Memo: Postdoctoral Compensation Guidelines
| TO: | Boston University Faculty and Staff |
| FROM: | Gloria Waters, Vice President and Associate Provost for Research Sarah Hokanson, Assistant Provost for Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs |
| DATE: | February 22, 2021 |
| SUBJECT: | Postdoctoral Compensation Guidelines |
Every year, the Office of Research reviews the minimum salary and stipend levels for Boston University postdoctoral scholars (postdocs), per our Postdoctoral Scholars Policy. As part of this process, we compare our practices to our peers and national standards to ensure fair and competitive compensation for all the University’s postdocs.
BU and many of our peer institutions look to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award minimum stipend level as a salary and stipend benchmark for postdoc compensation. The NIH recently raised this minimum from $52,704 to $53,760, a two-percent increase.
In FY20 and FY21, BU’s postdoc salary and stipend minimums remained at the FY19 level ($50,004) due to the salary freeze implemented as a result of the pandemic.
Effective July 1, 2021, the FY22 salary and stipend minimum for all BU postdocs will be $53,760. Postdoc supervisors or University units that wish to raise postdoc salary or stipend levels prior to that date may do so, effective immediately and going forward. All new proposals submitted through Sponsored Programs will require postdoc salaries to be budgeted at $53,760, effective immediately.
If you have questions about the Postdoctoral Scholars Policy or the minimum salary and stipend levels for postdocs, please contact Sarah Hokanson, Assistant Provost for Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs, at sch1@bu.edu.