Why Are Postdocs So Underpaid? Postdoctoral Low Pay Problems

The reality of postdocs not being paid well enough can be shocking – these are people who have dedicated their lives to research and earning PhDs, yet they make less than a librarian. Why are postdocs so underpaid?

Postdocs are underpaid (around $45,000 to $65,000) due to several reasons:

• Oversupply of PhDs
• Funding for research is tight
• Postdocs are in career limbo, and
• Universities sticking to the NIH (National Institute of Health) salary guidelines.

This post attempts to explain the issue why are postdocs so underpaid, as well as looking at opportunities for postdocs beyond the academic world. We also answer if postdocs really make less than a librarian.

How Much Salary Are Postdocs Making?

Let’s be real—postdoc pay isn’t winning any popularity contests. You’d expect years of research and a shiny PhD to lead to a solid paycheck, right?

Instead, many postdocs find themselves squinting at $56,484 (thanks, NIH guidelines). And that’s if you’re lucky.

In academia, it often feels like you’re paid less for doing more. Postdoctoral researchers are juggling grant proposals, mentoring grad students, and pumping out publications, yet the paychecks can hover around $50,000 to $65,000.

In contrast, industry jobs can start at $75,000 or more—and that’s before bonuses and cushy benefits kick in.

Meanwhile, institutions hold tight to the NIH “minimum salary” like it’s the golden rule. It’s no wonder many postdocs dream of an industry position where their expertise is worth six figures.

Reviews from postdocs in high-cost cities like Boston and San Francisco read like cautionary tales. A $60,000 salary barely covers rent, let alone groceries. Some universities offer housing stipends, but they’re rare.

Is it True That People In Postdoc Position Get Paid Less Than Librarians?

It sounds like a joke, right? A postdoc spends years buried in research, dissecting data, and publishing papers—and still takes home less than the local librarian handing out the latest bestseller.

And yes, it is not a joke. It is true.

Let’s talk numbers. The salary for a postdoc can hover around $50,000 to $65,000. Some barely scrape $45,000, depending on the field.

Meanwhile, librarians at public universities can earn $60,000 or more, with senior roles soaring past $80,000.

And it’s not just about the paycheck. Librarians get benefits that actually feel like they’ll matter, like:

• decent health insurance,
• paid time off, and
• retirement. 

Postdocs? Often stuck in limbo on short-term contracts, juggling grant funding with minimal perks.

Why are postdocs so underpaid? Universities argue it’s a “temporary training” phase, but let’s be real—some postdocs spend five, even seven, years “training.” It’s essentially a job, without job security.

Meanwhile, the expectation is that you’ll work like you’re curing cancer. (Sometimes, you literally are.)

Librarians, though? They don’t get asked to pull 60-hour weeks chasing elusive citations. And they’re not expected to uproot their lives every two years for another “opportunity.”

Sure, they field the occasional “Where’s your restroom?” but they don’t carry the weight of scientific advancement on their backs.

Why Are Postdocs So Underpaid?

If you’ve ever asked yourself why postdocs are so underpaid, you’re not alone.

Postdoctoral researchers are some of the most highly educated, overworked, and—ironically—underpaid professionals in academia. Here’s why:

Postdocs Are Seen as Cheap Labor

Universities love postdocs because they’re essentially research scientists on clearance. Postdoc salaries set by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) start as low as $56,484 per year—barely more than some grad students’ stipends in major cities like Boston or San Francisco.

That’s barely livable in high-cost-of-living areas where rent alone can swallow half of your paycheck.

The median salary for postdocs doesn’t rise much higher, even after years of postdoc experience.

Meanwhile, tenured professors holding permanent positions can make triple or quadruple that, all while assigning the tedious experimental work to postdocs.

It’s like paying someone peanuts while they push the research train uphill, all to have someone else ride it to the finish line.

There’s an Oversupply of PhDs

One major reason for why are postdocs so underpaid: Too many PhD graduates, not enough jobs. It’s simple supply and demand.

Each year, universities pump out thousands of newly minted PhDs, all hoping to land that coveted faculty position.

But academic positions haven’t kept pace, leaving many doctoral graduates scrambling for postdoctoral work as a stepping stone.

But here’s the twist: the stepping stone often leads nowhere. Permanent academic jobs are rare, and the surplus of early-career researchers means universities don’t feel pressured to pay postdocs well.

Universities know someone else—usually an international student with dreams of tenure—will take the position, even if the pay is low.

In some fields, like biomedical research, it’s worse. Labs are flooded with PhDs, all competing for the same limited NIH grants. The job market is so saturated that taking a pay cut as a postdoc almost feels like an initiation rite.

Postdocs Get Trapped in ‘Temporary’ Roles

You’d think a postdoctoral position would be a short pit stop before landing a full-time professorship or an industry job with a hefty starting salary.

Instead, many postdocs get trapped in a cycle of temporary contracts for years.

Some postdoctoral researchers spend five, even seven, years stuck in what is supposed to be a “training” position.

And guess what? Most aren’t trained for anything new—they’re doing the same work as research scientists but with a smaller paycheck and no job security.

Academia labels postdocs as “trainees” to justify the low pay, even though their resumes read like those of experts.

Meanwhile, industry jobs have no issue offering a postdoc with PhD-level expertise a competitive salary from day one.

The postdoc experience becomes a loop: short-term funding, minimal benefits, and the hope that next year’s contract might come with a raise or a real promotion. Spoiler: it often doesn’t.

Funding Is Tight, Especially in Biomedical Research

Another reason why are postdocs so underpaid is funding.

Most postdoctoral salaries rely on external funding from institutions like the NIH or private grants. But the amount of funding available is finite—and the competition is fierce.

Principal investigators (PIs) are constantly applying for grants to support their labs, and when the grant is awarded, the funds often prioritize equipment and tenured faculty salaries.

Postdoc pay is often an afterthought. In biomedical research, for example, labs need cutting-edge technology, reagents, and highly specific materials just to keep experiments running.

When the grant money starts running thin, the easiest place to cut corners is the postdocs’ salaries.

It’s not uncommon for PIs to ask postdocs to “make it work” when budgets tighten. Meanwhile, the postdocs’ rent, student loans, and grocery bills are rising.

Postdocs Do the Work, But Don’t Get the Credit

Postdocs don’t just work hard—they often run the lab. They:

• write papers,
• design experiments,
• collect data, and even
• train graduate students.

But when it’s time for that big research breakthrough to get published? The principal investigator usually gets top billing.

It’s the reality of academia: professors with tenure have the power to list themselves as lead authors, regardless of how much of the work was done by their postdocs.

Without that recognition, postdocs struggle to build the academic clout needed to secure their own grants or promotions.

Essentially, postdocs are doing professorial-level work without the title, salary, or recognition. It’s a system designed to keep them in a permanent state of “almost there” but never quite arriving.

Postdocs Are in a Career Limbo

Unlike grad school, there’s no defined endpoint for postdoctoral positions. Many postdocs take on additional contracts just to avoid the job market because the tenure-track options are bleak.

But waiting for “the perfect academic job” often means staying in a postdoc position for years at a low salary, just hoping the tide will change.

And what happens if you leave academia for an industry job? In some fields, it’s a win, with companies offering starting salaries twice as high as postdoc pay.

But in niche academic circles, there’s a stigma: leaving the postdoc path is often seen as “giving up.”

Postdocs often feel stuck between two worlds. If they stay in academia, they face low pay and an uncertain future. If they pivot to industry, they risk being seen as “sellouts” by academic peers.

It’s a no-win scenario for highly educated, skilled professionals who’ve spent years training only to hit a glass ceiling.

The National Postdoc Association and others advocate for higher postdoc salaries and more permanent research positions. But the question remains: why are postdocs so underpaid?

Until academia reckons with its outdated pay scale and surplus of PhDs, the postdoc struggle will remain a cautionary tale for anyone considering grad school.

Do Postdocs Have A Chance To Get Hired Outside Of Academia?

Now that you know why are postdocs so underpaid, the next question you may ask may be – can I get out from academia?

Absolutely. In fact, more postdocs are making the leap—and not just because of low pay.

The job market for postdoctoral researchers in academia is painfully competitive, with too many PhDs chasing too few tenure-track positions.

Industry employers want research scientists who can hit the ground running.

A postdoc with years of experience in biomedical research or data analysis can walk into an industry job, like a medical science liaison role, with a starting salary double what they’d earn in academia.

But here’s the catch: some postdocs hesitate because they’ve been told leaving academia is “selling out.” That stigma is fading fast.

Even the National Postdoc Association encourages postdocs to consider industry paths if the academic pay scale can’t meet their cost of living.

And let’s be honest—why are postdocs so underpaid compared to jobs in pharma or biotech? NIH grants haven’t kept up with inflation, leaving postdoc salaries stagnating at levels that barely cover rent.

Meanwhile, industry positions don’t ask you to overwork for the “honor” of doing science.

If you’re finishing a postdoc and eyeing the job market, know this: you’re not abandoning your training—you’re getting paid what you’re worth. And that’s probably the smartest career move you’ll make.

Reality Check: Postdocs Get Paid Peanuts

To answer the question why are postdocs so underpaid, the reasons are because academia treats them as trainees, despite their critical role in research.

The oversupply of PhDs, tight funding, and lack of permanent positions keep salaries low.

Until universities value postdoctoral work fairly, many will leave for industry jobs that offer respect, stability, and better pay—proving expertise shouldn’t come with a financial sacrifice.

FAQ