about the Ph.D. degree. And I also agree that a masters degree gives you more versatility per unit of effort, and probably more pay per unit of effort. But even it is a poor choice when you can go into any of the allied health professions.

 

[Science_Guy]

random thoughts/personal ramblings & rant:

-after a PhD, you can go in 2 directions (well, 3): academia, gov't, industry.

- I know of a few professors who make well over $100K. They are able to supplement their base institution income w/ grants (the rules at each inst differs- kinda intricate). They also "buy" themselves out of teaching obligations w/ grants.

-personally, I could never live & die by the grant especially under the Bush admin ... the last 5 years have been really difficult for many that rely on NIH grants in research... I am hearing this from professors and upper level NIH administrators.

-a PhD doesn't really seem that versatile to me, contrary to "DrMojorisin"....perhaps I just haven't come across the right Mojo... I've probably had no less than 5 people tell me that a master's is the most versatile. The jobs that I am seeing are pretty specific in description...

-If you go the gov't route, you will either be an administrator or researcher, more or less. If you're at the NIH, you can make 6 digits, but not much more. Until recently , many supplemented their salaries w/ outside consulting &/or investements (biotech). There are places other than NIH.

FDA is nearby, but you will want to have some regulatory experience/certification/coursework etc. Anything DoD (defense) sees to be more secure. According to admin friends at NIH, however, the science is more shakey (but if you recall, in yrs past, DoD has done stuff like pay hundreds of $$ for toilet seats.... extrapolating from that, it seems like they can get away w/ lots of spending, which spells job security).

-As for industry, I should probably refrain from commenting... You might want to gauge your "risk tolerance". There a zillion and one small start ups and midsize companies out there. They all think tey'll be the next Amgen or Genentech. Just like all the waitresses in hollywood think they'll be the next big star. (At least they have the porn industry to fall back on, if they are young enough.... )

(personally, I wouldn't mind starting a business that helps these small/mid biotechs unpack... maybe I could run a 2-for-1 special: discounts for those who pack & unpack w/in 5 years, prepaid only).

There are also the big Pharma's/Biotech's out there.

Do the research & figure out what is most important to you in a job (or even in life). Look at the histories of companies. Keep in mind any of these guys, big or small, can turn on a dime. They are subject to the whims of investors... not to mention that issues can arise after a product is marketed (rightfully so, in some cases).

-See which titles make how much doing what kind of work & where at something like www.salary.com .

I know that I am glad I never invested (loose use of the tem) years of my life doing a PhD. I probably should have squeezed out a masters by now, but I wouldn't be making that much more. I am glad I don't have the expectations that a PI or industry PhD has... nothing like being caught between executive mgt and staff... unless the company is well oiled and well run. And even if it were, I have found out the long and hard way that the process & outcome of academic & industry research leaves me disappointedly unfulfilled. I'd rather not be involved w/ domething where a megaton of effort yields a picogram of theraputic application.... in a few decades....but this is just my opinion... I am sure there are others who *love* working in research.

I will gladly trade all the energy I've put into research for some scutty, sleep deprived residency.... at some inner city hospital w/ crappy ancillary staff. I might have to eat my words someday - I can't wait for that chance.

Pardon my rant. Research is a necessary piece to biomedical health (maybe 25% of all the research that's out there, anyway). But it ain't for me.

I don't come across as a burnout, do I

Good luck

To address a few of those points you made:

- Yes, you do have those three directions for a PhD that you mention, but what one may fail to comprehend is that those terms of gov't, industry, and academia cover a WIDE gamut of options. Kind of like saying in Medicine: academia, private practice, or industry. Similar umbrella options....many different types of career opportunities

- It is true that many profs aren't going to get rich in academia, but some do very well (> $100,000) and have research areas which are in demand, or can be funded, etc. This is something that the prospective PhD candidate who desires to be in academia must take into consideration before making that career choice.

- The crunch in research funding began before the Bush administration......I know since I was in grad school during the Clinton administration, and funding via NIH or any other organization was always VERY, VERY competitive. We were able to get several types of funds, via government AND private industry....and I think that an astute researcher will consider all possible sources.

- The PhD can be as versatile, or as limiting as you make it. For example, will do necessarily do work in the same area you spent time on in grad school. Chances are good that you will not, but that is why you get the PhD. You gain the knowledge base (via grad school and post-doctoral training) to be an independent investigator, not just to be an expert on the expression profile of protein X since you may work in industry or for the government.

- Private industry can be risky (with new startups) or a LITTLE more secure (with a bit Pharma). However, the pros and cons are different from academia. In academia, if you gain tenure, you are pretty much on the public dole for life, but the opportunities for financial gain may be way more limited. In industry, you have fewer freedoms on the things you research, but the payoffs tends to be better, and if you move into management roles, the pay is pretty darn good. This is up to the individual, and the direction they see their career going. I have seen those on both sides of this divide choose to go over to the other side during their careers, all for different reasons.

- The TOP 20 pharma/biotech table you show....that is WAY outdated. Some companies, such as Pharmacia don't exist anymore, and others, such as Bayer have NO job security due to several rounds of cuts at that company. However, many of the companies listed are still around, albeit with differences likely in the way they are perceived by employees.

Sorry that you are burned out by graduate studies.....I felt the same way when I finished. But it was a decision I have never regretted....it has opened doors that I never imagined, and I have enjoyed the ride ever since. What would I have changed?? Maybe adding the MD to my education background to do more hands on clinical work, but then again....my wife would have shot me! 😀

 

[lumanyika]

Science Guy,
your post was extremely imformative. thanks for the input. 👍

 

[j8131]

A few people commented about the security of tenure . . . keep in mind that some science profs, especially those in medical schools, earn most of their salaries through grants. So you never really get that security. Sure, you'll get a small base and keep your job, but basically, you have to keep getting the grants.

 

[Hoberto]

I know this thread is a bit old, but I wanted to suggest something for those who are finishing up grad school and now are regretting it or realizing they hate research. The advice is this, look into teaching at your local community college. Tenure track positions start with similar pay as a regular state school (at least in Ohio) with fewer work hours and no research. For example, entry-level tenure track faculty with PhD start at $50,000. This is for two semesters of work. You'll have summers off, holidays off, can have weekends off, too. You still get full benefits with health and retirement plans. If you choose to teach classes over the summer you sign a separate contract on will make than the base salary listed above. Yeah, 50,000 isn't 100,000 but man, with 3 months off plus the no research and no relying on grants.....I think it's a fantanstic option. It's something to consider if nothing else.

 

[lumanyika]

I know this thread is a bit old, but I wanted to suggest something for those who are finishing up grad school and now are regretting it or realizing they hate research. The advice is this, look into teaching at your local community college. Tenure track positions start with similar pay as a regular state school (at least in Ohio) with fewer work hours and no research. For example, entry-level tenure track faculty with PhD start at $50,000. This is for two semesters of work. You'll have summers off, holidays off, can have weekends off, too. You still get full benefits with health and retirement plans. If you choose to teach classes over the summer you sign a separate contract on will make than the base salary listed above. Yeah, 50,000 isn't 100,000 but man, with 3 months off plus the no research and no relying on grants.....I think it's a fantanstic option. It's something to consider if nothing else.

yeah i hear what you are sayng Hoberto. a friend of mine used to work as the mail clerk for a local comm. coll. here., and he told me how much an instructor made (it's easy....he would hold their respective direct-deposit check stubs to florescent light and he'd see the Net pay!) 😉 Hell, he even found out how much the chancelor and president made...
Anyway, i know their retirement plans are almost second to none out there.


GOOD POST 👍

 

[lumanyika]

OH! BTW hoberto, this thread is somewhat AGELESS(AGE-resistant?).

 

[wannabeapharm]

I was wondering if anyone has persued or thought about the grad program in Biostatistics?


I am thinking about it but not sure...I was told you can work in the Pharma industry with it but I dont know of anyone who has this degree?


Is it a god field or just a field that is booming and will lose steam soon

 

[TeethVader]

The article you presented re-affirmed my decision not to pursue a PhD. As much bs that i have witnessed by current grad students as well as other things led me to avoid this type of career.

I know money isnt a big thing, but to me it needs to be in relation to the amount of education put in. I recently spoke to one of my high school friends, who went right into the workforce out of high school, decided to go work at one of the paper mills and now he makes ~$45,000 plus bennys (401k, stock investments, etc)..Oh, and he's only 20 yo. This is how much an assoc. prof at my school makes after 13 years of education! To me this isnt worth the social and financial risks involved with pursuing this type of career.

And there are the hours, scut work, and other things that equally contribute to many negative feelings i have (as well as the people mentioned in the article)

However, there are people who enjoy this type of work, and should very well pursue this career choice. Unfortunately for me, i think i might have enjoyed this type of work (assuming there are better job opportunities) and wanted to go this route from the beginning. Now, i have decided to enter a medical profession.

I hear you. Thing is, you cannot take care of your family (especially if you live in California) with the infamous money you get as a researcher. As much as I enjoy research, I also need to think about my future. I know I want to do something in the health care field, thank god I found Dentistry as a formidable option to better my financial future not only for myself, but for my future generation. The decision to pursue a different profession wasn't easy, I mean during my PhD interview at Stanford I was incredibly catered to and felt like a king. On the other hand, during my DDS interview at SC I didn't feel that special, it felt more like a competition. There is an obvious difference between the two. Dental Schools don't need to cater to anyone, they have more than enough applicants and realize the amount of money their students will make in the future. Everything comes out of your own pocket (airplane ticket, meals, hotels etc etc etc).

 

[accu94672]

Dental Schools don't need to cater to anyone, they have more than enough applicants and realize the amount of money their students will make in the future. Everything comes out of your own pocket (airplane ticket, meals, hotels etc etc etc).

I'm in the same situation as you and am already attending dental school as we speak. Except for one thing and that is I would instead have chosen the PhD, MD, or law route if I could turn back time.

My opinions differ in regards to how well you fare financially. When I would have paid off all of my dental loans and finally secure a location for private practice ( starting from net balance of nothing ) is when I would have reached the rank of a research fellow or senior scientist, with no manual labor to do and a stable and above-average, if not wealthy, income of around 75-90k/yr. I expect to reach the age of like 45 before I start making the typical dental income which I found out really isn't all that much more.

Also, notice that the dental schools attracts remarkably fewer ( both quantity and quality-wise ) applicants than med,law, and most phd programs. This says something about the profession but I blame myself for not catching this early on.

There are many other factors that come into play when making dental income so I guess there will be those that will make way more.

 

[pharm_girl]

The TOP 20 pharma/biotech table you show....that is WAY outdated. Some companies, such as Pharmacia don't exist anymore, and others, such as Bayer have NO job security due to several rounds of cuts at that company. However, many of the companies listed are still around, albeit with differences likely in the way they are perceived by employees.

Did you receive your PharmD before going to get your PhD? Because that's what I'm thinking about doing since my school does not offer a dual PharmD/PhD program. After 4 years of Pharmacy School, how long does it take to get your PhD? Or does it depend on what area you are getting your PhD in? And it will take 4 more years or does that depend again on what area you want your PhD in? Is it possible to just get a PhD, but not in a specific area?

 

[LSUkitten]

I was wondering if anyone has persued or thought about the grad program in Biostatistics?


I am thinking about it but not sure...I was told you can work in the Pharma industry with it but I dont know of anyone who has this degree?


Is it a god field or just a field that is booming and will lose steam soon

I'm thinking of Biostatistics, if it makes you feel any better. Although I can't pronounce "Biostatistician" very fluently, I know they make about 100k a year and are in a pretty good demand. After graduating, I found out there's not much to do with just a normal Bachelors in Biology with a Chemistry minor. A few schools I have looked into have a dual thing where whether you want Epidemiology or Biostatistics, you need to learn both for either of them so you can do either when you graduate. It's going to be different, I think, but it's the best way to go, I think. With an MPH you can travel abroad and work or just stay and work state for about 120k a year. The money is interesting, but I want to be able to love my job too and bacteria/diseases definately grab my attention. I'm open to new ideas though everyone! I'm considering any MS or PhD program along Biochem, Teaching, Public Health, Research, or starting over and doing Nursing... I refuse to study Pharmacology.

 

[jojo99]

I'm seriously considering applying for a masters in pharmaceutical sciences..I'm currently finishing up an accelerated bs/ms in biochemistry (non-thesis) but did a research project last summer on hydrogels. I am also curious in terms of whether i'd be required to take the gres even though I'm getting a M.S this semester...any suggestions???????

 

[ConfusedWorrier]

I'm in a dilema that has been haunting me for the past 6 months. I have to decide pretty soon if I wish to proceed to do a PhD, or switch fields to become a doctor, dentist (a higher paying job) etc.
I'm currently in obesity research, and also had some prior experience in a moleculay virology lab, which I really enjoyed. Now, I have to decide whether or not I should start a PhD in the "obesity lab", but I'm worried that there may be other exciting fields I have yet to explore that I might be more passionate about.
On top of that, I also have the impression that a post doc (if I decide to do a PhD) does not really earn alot of money, and even though I'm interested in science, realistically speaking, money is important to me too, and I believe interest alone will not keep me going. I want a job that can allow me to lead a comfortable life i.e. support a large family (maybe ~6 people or so), and still have to luxury to go on holidays. Some of my relative are also starting to pressure me into choosing a job with a better salary e.g. doctor, dermatologist, dentists, pharmacists etc, and they have also warned me that doing research is highly dependent on the ability to obtain grants and funding. It is tough having to "ask" for money all the time to do your research.
I don't really mind getting into a new field, but I'm aware that entering any of those professions I mentioned requires alot of time (years!), and it just seems quicker to do a PhD since I already have all the qualifications leading to that. What should I do? It seems like I can either take the easier way out now (doing a PhD) by becoming a poor scientist, or choose another course and potentially getting a better pay. 🙁
Is it even possible to just have a PhD and get a good pay without having to go through another 10 years of studying???? 😕

 

[monami]

Im the same way. Im about finished with my bio bachelor and I can't decide for the life of me if I want to go the PhD route, or go to med school. From freshman yr I had my eye on med school now I just want a stable life and for some reason the PhD has been nagging me. I'll see if I will choose to open the GRE prep test book or take MCAT prep classes starting May. I wish there was some kind of crystal ball we can look at. Then some of the stress would have been negated from this long process.