What are they asking you to do? They’re trying to get your attention by telling you how much money top researchers make. Some say that this influence is negative because it creates an illusion of importance for people who have little chance of becoming experts in the field.
But I believe it does the opposite, it raises awareness. It gives average people a sense of empowerment. If someone with so many credentials can do good work in their area, then maybe you can too!
By bringing research into the realm of day-to-day life, we lose the separation between professionals and nonprofessionals. A few years ago there was a lot of talk about mindfulness, now anyone can learn to be more mindful through studying professional practices.
The same goes for other areas like yoga or meditation. Before, only those trained in these techniques could truly call themselves practitioners, but now even the average person can pick up some tips from YouTube or reading some beginner guides.
There’s also a risk of creating false expectations, but I think we should strive instead to emphasize how important it is to keep learning as you grow older. In fact, I would argue that it becomes increasingly important as you age.
Why? Because technology changes rapidly, and most careers require at least some amount of technical knowledge. Luckily, you don’t need to spend lots of money to start educating yourself, and there are free resources available online.
Doctor of philosophy candidates make over $60,000 per year
As mentioned earlier, most doctoral degree recipients are professors or academic research professionals- researchers, lecturers and academics. These individuals work in universities or other educational institutions as associate professors, assistant professor, lecturer, etc. They typically have their own office, dependents (children/family) and staff that they oversee.
Professors often have more than one career because they can choose to be either an Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, or Lecturer at a different institution. This is possible due to the profession’s open market system which allows for continuous employment.
Most PhD holders are paid well above the average salary ($50K-$70K depending on field), making top earners around $80k–$100k+.
Bachelor of science in biology candidates make over $50,000 per year
Many scientific researchers have advanced degrees in their field. With more education comes higher pay! Biological research is one of the most expensive majors to pursue with employers paying top dollar for your knowledge. Employers look at a degree in biological sciences as proof you are serious about your career goal and want to learn more about living things.
Most students choose to go into biomedical or medical research which typically take two years and can cost around $20-30K per year. Companies will often hire both undergraduate and graduate level positions so it is best to start looking early.
The average income an entry level researcher makes is just under $60k per year depending on where they live and what kind of contract position they hold. The highest paid are those that work for pharmaceutical companies who develop new drugs and distribute them for market sale.
Assistant professor makes $40,000 per year
Most people do not know how much an assistant professor at a large university in America earns. This is an important fact as it impacts how well you can live your life and what kind of career you want to have.
Assistants are usually involved in teaching courses, conducting research, or both. They may also work with professors on their projects or lead classes for them.
Assistant Professors typically earn less than full-time faculty members but more than part time faculty. Their salaries range from about $35,000-$50,000 depending on the school and position.
Faculty positions make over $80,000 per year which is why that salary category does not include assistants!
Most universities cannot afford full time faculty so they have to use part time faculty which is one reason why assistant professors make less money.
Another factor affecting assistant professor pay is whether they have tenure. Tenure means they do not need to be guaranteed of staying there past a set number of years. Some get paid slightly better because of this.
Professor of chemistry makes $35,000 per year
A professor of chemical engineering at a large university in the United States made just over $34,000 last year. His responsibilities included teaching several courses, conducting research, and serving as an associate department head for undergraduate academic programs.
He also has to be self-motivated and manage his time effectively because he does not have much availability for paid work. As you can imagine, this is quite difficult when there are no extra hours available!
Outside of academia, however, he earns about double that amount due to the high cost of living where he lives. This includes transportation expenses as well as groceries, utilities, rent, and other monthly bills.
Academic researchers depend heavily on funding for their projects so they must be aware of how valuable their contributions are. Some get more credit than others but each one adds significant value to the project, which can easily add up.
Assistant professor of biology makes $30,000 per year
As an assistant professor of biology at a large research university, David Solomon earns close to $30,000 per year. This is not a very high salary unless you are rich or live in a wealthy area where expensive housing is common.
His pay goes up slightly each year as his position gets higher on the academia ladder. He receives a modest amount of direct funding from the government and various foundations for his work, but most of his income comes through teaching.
He teaches two courses a semester which equals about eight hours of academic instruction every week. Students can be difficult to reach so this does not leave him with much extra time to make more money.
However, he produces a lot of educational material such as PowerPoint presentations and study guides that get distributed via email to students. These resources usually cost no more than several dollars to create, making it possible to earn a little bit more per month.
Furthermore, he publishes scientific papers which require a significant amount of work beyond just writing the paper. He has to do some editing, formatting, and proofreading of his colleague’s work while also taking responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained within them.
These additional responsibilities take away from his colleagues’ workload and their opportunities to increase their own salaries, so he is paid less than they are even though he works harder.
Overall, however, he feels like he is given good value for his labor because he receives enough compensation to meet his needs.
Assistant professor of chemistry makes $25,000 per year
As a chemist, your career can be very lucrative depending on what you are working on and who you are talking to. A lot of times, academic chemists do not make as much money as someone in industry, but they have higher pay scales relative to their position.
Most people do not realize it, but most professors only earn about half-a-million dollars per year! The average income for an assistant professor is around $25,000 per year which is why there are so many scientists that must take jobs outside of academia to satisfy their financial needs.
There’s no way to know exactly how much top researchers at major universities make, but we did find some data on average salaries for non-tenure track positions.
Postdoctoral researcher makes $20,000 per year
As a postdoctoral research associate at a university, your daily responsibilities will include working with or for a faculty member as well as other scientists in their respective fields.
Under the direct supervision of a professor, you would develop educational materials, conduct experiments, write papers, and present findings related to these studies.
Your mentor will also help you grow in the field by giving feedback and guidance. When needed, he or she may even give you assignments so that you can showcase your expertise.
Outside of work, your colleagues and superiors will be engaged in various projects and activities, which could involve teaching, researching, publishing, and more.
In addition to receiving compensation for his or her labor, your advisor will likely enjoy having you around and helping you advance in your career.
All this adds up to why most scientific researchers have a high income. Since professors depend on others for success, they keep them close via social ties and reward them for their efforts.
However, not everyone is able to make such an income due to the limited amount of people with science degrees. This includes graduate students and aspiring professionals who want to pursue a career in the field.
Fortunately, there are several ways non-scientists can get paid to do something they love – writing! Read on to learn some easy ways to earn money online as a writer.
Associate professor makes $15,000 per year
As an associate professor at a large research university, Dr. Smith earns just under $15,000 per academic year! This is not very much money to most people, but it’s enough for a comfortable middle class life in Canada.
He enjoys his job because he works with intelligent individuals who contribute to the advancement of science. He says that working here has allowed him to do what he loves and achieve his goals, which include publishing papers, giving lectures, hosting conferences and spending time with his family.
Outside of work, Dr. Smith likes going out with friends, listening to music, reading fiction books and traveling. When he has free time, he likes to exercise by running or swimming.
Dr. Smith would like to be known for creating efficient, powerful tools that help users accomplish their tasks. For example, he creates software products designed to make scientific calculations more quickly and easily. These are marketed towards professionals, so they pay better than average.
