post phd meaning

What is a Postdoc?

Most people outside of academia know what a PhD is, but a postdoc is more confusing. Are postdocs students? Do they actually earn a degree? Are they called postdoctoral researchers or fellows or scholars or associates or assistants? Let’s clear up some of that confusion.

So, What is a Postdoc?

In many fields, a postdoc is the de facto next step on the academic career path after earning a PhD (hence the name.) A postdoc is a temporary position that allows a PhD to continue their training as a researcher and gain skills and experience that will prepare them for their academic career. Most postdoc positions are at a university or in industry, but there some postdocs positions at nonprofits and in government. While the vast majority of postdocs work in STEM fields, these types of positions are becoming more common in social sciences and the humanities.  

What Does a Postdoc Do?

A postdoc is primarily a researcher who works under the supervision of a mentor as part of a larger research group. As such, they conduct research, either on a pre-specified project or one of their own design and publish that research. At the same time, a postdoc is meant to prepare young researchers to become principal investigators or junior faculty members, so they also take on senior responsibilities like mentoring, grant writing, and teaching.

How Long Are Postdoc Positions?

There is no set length for a postdoc. It will depend on a number of factors such as the university, country of research, PI, or funding. That being said, most positions are two to three years and some can be extended. It is common to do more than one postdoc before applying for faculty positions. Some countries do limit the total number of years a person can work as a postdoc. For example, in Canada and Sweden, it is only possible to be a postdoc for five years total, while there is no limit on postdoc years in the US.

How Are Postdocs Funded?

Postdoc positions can be funded in several ways. Some postdocs are salaried employees of a university, institution, or company. Other times they are paid a stipend from a grant, fellowship, or scholarship. In some countries, the name of the position indicates the funding source. In the UK for example, a postdoctoral assistant works on a project developed for and funded by a grant awarded to the PI, while a postdoctoral fellow is awarded their own fellowship giving them a larger say in the scope of their project.

Find hundreds of available postdoc positions on Academic Positions.

Discover related jobs

Discover similar employers

Accelerate your academic career

Skype Interview Tips

There are a few practical things to keep in mind when preparing for a vi...

Studying in the US on an F-1 Visa

Here's what you need to know as an international PhD student studying in...

PhD, Postdoc, and Professor Salaries in Belgium

Academic salaries for Flemish (Dutch-speaking) or Wallonian (French-spea...

How to Prepare for a Postdoc Interview

A postdoc interview often has multiple parts. Here are some ways to prep...

PhD, Postdoc, and Professor Salaries in Norway

Considering an academic career in Norway? Find out how much PhD students...

Studying in the US with a J-1 Visa

Are you going to study in the US on a J-1 visa? Here are our tips for pr...

Jobs by field

• Machine Learning 178
• Electrical Engineering 165
• Artificial Intelligence 165
• Programming Languages 133
• Molecular Biology 104
• Materials Chemistry 100
• Computational Sciences 97
• Engineering Physics 91
• Electronics 90
• Algorithms 90

Jobs by type

• Postdoc 312
• Assistant / Associate Professor 189
• Professor 116
• Research assistant 93
• Researcher 92
• Lecturer / Senior Lecturer 82
• Tenure Track 66
• Engineer 60
• Management / Leadership 50

Jobs by country

• Belgium 250
• Netherlands 180
• Switzerland 119
• Luxembourg 56

Jobs by employer

• Mohammed VI Polytechnic Unive... 91
• KU Leuven 82
• Ghent University 65
• ETH Zürich 63
• Eindhoven University of Techn... 61
• University of Luxembourg 54
• KTH Royal Institute of Techno... 45
• University of Twente 43
• Wenzhou-Kean University 32

This website uses cookies

• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

postdoctoral

Definition of postdoctoral

Examples of postdoctoral in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'postdoctoral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1929, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near postdoctoral

Cite this entry.

“Postdoctoral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postdoctoral. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day, circumlocution.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Your vs. you're: how to use them correctly, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, more commonly mispronounced words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), absent letters that are heard anyway, popular in wordplay, a great big list of bread words, the words of the week - apr. 12, 10 scrabble words without any vowels, 12 more bird names that sound like insults (and sometimes are), 9 superb owl words, games & quizzes.

What is a Postdoc? Understanding the difference between academic, industry, government and non-profit positions

A postdoc (or "post-doc," "postdoctoral," or "postdoctoral research") fellowship is a training-focused position available to people who have earned a doctorate. Postdoc positions usually act as a stepping-stone between the student experience and the full-time professional experience. For the postdoc appointee, a postdoc position offers in-depth training. For the postdoc institution or organization, a postdoc is a dedicated researcher, with specialized knowledge but flexible to explore other topics, often with lower a financial cost than a permanent employee.

The most common type of postdoc position is a research-focused position at an academic institution, but postdocs also exist in industry, government, non-profit, and other non-academic organizations. Most postdocs are focused on research, but there are also opportunities in specialized areas such as technology transfer and policy at all types of organizations.

Academic postdocs

Academic postdocs tend to be focused on research and the academic experience. A postdoc typically has a higher degree of freedom in determining the direction of their research than a Ph.D. student. Postdocs are often expected to secure grants (as lead principal investigators or collaborators) and teach courses in addition to completing research objectives and publishing results.

Some research groups may offer high-performing Ph.D. students the opportunity to stay at the same institution, even within the same research group. Treat any offer like this carefully! It is an honor to be recognized as such a benefit to the research group, but will you be able to get the training you need if you stay in the same location? Also be aware that many future employers prefer candidates who have taken risks by moving to a new area (mentally, if not physically) and have broadened their area of expertise.

Industry postdocs

Industry postdocs can vary significantly between organizations. Most have a focus on teamwork, while valuing independent thought and development. A postdoc may be viewed as a "stepping stone" position, somewhere between an entry-level position and a higher-value research position... or it could be a distinguished staff scientist position with an opportunity for higher pay. For many organizations, while the postdoc position is a one to two year contract, it can serve as a pathway to a permanent position within the organization. Many industry postdocs offer easier access to state-of-the-art facilities, whereas many academic postdocs only provide access to these facilities through collaborations with other organizations.

Government postdocs

Government postdocs have some similarities with academic and industry postdocs. Like academic positions, there is often an expectation to publish a high number of manuscripts; however, the salary offered may be higher than that of an academic postdoc. There may be fewer opportunities to write external grants, which could be a detriment to any future applications to an academic (especially tenure-track) position. Depending on the organization, there may be fewer opportunities to teach compared to an academic postdoc. Like industry postdocs, government postdocs can act as a stepping stone to a permanent position within the organization and can provide access to state-of-the-art federal facilities.

Non-profit postdocs

Non-profit postdocs can offer a less traditional option with similar benefits to academic postdocs. The focus of a non-profit postdoc can cover any topic, from food scarcity to sports management. There is likely a strong focus on grant writing and collaborative efforts, although possibly fewer opportunities to teach.

Meet some of the ORISE participants who are advancing scientific research and discovery

ORISE administers STEM education programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and other federal agencies. The diversity of these programs enables individuals—whether undergraduate, graduate, postdoc, or faculty—to conduct collaborative research with national laboratories or at one of DOE's federal agency partners. Learn about how their research experiences have advanced their academic and professional careers.

Read success stories

• Postdocs: The Definitive Guide
• After a PhD

As soon as you step outside the world of academia, the number of people who know what a postdoctorate is, what they involve and how to secure one quickly plummets. Given that a postdoctorate can be a popular option, especially for Science and Technology-related PhD graduates, it’s essential to address this current gap in knowledge.

What Is a Postdoc?

A postdoc is only one of many paths you can take after having completed your PhD. A postdoc (also referred to as a postdoc or postdoctoral) can be best thought as a temporary position designed to refine your research and teaching skills while undertaking practical research work. Because of this, most regard a postdoc position as a temporary stepping stone for developing a career in a more permanent position.

There’s a common misconception that a postdoctorate is an advanced doctoral degree that is undertaken after having completed a PhD. This misconception arises from individuals associating the word “post” in “postdoctorate” with the word “after”. While you will learn a lot during your time in a postdoc position, it is nothing like a degree. There are no fees, coursework, exams or vivas to deliver (thankfully!). A postdoc is, in fact, a job, and as someone in a postdoc position, you will be considered an ‘employee’. And just like any other job, the position will come with its own salary, responsibilities, training and employers.

Most postdocs are awarded by universities or research institutes as temporary contracts. However, they can also be undertaken in private companies, non-profit charities or government bodies.

What Is The Purpose Of A Postdoc?

As mentioned above, the primary purpose of a postdoc is to help bridge the gap between your current skills and your current level of experience. Due to this, postdoctoral positions are popular amongst those who have recently obtained their PhD. This is especially true for individuals who which to pursue a career in academia or research but don’t yet have adequate experience in teaching or publishing.

For the ‘learning’ nature of this role, postdocs provide an excellent option for those to continue their self-development while pursuing research in a field they’re interested in.

What Does a Postdoc Do?

A postdoc works under the supervision of an experienced researcher known as a postdoctoral advisor. What you will do on a day-to-day basis will, therefore, depend on what they require support on at any given time.

While your responsibilities will depend on your postdoctoral advisor, you can expect the following duties as part of your role:

• Contribute to the supervision of PhD students who are undertaking research projects in a closely related field.
• Supporting the research team in managerial tasks related to planning, organisation and administration.
• Undertake research, including but not limited to: qualitative data collection, data analysis and data and lab management.
• Contribute to the production, review and dissemination of academic and non-academic writing, including publications.

Your responsibilities will also depend on who your postdoc position is with. Positions offered by universities will often place a high emphasis on the academic aspects of the role. This involves aspects such as working more independently, developing your supervisory and teaching capabilities, and improving your communication skills through participation in seminars and conferences. In doing so, they’re helping you to become an individual capable of both conducting research and transferring knowledge – in other words, a university lecturer!

The opposite is true for postdoc positions held in industry, such as a private organisation or government body. As you can expect, these roles will place almost all of its emphasis on conducting research and advancing projects forward, with little focus on anything that falls outside of this.

How Long Should I Be A Postdoc For?

There is no set rule for how long you should remain in a postdoc position. Regardless of this, most individuals stay within a postdoc position for between 2 to 4 years. During this period, it’s not uncommon to move between one or two postdoc positions, with one position being abroad for a more rounded experience.

The time you may choose to spend in a given postdoctoral position will depend on several factors. The most influential of these will be:

• The size of the research project’s scope,
• The support needs of the principal investigator/postdoc advisor,
• The amount of funding available.

Although you could undertake a postdoctorate for a year or less, most will advise against this. This is simply because you will likely not have enough time to gain valuable experience associated with producing publications, writing research grant proposals and speaking at conferences. Although it may be possible to complete these within a single year, most researchers will opt for a minimum of two years for a single position. This will provide them with ample opportunity to contribute a significant amount to a project, publish a handful of papers and attend several conferences. On top of this, it will allow you to develop a deeper relationship with the students you help teach or supervise. This will prove invaluable experience should you plan on becoming a university lecturer .

How Are Postdoc Positions Funded?

Postdocs are usually funded in one of three ways:

• The postdoc secures the funding themselves . This can be achieved in several ways, with the most common being applying to opportunities put out by government, research or charity bodies. Examples of these opportunities include the  NWO Talent Programme Veni  and the  Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship . Securing funding under any of these schemes will provide you with a ‘stipend’ (which acts as your salary), and ‘’research funds’ for enabling the project. It’s worth noting that if you secure funding in this way, you won’t typically be restricted to any one university. Although when applying to these opportunities you’ll be required to indicate where you intended to undertake your research, if successful, you can take your funding and associated research project to any university or research institution of your choice.
• A Principal Investigator (PI) secures a research grant  for a project, part of which will go towards hiring one or more postdoctoral assistants. In these scenarios, the university will employ you to work on the project they gained funding for.
• A research body hires postdoctoral assistants irrespective of any new funding . In these scenarios, the researching body, who could be anyone from universities to research centres, charities and private organisations, may put aside their own funds to secure a postdoc assistant as a regular salaried employee.

What is the Average Postdoc Salary?

It goes without saying that the average salary for a postdoc will vary from role to role, with factors such as your country, your employer and your level of experience being influential factors.

If working as a university employee, your salary as a postdoc will be determined via a set pay scale known as the “ HE single pay spine “. Under this pay spine, a postdoc can expect to earn an average of £31,000 per year, though, in reality, a postdoc’s salary can range between £29,000 to £34,800.

On the other hand, the stipend (which will act as your postdoc salary) associated with the funding you have secured yourself will directly depend on the opportunity you acquire. Because of the wide range of possibilities, your potential stipend can vary considerably. As well as having a high variance, they also tend to have a higher ceiling compared to the salaries associated with a PI’s research grant or a research body’s employment. For example, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship can be worth over £50,000 per year. However, these types of fellowships are not only highly competitive but are also not an entirely fair comparison to postdoc assistant roles. This is due to the fact that a research fellow will be expected to have a greater amount of experience and to assume a higher level of responsibility than a regular postdoctoral researcher.

In case you’re thinking of working abroad, it would be useful to know that the median salary of a postdoctoral researcher in the United States is approximately $42,000 (£33,000 at the time of writing) per year.

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

• POSTDOC SEARCH
• MY SHORTLIST
• ADVERTISE WITH US

PostDoc Search

About findapostdoc.

• PostDoc Advice
• What is a PostDoc?

What is a PostDoc? – An Introduction

A postdoctoral fellowship, or ‘PostDoc’ position, is fixed-term research post for PhD graduates. This is normally a bridge between completing a PhD and pursuing a career in academia, but you can also do a PostDoc to gain further skills and training for other careers.

This page explains how PostDocs work, what they offer and how to apply.

On this page

What is a postdoc position.

PostDocs are generally temporary positions taken up by a PhD graduate to further their academic knowledge and acquire additional research training.

The research you carry out will usually be related to the work done during a PhD (as this is now your area of expertise!) but shouldn’t be on the exact same subject / problem as your doctoral research.

There are some exceptions to this however, for example when a PhD student is asked to do further studies that directly follow on from their PhD project, but at a postdoctoral level. This type of PostDoc is known as a transition PostDoc.

You can read about the different types of PostDoc in our guide.

What does a PostDoc do?

A PostDoc works on a specific research project outlined for their fellowship. In some ways this is similar to a shorter PhD, but the work you do may be more advanced and may not have a specific final outcome (such as a thesis). Instead you may help with one stage of an ongoing research project.

PostDocs are most common in STEM subjects, particularly Science and Engineering . You will be under the supervision of a principal investigator (PI) or mentor, assisting them with a common research interest. As a more confident and experienced researcher you have the freedom to delve into new things, techniques and equipment. This independence allows you take on projects of your own and explore new ideas that you think will benefit your field. In some ways this kind of PostDoc is a bit like being hired as an additional expert to help the PI and their team.

PostDocs are also available for Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences PhD graduates. These projects may be slightly more independent but will still be connected with existing academic work within a university department.

Unlike a PhD, a postdoctoral contract does not end with a thesis defence. Instead, your work is recognised through results and publications or, in the case of industrial research and development, improvement and / or launch of an effective product.

Example PostDoc projects

PostDocs can be just as varied as PhDs, but examples of the sort of thing you might do as a postdoctoral fellow include:

• Assisting a digitisation project - helping convert print and manuscript sources into a form that can be used by other Arts and Humanities students and researchers, perhaps creating a published resource or service
• Designing and / or carrying out large-scale qualitative research projects - ensuring data collected for Social Science research is accurate, ethically-compliant and useful
• Contributing to ongoing laboratory studies - using the expert technical and methodological skills gained through a PhD to provide key input and assistance for Science and Engineering research groups
• Carrying out public engagement work - helping researchers in all disciplines communicate their findings to the general public through media events, publications and collaborations with non-academic organisations

For other (real life) examples, browse the current PostDoc opportunities on our site.

Responsibilities outside of research

A PostDoc position isn’t all about the research. There are many other roles involved in a fellowship, using the skills and experience you have gained on your PhD. These include teaching, writing grants and funding proposals, presenting your findings to others and leading projects and other team members.

All of these are key skills for early-career academics and a PostDoc is an excellent way to gain them.

Teaching can be an essential requirement to progress further in your career and is also a part of postdoctoral work. This can involve lecturing, supervising undergraduate and Masters or assisting with the training of new PhD students. Gaining experience in applying for funding is also a key part of becoming a researcher and is another part of the PostDoc experience.

Doing a PostDoc can also prepare you for other careers as you will have more experience in managing ongoing research projects or achieving targeted research outcomes (in addition to your experience of completing a full PhD research project).

How long is a PostDoc?

A postdoctoral contract is usually about two or three years long, but this can depend on a number of things, such as the country of research, the area of research, the PI and the funding available. In general, a PostDoc is shorter than a PhD.

PhD graduates sometimes complete two or three PostDocs before applying for faculty positions or other, more permanent appointments outside of academia. On the other hand, a PostDoc is not always necessary for an academic job.

Most PostDocs take place soon after a PhD and are designed to fit the time in which doctoral graduates are still preparing to become early-career academics. University jobs designed for early-career academics will usually expect you to have earned your PhD in the last two-three years: this is the time in which you may have also completed a PostDoc.

PostDoc salary and funding

The average postdoctoral research salary in the UK is £31,990 and $48,825 in the United States*. You can see our guide to PostDocs in different countries to see the differences in salaries across the world.

How much you are paid on a PostDoc may depend on the type of position you apply for.

*From payscale.com

Postdoctoral employees

A PostDoc working at an industrial company or corporate body is paid like any other member of staff. You will be employed on a fixed-term basis with a regular salary and applicable employee benefits / other entitlements.

Postdoctoral fellowships

Fellowships are set grants or scholarships usually awarded to PostDocs at universities. You may be assigned to a pre-defined project, but could also have the freedom to pursue a specific research direction defined in your application.

This postdoctoral fellowship usually covers salary, relocation costs, travel costs and research expenses and is awarded to an individual based on merit.

Funding for fellowships may be provided by Research Councils, charities and trusts – similar to PhD studentships. There are different types of fellowships available, such as mobility schemes and travel fellowships that provide support for research to be done elsewhere in the world.

Organisations such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) often offer postdoctoral fellowships for European citizens. Other PostDoc funding bodies include the Leverhulme trust and Marie Curie fellowships, or the Max Weber programme which is an international PostDoc programme.

This article is the property of FindAPostDoc.com and may not be reproduced without permission.

Click here to search our database of PostDoc opportunities

FindAPostDoc. Copyright 2005-2024 All rights reserved.

We use cookies to create a better experience for you

To ensure all features on our website work properly, your computer, tablet or mobile needs to accept cookies. Our cookies don’t store your personal information, but provide us with anonymous information about use of the website and help us recognise you so we can offer you services more relevant to you. For more information please read our privacy policy

• QUICK LINKS
• How to enroll
• Career services

Postdoctoral fellowships and research explained

By Michael Feder

At a glance

• A postdoctoral (postdoc) fellowship refers to a training and research opportunity in a specific field that students can complete after their PhD or doctorate.
• Types of programs include academic, industry and agency.
• Some benefits of a fellowship are building a strong professional network and gaining additional knowledge and skills.
• Learn about online doctoral programs in business, education, health administration and nursing at University of Phoenix.

A postdoctoral fellowship, or “ postdoc ,” is a period of training and research that some students pursue after completing a PhD or doctorate. It can provide many benefits, including the opportunity to further improve research skills while building your network.

The program you choose will depend on your skills and your professional field. Many popular fields offer research associations and fellowships, including neuroscience, biology, chemistry, business, healthcare, humanities and political science.

Learn more about online doctorates at University of Phoenix. 

What does postdoctoral mean?

Postdoctoral fellowships provide doctoral graduates with the opportunity to pursue further research opportunities in their fields. Students participate in a fellowship to improve their skills and knowledge during research and to potentially assist in their transition to a tenure-track academic position. Some students also participate in programs as they work their way into the professional world.

The length of a postdoctoral program can vary, depending on your institution and field of study. Many positions typically last one to two years, though some last up to five years. Your specific research project and available funding can also affect the length of a fellowship.

Do postdocs get paid?

Postdocs are generally paid positions , though the payment amount varies widely. Factors like your experience, program, funding and project length can all affect how much you’re paid for your research efforts.

Dependent on their program, some recipients are granted a benefits package in exchange for their work. These packages often include paid time off, health insurance and a retirement savings plan. Some benefits packages also offer housing allowances and reimbursement for travel-related expenses.

Although prestigious, these positions often pay less than a professional one in the same field.

Who is eligible for postdoc positions?

PhD graduates in science, technology, engineering and math ( STEM ) fields are most likely to pursue postdoctoral research opportunities. However, graduates of other research doctoral programs can also participate in these programs to achieve many of the same benefits.

Eligibility is also determined by previous education and experience. Most participants will have completed a doctoral degree within the last few years. They also have strong skills in research, communication and teamwork, and demonstrate a desire to continue their education past the doctoral level.

Some opportunities are subject to certain requirements or parameters, such as guidelines or experience in a particular field. For example, you might need to be of a specific nationality, hold a certain degree or have experience with particular research methods to participate in a given postdoc program.

How to apply for a postdoc

The process to apply for these opportunities will depend on your preferences and the institution offering the program. Postdocs are usually funded and posted on job boards, academic websites, through professional societies and at other locations. You’ll need a resumé or CV highlighting your strengths and experience in research, along with details about your career goals.

If your application is selected, you may need to participate in an interview process. Leaders at the institution will ask further questions to determine how you may contribute to their program.

Some institutions and funding sources have different application processes and steps. For example, a program might require that you submit a research proposal or that you have a certain number of already-published articles in your field. The type of research a postdoc program requires will help determine the parameters for application.

read similar articles

What is doctoral candidacy?

Types of postdoctoral research.

Doctoral graduates can pursue many types of postdoctoral research fellowship opportunities based on their career interests. The opportunities represent one of several career options for doctoral graduates and give participants the chance to contribute to their field.

Academic postdocs offer research opportunities to doctoral graduates, individuals who typically want to pursue a career in academia. These positions are typically funded and posted by academic institutions and offer recipients the chance to contribute research to a university.

An academic postdoc places participants in close proximity with field analysts and senior researchers — experts who serve as mentors and valuable networking contacts. They work on independent or group projects, contributing to research eventually published under the institution’s name.

An industry postdoc is a research opportunity for aspiring business professionals who want to work in the private sector. These programs are often offered by private research firms, including companies and institutions that might be affiliated with a university’s fellowship.

Postdoctoral research fellowships in the private sector provide graduates with the chance to perform research on behalf of an independent firm . For example, students might participate in an industry program that focuses on pharmaceutical science, energy, cloud computing, biotechnology or aerospace engineering.

In other cases, students might pursue an agency postdoc — a research opportunity typically offered by a government agency . A state or the federal government or a government-funded project fund and offer these programs.

In some cases, this allows students to work directly for a large government organization like the National Institutes of Health or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . In other cases, independent branches of government sponsor smaller programs.

Agencies can lead to careers working for the government or for a public or private research firm; they can also create careers in academia due to their wide scope.

Dr. Julie M. Ballaro shepherds doctoral students to success

Pros and cons of postdoc positions.

For some participants, the postdoc path is rewarding and career changing . For others, a fellowship might create problems for their work-life balance or financial situation. It’s important to consider the positive and negative aspects of a potential fellowship before accepting to make the best decision for the next stage of your career.

Reasons to participate in a postdoctoral fellowship

Participation in a postdoc has some advantages. You’ll meet new people, research new topics and deepen key skills.

Here are some more potential benefits :

• Gaining additional research experience and training
• Working with experienced mentors and building a stronger network
• Developing new skills and strategies for use during your career
• Learning new and emerging strategies and techniques
• Potentially learning how to establish further research funding and other funding opportunities

These and other benefits mean a postdoc can be a great next step for many doctoral graduates passionate about research opportunities in their field.

Things to consider about a postdoc

Postdoc opportunities aren’t for everyone. If you’re looking to immediately join the professional world or you’re not excited by the prospect of ongoing research, a postdoc may not be the best option.

Here are a few other reasons why this path may be one you avoid:

• Programs might end after a few years or funding concludes
• Limited time for family, personal life and other priorities
• Income levels remain below what industry professionals make
• High pressure from funding institutions or agencies to produce results
• Competitive market for available positions
• Little control over your research topic or methodologies

These points are sometimes enough for doctoral graduates to look elsewhere for a job.

Alternatives to postdoctoral fellowships

It’s important to consider all options when making decisions about the next phase of your career. While postdocs can be incredibly beneficial, they are not the only employment option that can meaningfully improve your career.

Some graduates will consider a postdoc before launching a professional career . These jobs might still offer some research responsibilities so candidates can continue learning and building skills before transitioning to better paying professional roles.

Doctoral programs at University of Phoenix

If you’re looking to distinguish yourself in your field and considering a doctorate, University of Phoenix offers five online programs nationwide.

• Doctor of Business Administration — Develop a mindset of change and innovation that breaks the sea of sameness. Our Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) can help you gain a strategic vision and skills to position yourself as a business leader.
• Doctor of Education — This prepares you to use analytical, critical and innovative thinking to improve performance and solve complex problems in education.
• Doctor of Health Administration — If you’re a health professional who is seeking greater responsibility in shaping the future of the health sector, the Doctor of Health Administration can help you get there. You’ll meet the challenges inherent to today’s healthcare landscape, including economic fluctuations, burgeoning patient needs and industry-changing legislation.
• Doctor of Management — This program equips you with critical thinking skills to find creative solutions to complex problems, so you can bring out the best of your leadership skills.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice — This program is designed for working nurses who require a doctorate for advanced practice or nurses who desire their terminal degree. It does not prepare students for professional certification or state licensure as a nurse or as an advanced practice nurse.

want to read more like this?

Will My Credits Transfer?

Tuition and financial aid.

August 04, 2023 • 6 minutes

Time Is Money: How I Saved Money While Paying for College

February 08, 2022 • 6 minutes

5 Steps to Managing Debt

February 14, 2023 • 6 minutes

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it's official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings
• Browse Titles

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Committee to Review the State of Postdoctoral Experience in Scientists and Engineers; Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy; Policy and Global Affairs; National Academy of Sciences; National Academy of Engineering; Institute of Medicine. The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2014 Dec 8.

The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited.

• Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press

5 Recommendations

Postdoctoral researchers are a significant, but often overlooked, segment of the science and engineering research workforce. Many different types of positions come under the postdoctoral researcher designation, but an appropriate umbrella term that describes these individuals is the current definition agreed upon by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA): “An individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path.” Although the individual postdoctoral experience varies significantly depending upon a number of factors such as location, field, or funding source, as examples, there is little debate about the potential value that the general postdoctoral experience provides to either the postdoctoral researcher or to his or her host institution.

Over the past 20 years, the percentage of new Ph.D.'s with definite commitments taking postdoctoral positions has increased in all fields, reaching a recent peak in 2010 when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided a temporary boost in research funding. Among research disciplines, this growth has been most rapid in engineering and the social sciences—fields in which postdoctoral training was relatively uncommon a decade ago. Comparing the various sources of funding, research positions funded by a principal investigator's grant are the most common and have also seen the largest increases in the past decade. The demographics of the postdoctoral population have also been changing: there are more women and more temporary residents, and their median age has increased, as scientists are spending more time in postdoctoral positions.

Although the broad trends are known, exact statistics about the changing nature of postdoctoral positions and researchers have significant uncertainties. Information on the actual number of postdoctoral researchers and how they are supported is difficult to obtain and those data that do exist are often incomplete, covering only certain subsets of the postdoctoral population. In addition, most funding agencies and research institutions do not track the career outcomes of postdoctoral researchers.

The problem of incomplete data is linked to the problems with the postdoctoral experience itself. The paucity of data concerning the number and characteristics of postdoctoral researchers in the United States is due in part to their poorly defined status at many institutions, the wide variety of titles applied to postdoctoral researchers, and the number of postdoctoral researchers who come to the United States subsequent to receiving their doctoral training abroad. Unlike undergraduates, graduate students, staff, and faculty, which are well-organized groups, postdoctoral researchers are not a well-defined population at many institutions and therefore can be invisible to administrators.

Research practices and expectations of postdoctoral researchers are quite different across disciplines and institutional settings, and these variations are translated into differences in postdoctoral experiences. In general, the practice of employing postdoctoral researchers as long-term researchers, with little mentoring and little hope of moving into a career that requires advanced research training, is becoming more common. The mentored training aspect of a postdoctoral researcher's experience can be inconsistent and often inadequate. The mismatch between the expectations and outcomes of the postdoctoral experience causes disappointment and disillusionment for some postdoctoral researchers, and may discourage undergraduate students and graduate students from continuing to pursue careers in research, thereby reducing the pool of talent on which the research enterprise depends.

Although there have been a number of improvements since the release in 2000 of the National Academies' report Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers , postdoctoral researchers at many institutions continue to lack adequate mentoring, recognition, status, and benefits. Many institutions do not have a coherent set of policies, practices, and procedures for postdoctoral researchers that are equivalent to those available for students, faculty, or staff, and many postdoctoral researchers do not know about those policies that do exist. This lack of support structure and official status is often cited as a bigger concern than salary issues in studies of current postdoctoral researchers.

In addition, there is a lack of data on the career aspirations, preferences, and reasons that influence graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to pursue research careers. It appears that many Ph.D. recipients have been conditioned to see a postdoctoral position as the logical next step in their career progression, without careful consideration as to whether advanced research training is required to further their career goals. Although it is ultimately the individual doctorate holder's decision, it is unclear whether they or their faculty mentors have sufficient resources to make a fully informed choice.

There is a continuous need for researchers with advanced training in the U.S. research enterprise. Postdoctoral researchers are playing a crucial, but often unrecognized, role in research. They are contributing significantly to academic research and they fill important roles in research groups at national laboratories, in government, and in industry. However, some principal investigators hire postdoctoral researchers to fill the need for advanced researchers in lieu of permanent research staff, instead of as a symbiotic practice that provides advanced training. Unfortunately, there is some evidence that this practice is increasing.

Given the current levels of total research spending in the United States, the practice of hiring postdoctoral researchers to staff laboratories has created a situation where the number of postdoctoral researchers is out of equilibrium with the number of available positions that require advanced training, and there is no reasonable correlation between the change in the total number of postdoctoral researchers and positions that require postdoctoral training. Significantly fewer than half of all postdoctoral researchers continue into academic tenure-track positions and an increasing fraction end up in nonacademic or non-research careers that do not require the years of advanced research training provided by the postdoctoral position.

Because of this mismatch, postdoctoral training does not always contribute to the career advancement of postdoctoral researchers. There is a need to reexamine the human capital needs (i.e., job structure, salary practices, and career pathways) of the research enterprise. Some of the work now being done by postdoctoral researchers might more appropriately be done by permanent research staff, who receive the salary, benefits, and job security commensurate with full-time employment. Such research staff positions are common in government, industrial laboratories, and outside the United States. The postdoctoral experience itself should be refocused, with training and mentoring at its center.

Graduate students should be made aware of the wide variety of career paths are open to them. For some careers, particularly for faculty positions in the physical and biomedical sciences at research universities, the postdoctoral experience can be very helpful. However, for many careers, a new Ph.D. can benefit more from other types of work experience—a postdoctoral position is not the only way to enhance one's skills and advance one's career.

The primary focus of this report is on the largest segment of the postdoctoral population: postdoctoral researchers working at universities and being paid as part of a principal investigator's research grant. Other postdoctoral researchers may have a very different experience. For example, the relatively small percentage of postdoctoral researchers working in national laboratories (including the NIH and other publically-funded research institutions) and in industry tend to earn more, have shorter appointment periods, and receive training and guidance with direct relevance to their career aspirations. Although, undoubtedly, there are many postdoctoral researchers at universities who gain valuable research experiences and receive useful mentoring to fulfill their career aspirations, this is not the case for a large number of postdocs, and the committee finds a need for significant reform. For this reason the recommendations that follow are intended to address the problems primarily encountered by postdoctoral researchers in the academic setting.

Using a definition of a postdoctoral researcher agreed upon by the NPA, NIH, and NSF as a guide—“An individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path”—the committee has developed recommendations for best practices covering five aspects of the postdoctoral experience: period of service, title and role, career development, compensation and benefits, and mentoring. In addition, the committee stresses the importance of data collection through a sixth recommendation. While the recommendations are numbered, this is for ease of reference and should not be taken to imply prioritization; these six items are necessarily interconnected.

Period of Service : The committee endorses the recommended practice, put forward by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the National Postdoctoral Association in 2007, that postdoctoral research training is and should be a “temporary and defined period.” Postdoctoral appointments for a given postdoctoral researcher should total no more than 5 years in duration, barring extraordinary circumstances. This maximum term should include cumulative postdoctoral research experience, though extensions may be granted in extraordinary circumstances (e.g. family leave, illness).

This recommendation requires direct actions by the host institutions and the funding agencies.

Host institutions should maintain a record of how long a postdoctoral researcher remains in a position and provide that information to funding agencies as part of grant proposals.

To facilitate tracking of postdoctoral researchers, funding agencies could assign each postdoctoral researcher an identifier and keep a record of the total length of time any given individual is holding such a position.

Title and Role : In many instances, positions currently occupied by postdoctoral researchers are more appropriately filled by permanent staff scientists (e.g., technicians, research assistant professors, staff scientists, laboratory managers). The title of “postdoctoral researcher” should be applied only to those people who are receiving advanced training in research. When the appointment period is completed, the postdoctoral researchers should move on to a permanent position externally or be transitioned internally to a staff position with a different and appropriate designation and salary.

This recommendation requires action primarily by the funding agencies and the host institutions.

Funding agencies should have a consistent designation for “postdoctoral researchers,” and require evidence that advanced research training is a component of the postdoctoral experience.

Host institutions should create or identity professional positions for individuals who are conducting research but who are not receiving training, and these individuals should receive appropriate remuneration, benefits, and privileges.

Career Development : Host institutions and mentors should, beginning at the first year of graduate school, make graduate students aware of the wide variety of career paths available for Ph.D. recipients, and explain that postdoctoral positions are intended only for those seeking advanced research training. Career guidance should include, where feasible, the provision of internships and other practical experiences. The postdoctoral position should not be viewed by graduate students or principal investigators as the default step after the completion of doctoral training.

This recommendation requires action by all the different members of the research system: the funding agencies, the host institutions, the professional societies, the mentors, the postdoctoral researchers, and even the graduate students before becoming postdoctoral researchers.

Host institutions, especially those with graduate student populations, should provide multiple engagement activities to help students explore all avenues of career development. Funding agencies should help to support these efforts.

Professional societies should gather and disseminate information about the full range of career paths within their discipline. Useful activities could include collecting statistics about job openings and salaries, identifying individuals in various sectors who can provide career advice, and organizing career fairs at professional meetings.

Mentors, in addition to providing guidance based on their own experience, should become familiar with and disseminate information about all forms of career development opportunities available either at the host institution or through their professional society.

Postdoctoral researchers and graduate students have a responsibility to participate in the career development opportunities provided by their institutions, to explore other sources of information such as professional societies, and to use available career-development tools.

Compensation and Benefits of Employment : Current postdoctoral salaries are low. Salaries should be increased to (1) reflect the qualifications of postdoctoral scholars, (2) address the slow progress the community has made toward implementing salary increases as recommended in several National Research Council reports, and (3) adjust the relative wage of postdoctoral researchers to appropriately reflect their value and contribution to research. The committee considered five different approaches for determining an appropriate minimum salary: (1) indexing to contemporary college graduates, (2) indexing to graduate stipends, (3) indexing to newly hired assistant professors, (4) inflation of previous recommendations, and (5) Research Grade Evaluation Guide. All of these approaches, which are discussed in detail in Appendix B , suggest an amount of $50,000 or more. In addition, despite considerable variation in salaries by field, geographic area, and sector, data on starting postdoctoral salaries reveal that the starting salary prescribed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) postdoctoral award (currently set at $42,000 for 2014) has become the de facto standard for many disciplines and on many academic campuses. The NIH should raise the NRSA postdoctoral starting salary to $50,000 (2014 dollars), and adjust it annually for inflation. Postdoctoral salaries should be appropriately higher where regional cost of living, disciplinary norms, and institutional or sector salary scales dictate higher salaries. 39

In addition, host institutions should provide benefits to postdoctoral researchers that are appropriate to their level of experience and commensurate with benefits given to equivalent full-time employees . Comprehensive benefits should include health insurance, family and parental leave, and access to a retirement plan.

This recommendation requires action primarily by the funding agencies, with additional actions by the host institutions and the professional societies.

Federal agencies should require host institutions to provide documentation of the salary a postdoctoral researcher will receive with all grant proposals.

Professional societies should collect data on salaries for all positions and make these publicly available.

Mentoring : Mentoring is an essential component of the postdoctoral experience and entails more than simply supervision. Mentoring should not be solely a responsibility of the principal investigator, although he or she should be actively engaged in mentoring. Host institutions should create provisions that encourage postdoctoral researchers to seek advice, either formally or informally, from multiple advisors, in addition to their immediate supervisor. Host institutions and funding agencies should take responsibility for ensuring the quality of mentoring through evaluation of, and training programs for, the mentors.

This recommendation requires action by the funding agencies and the host institutions, with supporting actions by the professional societies, the mentors, and the postdoctoral researchers themselves.

In addition to providing mentorship training and guidance to the immediate supervisors of the postdoctoral researchers, host institutions should establish mechanisms that make it easy for postdoctoral researchers to seek guidance from additional faculty or senior professionals who can enrich the postdoctoral training experience.

Funding agencies should identify better ways of evaluating or rewarding mentoring as an essential component of research. This could include mandatory self-reporting by mentors as well as blinded assessments by the postdoctoral researchers.

Professional societies are in an ideal position to provide additional mentors to supplement those at a postdoctoral researcher's host institution. This would be of particular value to postdoctoral researchers considering major career shifts such as a move from academia to industry.

Postdoctoral researchers need to recognize that a great research investigator is not necessarily equivalent to a great mentor and that many if not most principal investigators or senior research faculty have not received any formal training in mentoring. Therefore, postdoctoral researchers should seek guidance from a variety of people, and should be encouraged to do so.

Data Collection : Current data on the postdoctoral population, in terms of demographics, career aspirations, and career outcomes are neither adequate nor timely. Every institution that employs postdoctoral researchers should collect data on the number of currently employed postdoctoral researchers and where they go after completion of their research training, and should make this information publicly available. The National Science Foundation should serve as the primary curator for establishing and updating a database system that tracks postdoctoral researchers, including non-academic and foreign-trained postdoctoral researchers. Host institutions and federal agencies should cooperate with NSF on the data collection and maintenance process. Federal agencies and research institutions that report these data to the NSF should take advantage of various technologies that have become available in recent years to assist in timely and thorough collection.

Recognizing that this recommendation on data collection has been made many times before with little effect, the committee stresses that research institutions and professional societies should explore what they can do to enrich what is known about postdoctoral researchers and that all institutions make better use of new technologies and social and professional networks to collect relevant and timely data.

Funding agencies must improve their data collection on the postdoctoral segment of the workforce. This is especially true for the NSF, given its congressional mandate to “collect, acquire, analyze, report, and disseminate statistical data related to the science and engineering enterprise in the United States and other nations that is relevant and useful to practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public, including statistical data on research and development trends, [and] the science and engineering workforce…” (Section 505 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010). The NSF should work with other research agencies, particularly the NIH, to develop more reliable means of collecting data on postdoctoral researchers during and after their appointments. The use of a common identifier system for each postdoctoral researcher is a possible approach.

Host institutions should assist in the data collection efforts by remaining consistent with their labeling of postdoctoral researcher, keeping track of new hires and departures, and conducting exit interviews to determine career outcomes of their postdoctoral population. This information should be made publically available, particularly to prospective postdoctoral researchers.

Funding agencies should look favorably on grant proposals that include outcome data for an institution's postdoctoral researchers.

Professional societies should utilize their networks to collect information about career paths of their members and make this data easily available.

All of the reforms recommended here should be coordinated through a strong and separate or stand-alone postdoctoral office (PDO) at each host institution. These offices have become much more common since the publication of the 2000 Postdoctoral Report , and many have become members of the National Postdoctoral Association. However, more work is needed to truly enrich the postdoctoral experience. PDOs need to continue sharing experiences to help one another fulfill their potential to train mentors, organize career development activities, be a one-stop source of information for domestic and international postdoctoral researchers, manage postdoctoral researcher grievances, oversee data-gathering efforts, monitor institutional compliance with salary and benefits policy, and track the career progress of former postdoctoral researchers. Although currently these offices are often embedded within a larger graduate student affairs operation, they are essential for improving the visibility and recognition of postdoctoral researchers in their host institutions and deserve specialized recognition.

POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION AND BEST PRACTICES

The recommendations put forward by the committee define five aspects of the postdoctoral experience. Although postdoctoral researchers play a key role in the science and engineering enterprise, they are only one part of an increasingly complex system. All participants in this system can take directed and concrete steps towards the implementation of this vision for a better postdoctoral experience. This section outlines some potential outcomes, inspired by many of the best practices already implemented throughout the United States and around the world.

Given its complexity, it is important to approach the system holistically, as no single segment of the science and engineering enterprise can induce change on its own. Therefore, while the following potential outcomes and best practices are arranged by principal actor, many overlap in who would be involved.

Graduate Students

Ideally, doctoral students would give careful consideration to whether advanced research training in a postdoctoral position is required to further their career goals. They would seek information about the variety of career options early and often in their doctoral training. In addition to utilizing regular mentoring, graduate students would take full advantage of institutional and local resources that provide career development services.

Postdoctoral Researchers

Similarly to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers would ideally make repeated, realistic, and critical self-evaluations before, during, and after their postdoctoral experience concerning their career choices. They would take advantage of every opportunity for career planning, including, for example, the creation of an individual development plan. Postdoctoral researchers would not limit their focus solely to academic careers. To that end, they would seek advice and information from a variety of different sources, including their mentors and institutions, professional societies, and peers.

Mentors and postdoctoral supervisors serve a particularly critical role in the science and engineering enterprise. With respect to postdoctoral researchers, mentors would recognize that the postdoctoral period should be viewed as a training period, and consequently that their role is to help individuals develop the necessary writing, laboratory management and leadership, communications, and other essential career-related skills. In most instances this will be best accomplished by a formal training program. However, it must be recognized that not all skills can be learned within the laboratory environment, especially those relating to non-research careers. Therefore, mentors, with the assistance of their institutions, would also provide postdoctoral researchers with substantial protected time to pursue career development activities.

In addition, because of the ever-increasing globalization of the science and engineering enterprise, mentors would be attuned to the special needs of temporary visa holders pursuing postdoctoral research, and consult with or provide referrals to experts within their institutions, including international offices.

Every postdoctoral researcher would have an individual development plan that is created with a mentor and reviewed yearly by someone in addition to the postdoctoral researcher's mentor (i.e., the head of the school or department or research division, or by the postdoctoral researcher's advisory committee, or by a specially appointed director of postdoctoral affairs). Similarly, institutions would encourage the establishment of advisory mechanisms to enable postdoctoral researchers to gain mentoring from a number of sources to complement the work of the primary mentor.

Institutions

Every institution would have at least one office or unit designated as responsible for the postdoctoral experience, policies, and activities, beyond that provided by the mentors. Ideally, there would be an independent office of postdoctoral affairs. Every effort would be made to provide postdoctoral researchers with the same type of recognition given to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff. The designated office would be responsible for collecting and maintaining statistics on the postdoctoral community within the institution, including long-term career outcomes. Institutions would make this information publicly available.

Like graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers would receive an orientation upon arrival at their institution. This would include topics relating to safety, ethics, human resources, and other essential training as needed for the research discipline. In addition, postdoctoral researchers would receive an appointment letter that provides clear information and expectations about salary, benefits, duration of service, process for termination or resignation, protected time for career development, and intellectual property rights. Institutions would create formal and neutral grievance procedures to address conflicts between postdoctoral researchers and their direct supervisors. This procedure would also be identified in the appointment letter.

Institutions would invest resources to provide postdoctoral researchers and graduate students with information concerning the wide range of career opportunities. Where feasible, opportunities for practical experiences in other settings, such as teaching and both research- and non-research-based nonacademic employment, would be made available. Wherever possible, these career development activities would include internships for postdoctoral researchers and graduate students.

Above all, institutions would track, provide services, and have similar policies and procedures for postdoctoral researchers regardless of their source of funding.

All funding agencies would report annually to the National Science Foundation the number of postdoctoral researchers they have supported by discipline, visa status, degree-granting institution, and types of support. The NSF, through its National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, would thereby track the number of postdoctoral researchers (according to the current agreed-upon definition) and follow their career outcomes in the same way as is currently done for Ph.D. recipients.

In addition, and because of the critical role of mentoring in the science and engineering enterprise, all funding agencies would place an emphasis on mentoring as a key criterion in evaluating grant proposals and the performance of principal investigators.

Professional Societies

Professional societies would recognize postdoctoral researchers as a distinct class of membership within their organizations and help postdoctoral researchers create a sense of community by facilitating postdoctoral researcher activities and networking at their meetings. They would involve postdoctoral researchers in the activities of their societies by promoting postdoctoral researcher service on committees, inviting postdoctoral researchers as speakers, and having postdoctoral researchers help to organize meetings.

Professional societies would provide postdoctoral researchers with career information and counseling similar to what they provide for graduate students. To this end, professional societies would help make broadly available information about job markets, career trajectories, and salaries for postdoctoral researchers and graduate students in their disciplines (e.g., through bulletins, or special sessions about career opportunities at meetings). Where possible, professional societies would collect, analyze, and publicize related information such as statistics about the numbers and kinds of job postings.

Two of the committee members do not support the recommendation for a prescriptive “salary standard” based upon one particular field and funding agency (here, the National Institutes of Health [NIH] and life sciences) for two reasons: first, salaries—not just postdoctoral salaries—differ so much by discipline, region, funding agency, and type of institution (for example, the 2012 National Postdoctoral Association report indicates that about half of the institutions have minimum salaries that are lower than the 2013 NIH minimum of $39K; NPA 2012), and second, this “salary standard”, meant to reflect a reasonable salary, will likely be used as a minimum salary. While they believe that institutions need flexibility to accommodate particular circumstances, they also firmly believe that a postdoctoral researcher's salary should be fair and fit rationally within the spectrum of salaries for researchers in that discipline, at that institution: for example, well above that of a graduate student and significantly less than that of an entry-level, career-track researcher, that is, permanent staff scientist, research track assistant professor, or tenure-track assistant professor.

• Cite this Page Committee to Review the State of Postdoctoral Experience in Scientists and Engineers; Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy; Policy and Global Affairs; National Academy of Sciences; National Academy of Engineering; Institute of Medicine. The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2014 Dec 8. 5, Recommendations.
• PDF version of this title (3.1M)

Recent Activity

• Recommendations - The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited Recommendations - The Postdoctoral Experience Revisited

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

Connect with NLM

National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20894

Web Policies FOIA HHS Vulnerability Disclosure

Help Accessibility Careers

What to Do After PhD? – Pros and Cons of Pursuing Postdoc

“Received my PhD. Where do I go from here? What to do after PhD?”—is one of the most common challenges for students who have recently graduated. So if you’re stuck at this point of deciding whether to go ahead with academia or switch to a non-academic career, you’re not alone! How do you plan on taking what you have learned in your PhD and capitalize on it? How do you start your new career or use your PhD to take the next step in your existing one?

What to Do After PhD?

After having spent endless hours conducting your research and passing up enjoyable opportunities to complete your dissertation, you have finally attained the coveted doctorate degree. It’s a remarkable feat! But one struggle that holds on to you is—what do you do now that you’ve finished your PhD?

Be it from your seniors at the university or just having heard it from scholars in your field, one thing you may have realized is that tenure-track positions in academia are hard to come by.  Despite the “default” propensity of PhD graduates pursuing academic research positions, they’re now moving beyond it. Additionally, an uncertain future in academia is a factor of concern amongst all. Here we shall discuss what to do after PhD?—and focus on the pros and cons of pursuing postdoc to make a calculated decision.

Should I Pursue Postdoc?

Navigating through the career waters after PhD can be quite treacherous. Moreover, with the job market in academia being intensely competitive, even students with excellent academic caliber aren’t assured of getting a position.

While the competition is persistent, doing a postdoc is becoming a prerequisite for a successful career. However, your zeal and confidence of wanting to stay in academia can take you a long way. The preliminary postdoc benefits to consider while applying for postdoc are:

• Additional time to expand your research through funding.
• Publish more research work to support or expand your research conducted during Phd.
• More opportunities for networking and collaboration.

Pros of Pursuing Postdoc

While the answer to “What to do after postdoc?” can vary for every researcher depending on their interests, the undeniable benefits of a postdoc position can’t be overseen.

1. Career Development Prospects:

Pursuing career as a postdoc fellow allows you an extended period to work on your research after your PhD. Furthermore, it offers you more flexible opportunities to leverage laboratory facilities than you could during your PhD. It allows you to travel freely for conferences, which lead to meeting scholars from your field and making newer professional connections. Additionally, a postdoc fellow gets opportunity to upskill themselves in their research field and allied domains.

2. Advanced Research Opportunities:

Given the immense value that a postdoc position poses, it opens doors to newer research opportunities. This is not just restricted to independent research but also to collaborative research. Consequently, due to lesser teaching and administrative responsibilities, it will provide you with time to publish more research work. Additionally, it allows you to revise your project cycle, begin a new project, and gain expertise in a given subject. Furthermore, it lets you collaborate with international researchers to work on similar projects. More importantly, as a postdoc your chances of receiving grants increases based on your success as a researcher during PhD.

 3. Technique Development Opportunities :

As a postdoc fellow, you have more time to acquire new technology and research skills. In addition, it lets you gain experience in allied fields that you work in with your colleagues. This leads to an excellent opportunity to perfect your distinctive set of skills and learn advanced techniques in growing times.

4. Intellectual Development:

A postdoc fellowship is a distinguished phase in your career to focus exclusively on your intellectual development. Moreover, it is an important and most influential part of your research training. Therefore, choosing a postdoc can bolster your ability to pursue an advanced and successful research career.

Cons of Pursuing Postdoc

Despite the impressive benefits, considering the flip side of pursuing a postdoc position is imperative before taking the big decision.

1. No Tenure-track Guarantee

The uncertain career prospects in academia does not guarantee a tenure-track position even after completing your postdoc. According to a survey, only 30% of postdocs in the United States, and 20% postdocs in the United Kingdom succeed in acquiring a long term academic position. Moreover, some even have to climb through a series of postdoc positions before reaching a stable academic position. This predicament often leads many postdocs to quit academia and move to an industrial career.

2. Lack of Support

As postdocs are expected to work as an independent researcher, they often receive little to no professional advice or training from experienced researchers at the university. On the contrary, some institutions take advantages of the postdoc fellow as a teaching or researching captive. Furthermore, you may also experience poor working conditions as a result of being neglected by your department and surviving postdoc position becomes difficult.

3. Monetary Challenges

One of the major disadvantages of pursuing a postdoc position is meager salaries. The financial situation of postdoc fellows is so critical that an assistant professor is paid more than them, although fractionally, but yes!

4. Over-qualification

After struggling to acquire a stable academic position, postdocs often try to switch to industrial jobs. In this process, it is found that postdocs are over-qualified for industrial jobs and have to begin from scratch in the new field.

It’s undoubtedly a great feat to have successfully defended your PhD dissertation. How do you decide? What to do after PhD? What do you choose? Let these pros and cons help you in taking a well thought out decision. Tell us how this article helped you in the comments section below! You can also visit our Q&A forum for frequently asked questions related to different aspects of research writing and publishing answered by our team that comprises subject-matter experts, eminent researchers, and publication experts.

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

• Publishing Research
• Reporting Research

How to Optimize Your Research Process: A step-by-step guide

For researchers across disciplines, the path to uncovering novel findings and insights is often filled…

• Diversity and Inclusion
• Trending Now

The Silent Struggle: Confronting gender bias in science funding

In the 1990s, Dr. Katalin Kariko’s pioneering mRNA research seemed destined for obscurity, doomed by…

Choosing the Right Analytical Approach: Thematic analysis vs. content analysis for data interpretation

In research, choosing the right approach to understand data is crucial for deriving meaningful insights.…

Addressing Barriers in Academia: Navigating unconscious biases in the Ph.D. journey

In the journey of academia, a Ph.D. marks a transitional phase, like that of a…

Comparing Cross Sectional and Longitudinal Studies: 5 steps for choosing the right approach

The process of choosing the right research design can put ourselves at the crossroads of…

Unlocking the Power of Networking in Academic Conferences

Mentoring for Change: Creating an inclusive academic landscape through support…

Intersectionality in Academia: Dealing with diverse perspectives

Meritocracy and Diversity in Science: Increasing inclusivity in STEM education

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

What should universities' stance be on AI tools in research and academic writing?

• NIH Grants & Funding
• Blog Policies

NIH Extramural Nexus

Postdoctoral Researchers—Facts, Trends, and Gaps

30 comments.

As the data show, postdocs are more prevalent in most of the top fields receiving NIH funding (genetics, biochemistry, developmental biology, and neuroscience) than in those fields that receive less NIH funding (nursing, public health, and pharmaceutical science). In light of this, the experiences and future paths of postdocs obviously are an essential part of any study of the biomedical research workforce. 

As we started delving more deeply into the data, however, it became clear that we lack reliable information about the postdoc population in the US. There are many reasons for this. First and foremost, we do not collect much information about foreign-trained PhDs who come to the US to do a postdoc, and we have no idea how long they stay or how many leave after their training. These foreign-trained postdocs comprise about 2/3 of the total postdoc population. In addition, postdocs have many titles, and some institutions require they change their titles after a certain number of years. That is why the PhD snapshot I presented last week includes a range of numbers, and they are colored red, meaning that we have little confidence in their accuracy. 

Again, we had heard anecdotal information suggesting that the postdoc training period has lengthened over time. However, data from the NSF Survey of Doctorate Recipients suggest that most US-trained biomedical PhDs spend fewer than 5 years in postdoctoral positions. Some do remain in postdoc training a lot longer, though. There is some indication those who do the longest postdocs are the ones who go on to tenure-track academic research careers. For example, in the figure below, the age at first non-postdoctoral job (many of which are in industry) has been consistently a year or two lower than the age of obtaining the first tenure-track job. Note that the latest data in this graph (2002-2003) may be underreported due to delays in reporting that result in a lag time bias.

With all that said, what can we glean from the data we have? 

First, data in the figure below from the NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates (which includes all sources of support, not just NIH and surveys US degree-granting institutions about their US- and foreign-trained PhDs) show that the vast majority of basic biomedical postdocs are supported on federal research grants, and this number has grown considerably over the past decade. This is perhaps not surprising, as it parallels the growth of basic biomedical graduate students supported on research grants that I showed in the previous post . Similar to the data for graduate students, the numbers of postdocs supported on federal fellowships and traineeships have remained remarkably stable over the same time period. Once again, these data are supported by the NIH-specific data posted on the RePORT website.

As shown below, the other source of postdoc support that has been growing over the last five years is nonfederal support, defined as support from state and local government, institutions, foreign sources, foundations, industry and other private sources. 

Combining the average ~6.5 years of PhD training and 4-5 years of postdoctoral research means that it takes approximately 10 years before a person with a biomedical PhD is ready to begin his or her first or post-training job, and even longer if he or she chooses the academic tenure-track research path. 

So what does this postdoc have to look forward to? 

We looked at earnings potential as one (but by no means the only) attribute of the career path of biomedical PhDs and compared it to other scientific fields and professions. As can be seen in the table below, starting salaries of biomedical PhDs (pooled SDR data in 2008 dollars) are lower than in other fields. However, later in the career stage, 30 years after the PhD, this is no longer the case.   

Table 1. Salary Across Broad Fields by Years of Experience

Source: NSF Survey of Doctoral Recipients

A more comprehensive timeline of earnings is shown in the report and on the website , and Paula Stephan, who was on the modeling subcommittee of our working group, has a very interesting discussion of this in her recent book How Economics Shapes Science . 

The data I’ve presented in this and my earlier posts, and the information included in the working group report should be of interest to anyone considering a career in the biomedical sciences and those of us responsible for ensuring the availability of a well-trained biomedical research workforce in the future. They are important for making informed decisions about graduate training, sources of federal support, and institutional policies that will attract and retain the best and brightest in biomedical science careers.

RELATED NEWS

The graphs show an amazing growth in temporary training positions over the past 30 years. I wonder whether biomedical academic positions and industry positions have paralleled that growth. I was disappointed that the data on foreign post-docs was incomplete, but it has appeared elsewhere (FASEB 19,1938). Here is a ‘free’ NEJM article (below) describing why high-paying health care jobs growth is not necessarily good for an economy/society. The same arguement applies to any future growth at the NIH, especially in research & training, and expansion at medical centers. Basically, health care (clinical/research) jobs, grant costs and salaries expansion without commensurate returns to the average citizen are not sustainable especially in difficult economic times. I suppose we could always argue that we are developing second and third world economies and health care by providing international training. There will need to be more evidence of societal returns on training and grants costs.

“The Health Care Jobs Fallacy” Katherine Baicker, Ph.D., and Amitabh Chandra, Ph.D. N Engl J Med 2012; 366:2433-2435 June 28, 2012

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1204891

@ “Citizen-scientist” I am in awe of your knowledge of the literature — you cite two different publications! In one argument! You should totally be the one to decide who gets federal dollars! Please refer to any of the following articles highlighting the expert quality of the publication you cite in your prodigious diatribe:

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: A Genomic Strategy to Refine Prognosis in Early-Stage Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer. N Engl J Med 2006;355:570-80. March 24, 2011N Engl J Med 2011; 364:1176 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Barlogie et al. Duration of Survival in Patients with Myeloma Treated with Thalidomide. N Engl J Med 2008;359:210-2. September 25, 2008N Engl J Med 2008; 359:1410 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Gong Z et al. Injuries after a Typhoon in China. N Engl J Med 2007;356:196-7. August 7, 2008N Engl J Med 2008; 359:657 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Hussain HM, Hotopf M, Oyebode F. Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs and Alzheimer’s Disease. N Engl J Med 2007;356:416. April 5, 2007N Engl J Med 2007; 356:1481 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Guo H. Complication of Central Venous Catheterization. N Engl J Med 2007;356:e2 March 8, 2007N Engl J Med 2007; 356:1075 Free Full Text

EDITORIAL Retraction: Sudbø J et al. DNA Content as a Prognostic Marker in Patients with Oral Leukoplakia. N Engl J Med 2001;344:1270-8 and Sudbø J et al. The Influence of Resection and Aneuploidy on Mortality in Oral Leukoplakia. N Engl J Med 2004;350:1405-13 November 2, 2006Curfman G.D., Morrissey S., Drazen J.M.N Engl J Med 2006; 355:1927 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Shamim et al. Nonsurgical Reduction of the Interventricular Septum in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. N Engl J Med 2002;347:1326-33. March 6, 2003N Engl J Med 2003; 348:951 Free Full Text

RETRACTION Retraction: Barbaro et Al. Incidence of Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Detection of HIV in Myocardial Cells of HIV-Positive Patients. N Engl J Med 1998;339:1093-9. July 11, 2002Drazen J.M. and Curfman G.D.N Engl J Med 2002; 347:140 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Reconstitution of Hematopoiesis after High-Dose Chemotherapy by Autologous Progenitor Cells Generated ex Vivo July 5, 2001N Engl J Med 2001; 345:64 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Absence of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type I in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma June 10, 1999N Engl J Med 1999; 340:1837 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Suicide after Natural Disasters January 14, 1999N Engl J Med 1999; 340:148-149 Free Full Text

CORRESPONDENCE Retraction: Stricker RB, Abrams DI, Corash L, Shuman MA. Target platelet antigen in homosexual men with immune thrombocytopenia. N Engl J Med 1985; 313:1375-80. November 21, 1991N Engl J Med 1991; 325:1487

EDITORIAL Retraction: Darsee JR, Heymsfield SB, Nutter DO. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and human leukocyte antigen linkage: differentiation of two forms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. N Engl J Med 1979; 300:877-82. June 9, 1983Nutter D.O., Heymsfield S.B., Glenn J.F.N Engl J Med 1983; 308:1400

EDITORIAL Retraction: Darsee JR, Heymsfield SB. Decreased myocardial taurine levels and hypertaurinuria in a kindred with mitral-valve prolapse and congestive cardiomyopathy. N Engl J Med 1981; 304:129-35. June 9, 1983Heymsfield S.B. and Glenn J.F.N Engl J Med 1983; 308:1400

CORRESPONDENCE Data on Insulin Binding in Growth Hormone Deficiency Are Questionable November 6, 1980N Engl J Med 1980; 303:1120

CORRESPONDENCE Radioactivity in Organs of Patients Receiving Radioisotopes: A Retraction May 12, 1977N Engl J Med 1977; 296:1122 Free Full Text No extract is available for articles shorter than 400 words. PDFSave

CORRESPONDENCE Proportion of E Rosettes Normal in Graves’s and Hashimoto’s Diseases: A Retraction July 3, 1975N Engl J Med 1975; 293:44

I think we have to be careful when talking about “salaries expansion” especially when talking about those researchers in biomedical sciences who also have professional degrees. When postdoctoral and Faculty salaries in research are far lower than comparable clinical positions (as they currently are), it is very difficult to convince extremely bright and hard working junior professionals with any interest in remaining in research to do so, especially as demands of family and looming retirement become greater with increasing age at first Faculty position – one might argue that the above figure suggests that age at first Faculty position is NOT increasing, but there is a big difference between median and mean.

• Pingback: Week in Review, or Health Care Upheld :: NEWScience Policy
• Pingback: Outlook for PhDs in Biomedical Sciences « Neuroscience GSA – University at Buffalo

I really wish this information wasn’t ten years old. Some very important changes to our economy happened in that period. Now many state schools aren’t hiring for tenure-track positions at all due to budget cuts and many private companies are in a huge pinch as well. In reality this information probably tells us very little about the job-prospects young scientists are currently facing and therefore very little about what to do.

Exactly. I don’t quite understand how you can draw solid conclusions from this data.

But I think that’s beside the point as well. The real problem here is that it seems to be perfectly acceptable to the NIH to have someone spend a decade of their life working towards a position in academia when there are no job openings in academia anymore and, even if there were, there’s not enough grant money to go around anyway.

Graduate programs need to be instructed to keep track of their former students and tabulate themselves just how many end up in positions paying $80k+ ten years after their PhD and, more importantly, just how many of them are earning that much doing biomedical science. Also each program should be required to make this information publicly available to any future applicants. I have a feeling this would substantially decrease the number of students pursuing a Biomedical PhD.

I agree that it would be interesting to see what the mean age at first faculty position is, rather than just the median.

As far as the anecdotal evidence of the postdoc taking longer, looking at the chart in the working group report, it seems more like what is happening is that the distribution of 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 years post-PhD is remaining fairly static, while the other side of the distribution is changing more steadily. If I’m reading it right, in 1993, about 1/3 of the postdocs surveyed had been in their postdoc for less than a year. But in 2008, new postdocs accounted for nearly 50% (!) of all postdocs surveyed. And the percentage of 1-2 years is decreasing. That says to me that while the percent of long PhDs might remain relatively static, the percent that leave within the first year or two is steadily increasing. I did some rough calculations, and there were about 4500 <1 year postdocs in 1993, then 2200 1-2 year postdocs in 1995. Meanwhile, in 2006, there were about 6800 <1 year postdocs, then about 2000 1-2 year postdocs in 2008. These are incredibly rough, but there's a big enough difference there to notice between a 50%-ish retention in the 90's and a 30%-ish retention in the late 2000's. It just looks like the 2 year postdoc is disappearing, and a "short postdoc" is just no longer possible. Maybe the average length of a completed postdoc is still less than 5 years, but it IS increasing slowly… and the perception of its increase gets bigger when the idea of finishing in under 3 years seems impossible.

ETA: The # of postdocs I estimated were just the US citizens/perm. residents.

Based on the discussion above, there is clearly a critical need for the pro-active and mandatory collection of information regarding postdocs. so that we can stop talk about anecdotal data. This is the only way that we will ever have a frank, candid and informed conversation about what is happening to the postdoc. population over time. Personally, I think that it is long overdue that this type of data acquisition occur. Regardless of the long-term earning potential, where the postdoc. goes after their training experience and/or their satisfaction with their career choice, we need to have data to correlate what is working, what is not working and the success of the training experience. This of course means that we also need to identify what success means. The only way to do that is to lay the cards on the table. It’s time the NIH and/or NSF take steps to make this data collection mandatory for all postdocs. [including ANYONE; domestic or foreign born, NIH-funded or not, and encompassing all ranges of postdoctoral training (ie. 1-10 years post-PhD)] that possesses the designation of postdoc. at an institution]. Ultimately, this will contribute to rational- and data-founded- decisions that ensure the sustainability and stewardship of the next generation of highly trained researchers, mentors and scientific community participants. Let me emphasize that I think your committee’s report was outstanding in their bullet-point recommendations for postdocs. I am firmly behind many of your proposed recommendations. However, and again, information is the overlord. We must prioritize the unbiased collection of data for all postdocs. as soon as possible.

• Pingback: “Alternate careers” is just the next exploitation strategy? | DrugMonkey

I was unable to understand why you mentioned postdoc starting salary (0 year experience after PhD) as 51,594 USD. To me its not true at all ! starting salary for postdocs is ~39000 USD as per NIH scale. The salary you have mentioned here is equivalent to at least 6 year postdoc experience.

Only 70% of PhD recipients go directly into a postdoc. The rest pursue other careers, many of which pay much higher salaries. Furthermore, year 0 postdocs in industry related fields pay significantly more than the $39k in academic institutions.

I think you should carefully consider the implications of Table 1. While the Biomedical PhD may earn slightly more 30-years post-PhD (around age 60 based on your prior statistics), the difference is insignificant relative to the income disparity between this and similar fields 0-10 years post-degree. In the first 0-10 years (or even 30 years) post-PhD, the Engineer has far outpaced the others in total income. And (s)he also has a much better opportunity to make contributions toward retirement.

I agree with IndustryPhD that each institution should make similar information abundantly clear to students enrolling in PhD programs.

• Pingback: Science Policy Around the Web – July 5, 2012 « Science Policy For All

Move to Australia. I finished my PhD at 26 (only a little younger than average — I’d have been 24 if I’d finished in the minimum time), got a 3-year postdoc, then a 3-year research scientist position, and converted that to an indefinite research position (as close to tenure as we have) at 32. Twelve years since finishing my PhD, I’m now on a $126K salary package, which is pretty normal here (I’m average, not a high-flyer).

2/3 of all american postdocs are foreign? That’s quite a lot; it’s no wonder the payscale is so low: $39K, not $51K as the table indicates. Why should someone who is smarter than most go into science? To beg for pennies from the established NIH-funded PIs? We all know that these established PIs/reviewers do things under the table to keep their grants, and prevent new, young, competitors out of their field. You can’t even raise a family of three on this measly salary. Unless you are willing to struggle in science for 5-8 years as a postdoc for a worthless paycheck, to get to the level of assistant professor (which does not mean you will advance to full tenure because you cannot renew your grants), there is no reason to stay in science. Finding a new profession will be more rewarding, offer you more opportunities, and allow you to avoid the frustration of fighting the NIH system that caters towards biased reviewers. It’s easy to publish papers. It’s almost impossible to get grants and fellowships unless you are in the know. If we continue at this rate, expect 90% of all postdocs to be foreign; no one in america will care about science, and we will cease to be the innovation engine we once were. I tell my undergraduates and everyone I know to stay out of science. Spread the word!

This is true. I have worked alongside many PIs who would rather import all of their workers because they cost sub-$30K/year, and are willing to work at the PI’s whim. Some of these imports don’t even have a PhD or experience in research! The excuses these PIs tell me are that American PhDs just don’t work hard enough and want weekends off. Some of the most smart and imaginative PhDs have a hard time finding a postdoc right now. Bizarre.

I have to agree with your comments. The approach from NIH to pay their most valuable workforce resource at $39K/year, can be best described as slavery, and aims to discourage US born scientists from pursuing a career in the biomedical sciences. This article is misrepresenting the average salary of biomed postdocs at 51K and this is dishonest. Please state this accurately so as to make a fair comparison for those trying to decided how to continue their higher learning.

Every other funding body DOE, DOD, etc pay their postdocs considerably higher salaries and even then it barely provides the basic requirements in areas where cost of living is very high. In all circumstances it is unsustainable and is difficult to remain competitive when our most educated members (PhD’s) of our society are expected to struggle near the levels of poverty. Time to get a clue NIH!

$39K/year, can be best described as slavery,

You realize that you are utterly insane, right? This works out to something over $18 per hour. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour or about $15,000 per year. Have you ever held a minimum wage job? I’m pretty sure that most postdoc jobs are considerably more interesting and fun compared with “do you want the ginormous or supersized FunMeal”?

A couple of people have noted that the $51,594 salary number on the table seems high given the NRSA stipend level for postdocs. This is because it includes more than just NIH-funded postdocs. This figure was derived from the NSF survey of doctoral recipients, a pool of individuals that goes beyond NIH-funded researchers and includes people who may not do a postdoc.

Quote from today’s issue of science “None of NIH’s funding can be spent on “any economic research,” the bill states. Howard Silver, executive director of the Consortium of Social Science Associations in Washington, D.C.” (Science vol 337, page 399) does that mean if this bill is passed into law, The biomedical workforce related projects will be droped by NIH?

Good question. Unfortunately, we can’t comment on pending legislation. However, if the bill is passed into law, post your question again and we can discuss.

• Pingback: Part 2 - What every scientist should know about biomedical careers » The Versatile Scientist

Dear Blog Team,

I’ve been banging my head on the survey of earned doctorates all afternoon trying to find the data for the age at first tenure track job figure above, and haven’t had any luck finding it. Can you point me in the right direction?

The hard facts about Table 1 0-10 years the biomed PhD gets an average 5% pay raise per year (approximately) 10 -30 years the biomed PhD gets an average 2% pay raise per year Total 30 yr earning potential – 2.75 million before taxes (correct me if I am wrong)

Guess what in 30 yrs time you may need at least $2 million per person in savings to have a decent retirement. With 0% interest rate and negative stock returns … well you can make your own conclusions.

• Pingback: Outlook for PhDs in Biomedical Sciences « Neuroscience Graduate Club – University at Buffalo

I have a question that came up recently in our institution. Are NIH funded postdoctoral fellows allowed to participate in seminars? Does the “time” involved in attending seminars violate their % effort policies?

Great timing for this comment… today’s blog post is about that very question! Read more here: Clearing Up Confusion about Postdoc Salaries and Training Activities

• Pingback: 7 Ways To Successfully Keep Your Motivation During Your PhD | Cheeky Scientist® | Industry Training For Intelligent People

Before submitting your comment, please review our blog comment policies.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What is the difference between a postgraduate taught master’s and a postgraduate research master’s?

Pgce, mres, ma, msc or phd if you’re considering postgraduate study, use this guide to learn the difference between the kinds of postgraduate degrees on offer.

Richard Carruthers

Postgraduate courses come in many formats, ranging from vocational diplomas and certificates through to master’s and doctoral qualifications.

The two most common categories of postgraduate study are postgraduate taught (PGT) courses and postgraduate research (PGR) courses.

As you shop around potential postgraduate courses, you may also come across the PGCE, the LLM, the MRes, the MPhil and the PhD.

But what is the difference between all these acronyms?

Below is a guide explaining the differences between all the postgraduate degrees on offer, including how the application process varies between them.

Postgraduate taught (PGT) courses

Postgraduate taught courses are sometimes called level 7 qualifications and are one of the most common kinds of master’s degrees. When people refer to master’s courses, they usually mean a postgraduate taught course.

These courses are typically one year in duration if studied full-time, or two years if studying part-time.

The course will usually comprise several months of taught classes, much like undergraduate study, followed by an intensive independent research project for the final few months.

These courses have highly specialised content, making them great launchpads for careers where specialist knowledge is required. They are also often used as a stepping stone to more advanced research degrees.

What’s the difference between an MSc and an MA?

Postgraduate taught courses will usually lead to either an MSc or an MA qualification, depending on the subject you choose.

An MSc stands for a “master of science” and will focus on advancing a particular aspect of scientific research across the sciences, engineering, mathematics or a similar field that involves logic, scientific research or numbers.

An MA refers to a “master of arts”, and covers postgraduate taught degrees in the arts and humanities, such as literature, languages, history, cultural studies and some social sciences.

Applying for a postgraduate taught course

To apply for a postgraduate taught course, you will normally be asked to provide transcripts showing your academic performance on your undergraduate degree, a personal statement and a CV.

Your CV should focus on your educational achievements and interests and discuss any project work that shows you have the technical and academic skills needed to be a successful and independent postgraduate student.

Your personal statement can be tackled in a similar way to a cover letter, where you introduce yourself and convey your interest, enthusiasm and motivation to study the subject. It is also advisable to tailor your statement to each course you apply for and to explain your interest in some of the modules offered by that specific course.

It can also be beneficial to demonstrate some thought around where the course will lead you in the future, whether that’s into a new career or towards further study.

With postgraduate taught courses, you often won’t have to submit a research proposal for your research project as part of your application, as the taught elements of the course are meant to help inform your research proposal.

However, some postgraduate master’s courses may ask for you to submit a research proposal or at least have an idea of the topic you want to do your master’s dissertation on, even if this changes later.

Applying to master’s courses is generally done through a decentralised system, meaning you apply individually to each course and university. Each institution will set different entrance and application requirements. Check the exact requirements your course is looking for, and get in touch with the institution’s postgraduate admissions office with any questions.

What are MRes and MPhil degrees?

The MPhil stands for “master of philosophy”. The MRes course option, which is relatively new but has grown in popularity in recent years, stands for a “master of research”.

Much like postgraduate taught courses, both the MPhil and the MRes are technically classified as level 7 qualifications, and typically take one year to complete.

The main difference between an MRes or MPhil and a postgraduate taught course is that MRes and MPhil courses place much more focus on individual research, with as much as 60 per cent to 100 per cent of either degree consisting of a personal research project.

Given the heavy research focus, MRes and MPhil courses tend to contain fewer taught classes, but you will usually receive training in research techniques. As a result of the research focus, an MRes or an MPhil may help prepare a student for a doctoral programme (PGR) or a career that requires specific research skills and techniques.

Applying for an MRes or MPhil course is very similar to applying for a postgraduate taught course, but you may be asked to submit a research proposal as part of your application, so it’s important to have an idea of the kind of research project you would like to pursue.

Doctorate courses

Postgraduate research (PGR) courses are sometimes called level 8 qualifications and usually refer to doctorate courses.

These courses take about three to four years of full-time study to complete, but the exact duration of a doctorate course depends on whether you get involved in teaching, how long your research takes to complete and how long it takes you to write your doctorate thesis.

Successful PhD candidates are awarded doctoral qualifications such as doctor of philosophy (PhD) or doctor of engineering (EngD), depending on their field of research.

Research is the core component of a PhD programme, and you will be expected to produce original work on a specific subject topic, usually in the form of a thesis.

Doctorate qualifications are often a prerequisite for a career as a university academic, researcher or scientist in industry.

Applying for a doctorate (PhD) programme

To apply for a doctorate degree, you’ll need to submit a personal statement and a CV, both providing evidence of your academic experiences and passion for the subject.

Some PhD programmes will expect you to have already completed a postgraduate taught programme, but this isn’t always essential.

For a PhD, you may also be asked to submit a detailed research proposal outlining a specific research question you would like to address, the subject area you will work in, and the approach you would take to solving this.

Your proposal should demonstrate your current knowledge and discuss how your research idea could develop or challenge existing knowledge. You should also mention the potential significance of your research and why it would be a useful contribution to your chosen field.

Usually, you will be expected to apply individually to each PhD programme you’re interested in. Places will usually be dependent on your academic achievements, but also on the funding available in your chosen university department and whether the university can provide an appropriate supervisor.

If you’re considering applying for a PhD, it may be worth contacting academics individually to discuss whether they’d be interested in supervising you and asking about any funding opportunities.

Other postgraduate courses

Aside from the categories discussed above, there are many other classifications of master’s degrees, including postgraduate diplomas and certificates.

Often these lead to a vocational qualification that is used to gain entry to a specific profession.

Examples include the postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE), which leads to a career in teaching, the graduate diploma in law (GDL) or master of law (LLM), which opens the door to the legal professions, or the master of business administration (MBA), which is a common choice for business professionals looking to gain entry to C-suite positions.

You may also like

.css-185owts{overflow:hidden;max-height:54px;text-indent:0px;} Is it possible to do a three-year PhD as an international student?

Samiul Hossain

What is a PhD? Advice for PhD students

How do I choose a master's?

Charlie Pullen

Register free and enjoy extra benefits

• Utility Menu

Department of Psychology

• https://twitter.com/PsychHarvard
• https://www.facebook.com/HarvardPsychology/
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFBv7eBJIQWCrdxPRhYft9Q
• Participate
• Postdoctoral Program

Postdoctoral Fellows are typically recent Ph.D. recipients who want to further their research careers by working in the labs of faculty members with complementary research interests.  These Fellows are usually invited by a Harvard faculty member to work in their lab. Candidates must have completed all of the requirements for the Ph.D., including thesis defense, before they can begin their appointment at Harvard. Postdoctoral Fellow appointments at Harvard University are yearly appointments, renewable for up to a maximum of 3-5 years.

Several of our faculty members have grants to support Postdoctoral Fellows. When these positions become available, they are advertised on our Psychology Department website and in the various online bulletin boards maintained by psychology journals, such as the American Psychological Society's  Observer  or the American Psychological Association's  Monitor .  

Several Postdoctoral Fellows come to Harvard with their own fellowship awards. These Fellows are usually divided into two groups. One group has fellowships that are administered through Harvard (e.g.,  NRSA  awards and other U.S. Federal awards) with one of the Harvard faculty members acting as the Principal Investigator. The other group has fellowships (usually through foreign institutions) that are paid directly to the Postdoctoral Fellow and are not administered through Harvard.  

Postdoctoral Fellows with funding administered through Harvard are eligible for benefits. The benefits payment structure can vary depending on whether the Fellow is paid from a faculty member's grant or from a fellowship. Benefits include 4 weeks of paid vacation, health insurance, dental insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, contributory life insurance, and tuition assistance. In addition, Postdoctoral Fellows, like all Harvard University employees, can purchase athletic stickers, discounted  MBTA  passes, and have access to a broad range of perks offered through Harvard University. 

The Department of Psychology sits within the Division of Social Science, which is strongly committed to creating and supporting a diverse workforce. Respect and fairness, kindness and collegiality, and trust and transparency are among the values we espouse and promote in our workplace culture. We work hard to ensure a healthy, inclusive and positive environment where everyone does their best work in support of Harvard’s mission. For more on our commitment to diversity, including, and belonging, see our departmental DIB Call to Action .

If you have questions regarding postdoctoral appointments, please contact Cass Ranno  in the Psychology Department Administrative Office. 

Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.

• Undergraduate Program
• Graduate Program
• Doctoral Alumni

• Home »
• Advice »
• Postgraduate Study Advice »

What Is A Postgraduate Degree? A Definition and Guide

Find your perfect postgrad program search our database of 30,000 courses.

One thing that all postgraduate degrees have in common is that they allow you to continue your studies in a specialised subject. An undergraduate degree is usually required for a student to be considered eligbile to study a postgraduate degree.

Postgraduate degrees are taken for a number of different reasons, such as to move into academia and research, or to specialise or advance in a particular career path. Some people choose to complete a postgraduate degree to change study or career paths entirely. 

There are a lot of different aspects involved in postgraduate education. If you are considering expanding your knowledge with a postgraduate degree, it’s important to understand the details. This guide covers everything you need to know about postgraduate degrees.

Postgraduate degree versus graduate degree

So, what is the difference between a postgraduate degree and a graduate degree ? The answer is basically nothing! The term 'graduate degree' tends to be more widely used in America, whilst 'postgraduate degree' is usually the preferred terminology in the UK. But both terms mean the same thing – and refer to degrees undertaken after completion of an undergraduate or bachelors degree, for example a masters degree or PhD. 

Masters degree

A masters degree is one of the most common postgraduate courses completed after undergraduate study. This postgraduate qualification can take a number of different forms, but what they all have in common is that they usually require an undergraduate degree to gain entry. These forms of postgraduate degree include:

Masters of Arts (MA)

Masters of Science (MSc)

Masters of Philosophy (MPhil)

Masters of Research (MRes)

Masters of Engineering (MEng)

The majority of masters courses require a thesis or dissertation to graduate in addition to any coursework. In the UK, most masters courses are a year in length, apart from some professional masters courses such as Masters of Architecture (MArch) which are generally between two and three years. Most masters courses in the US are two years in duration, as are many masters courses in Europe . 

MA, MSc and MPhil

Masters degrees are gained either through a taught or research course . In a taught masters, students are awarded a Masters of Arts (MA), Masters of Science (MSc) or a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) . 

MA and MSc are the two most common types of postgraduate degrees. MA courses focus on arts and humanities subjects, whereas MSc degrees focus on STEM subject areas.

An MPhil focuses on advanced research in various fields. It involves independent study and the completion of a substantial thesis or dissertation. While often seen as a pathway to a PhD, it also holds value as a standalone qualification for careers in academia, research or related fields.

An MLitt is quite a rare masters degree option and originates from the ancient universities in England and Scotland. It is a postgraduate degree that's awarded for arts and humanities subjects at select universities in both countries. An abbreviation of Master of Letter – the Latin translation of Magister Litterarum – an MLitt serves as an alternative to the more common MA or MPhil degrees, and can be offered as either a taught or research degree. Relatively few British universities offer the MLitt, and most of these are in Scotland. A very select number of universities in the USA and Australia also offer it as a specialised masters degree option.

MArch and MEng

Some masters courses like an MArch or a Masters of Engineering (MEng) are taken after completing the relevant undergraduate course with a long-term view to qualify as an architect or engineer. These masters programs are essential parts of the qualification routes and those who wish to become architects or engineers must complete them to be able to practise in their chosen career.

Other masters courses are about specialising or focussing on a career choice, especially those in the law or medical professionals. There are some masters courses that are for those graduates who already have a first degree but wish to retrain in another subject, such as a Masters in Town Planning or Masters in Journalism, for these courses it is assumed that the student has a number of academic skills that are transferable to the new subject.

What about an Integrated Masters Degree?

An integrated masters degree combines undergraduate and postgraduate studies in a single program. Students studying an integrated masters will start with a bachelors degree and move seamlessly on to a masters program after completing their undergraduate studies. Common subjects for integrated masters include engineering, natural sciences, mathematics and some social sciences. These programs offer an accelerated path to advanced masters study, allowing students to deepen their expertise while potentially saving time and money.

Apply for one of our x5 bursaries worth £2,000

We've launched our new Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries for 2024. Full-time, part-time, online and blended-learning students eligible. 2024 & 2025 January start dates students welcome. Study postgraduate courses in any subject taught anywhere worldwide.

A PhD (Doctorate of Philosophy) is the highest level of postgraduate qualification available that can be studied. This advanced postgraduate degree involves an element of both research and working at an institution.

The majority of students who go on to complete a PhD have already undertaken a masters course in a relevant subject. Often, this will be an MPhil or MRes, but this is not exclusively the case. It is mostly those who wish to go into academic research or teaching who decide to complete PhDs. The whole point of a PhD is further specialisation and it's not an option for changing career path, apart from progressing in the world of academia.

Postgraduate diploma 

Postgraduate diplomas are taught courses that do not require students to complete a dissertation or thesis. This type of postgraduate qualification offers the same level of study as a masters degree, but is completed over a shorter period of time because it doesn’t require a dissertation.

If you undertake a masters course but do not complete the dissertation this is the postgraduate qualification that you will probably find yourself finishing with. Postgraduate diplomas can be a great way for those who are unsure about whether they need or want to complete a full masters course, whilst still finishing with a postgraduate-level qualification to specialise their knowledge base and advance career skills.

There are some UK professions, such as teaching , that involve a postgraduate diploma ( PGCE in Education ) that allows graduates who did not study teaching to quickly qualify in an education profession. 

Postgraduate certificate

Postgraduate certificates are similar to postgraduate diplomas, in that they do not require the completion of a dissertation or thesis in order to get the final qualification. This postgraduate course allows students to gain specialised knowledge in their chosen area in a shorter amount of time. A postgraduate certificate is shorter than a postgraduate diploma, making it one of the shortest postgraduate qualifications to attain.

Applying for a postgraduate degree

There are two main ways to apply for a postgraduate degree in the UK. One is via UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), which is the centralised system for students studying an undergraduate degree at a UK university. The other, and more common way to apply for a postgraduate degree is directly through the university. Once you have found the postgraduate degree that you want to apply for, check with the university’s admissions department and find out how best to proceed with your application.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for postgraduate degrees will vary depending on the level of qualification, the course and the university. In most cases, you will need to have completed an undergraduate degree in order to obtain a postgraduate degree, although some postgraduate qualifications may accept students who have a suitable level of work experience in the subject area.

Higher postgraduate level qualifications, such as a PhD, will usually require you to have both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in order to have a place on the course. You should always check the specific course requirements when choosing a postgraduate degree.

Funding your postgraduate degree

There are various funding options for postgraduate degrees in the UK – these include scholarships and grants offered by universities based on academic achievement or specific criteria, as well as government-backed student loans covering tuition fees and living expenses. Employer sponsorship is another route, especially for courses relevant to a particular field of work. Research councils provide funding for research-based degrees, while charitable trusts and foundations offer support in diverse fields. Many students also opt for part-time work alongside their studies.

You can find out more about funding your postgraduate degree in our Ultimate Postgraduate Student Funding Guide .

Postgraduate degrees: a summary

A postgraduate degree is an excellent way to specialise, retrain and develop new skills in your chosen subject and career path. Postgraduate degrees tend to be shorter than undergraduate degrees, letting you efficiently gain further qualifications once acquiring basic academic skills from an undergraduate degree. 

Further postgraduate study gives students the opportunity to learn and gain a deep understanding of their chosen subject and is well worth the time and money. Having a postgraduate qualification can also help improve your future career prospects, since you have demonstrated both a deeper understanding of a subject area and a determination to complete further academic studies.

Our bursary winner & funding opportunity

Alice Tucker is a 21-year-old student studying an MA in Human Rights at the University of Manchester. She experienced a whole range of emotions when she discovered she was being awarded one of our bursaries, saying, “I was shocked but extremely grateful. Masters degrees are very difficult to fund and I was working two part-time jobs during the final year of my undergraduate degree to save up for this. Even with those savings, I am constantly thinking about how I will make my money last. Having this bursary will definitely remove that pressure for me so that I can focus on studying for my degree.”

Related articles

What Is The Difference Between Graduate & Postgraduate Programs?

What is a Masters Degree?

What is a PhD?

Postgraduate Diploma

What is an MBA?

Master of Arts: What is an MA?

Master of Science: What is an MSc?

Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries

Exclusive bursaries Open day alerts Funding advice Application tips Latest PG news

Sign up now!

Take 2 minutes to sign up to PGS student services and reap the benefits…

• The chance to apply for one of our 5 PGS Bursaries worth £2,000 each
• Fantastic scholarship updates
• Latest PG news sent directly to you.

• Scholarships

Difference Between Undergraduate, Graduate and Postgraduate

Jennifer Finetti Aug 12, 2022

Get our best scholarship practices, insights & tips delivered to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

As a high school student , you’ve probably started thinking about college. Maybe you even started to do research and narrow down your options. You may have come across the following terms: undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees.

So, what is the difference between undergraduate and graduate and postgraduate?

Read on to learn more! 

What is an undergraduate degree?

After students finish high school, they get an undergraduate degree. An undergraduate degree refers to either a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree. When people talk about going to college or university , they are talking about getting an undergraduate degree.

The fastest path to earning scholarships

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships.

How many years is an undergraduate degree?

There are two levels of undergraduate degrees: associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees. An associate degree requires 2 years to complete, and typically is earned at a community college . A bachelor’s degree requires completion of four years of study.

Students interested in earning a bachelor’s degree can either complete their entire degree at a four-year college or university OR they can attend a community college for their first two years, and then transfer to a university for their final two years.

What is a graduate degree?

After a student gets their undergraduate degree, they have two options. They may either get a job or continue with their studies. If they choose to continue with their studies, they pursue a graduate degree.

A graduate degree is any degree that is above a bachelor’s degree. This includes a master’s degree or doctoral degree . Master’s degrees take around 2-3 years to complete. Doctoral degrees take around 5-6 years.

Graduate degrees are typically more narrowly-focused than an undergraduate degree. This enables students to dive more deeply into their specific career interest, gaining the knowledge and expertise needed in their chosen field. Oftentimes, a student must have a graduate degree to get a job. Somebody seeking a career as a clinical social worker, must have their Master’s of Social Work.

You don’t have to get a graduate degree right after you finish your undergraduate degree. Many students take a break after their undergraduate degree and decide to work or travel instead. It’s common to see mature students in their late 20s and 30s (and even older) who decide to go back to school to get a graduate degree later in life.

To get accepted into graduate school, you must have a bachelor’s degree. This means that you must graduate from a 4-year undergraduate college or university. A student can only pursue a graduate degree if they already have a bachelor’s degree.

What is a postgraduate degree?

Students get confused with the term “postgraduate degree.” There actually isn’t a real difference between the two. Postgraduate is used interchangeably with graduate. Like a graduate degree, postgraduate refers to the range of higher degrees past the undergraduate degree. This includes both master’s degrees and Phds .

Difference between undergraduate and graduate and postgraduate

Undergraduate degree programs and graduate degree programs are very different from one another. Undergraduate programs help students gain basic knowledge in a major , or even in a few majors. Students must take a variety of courses, and not only courses relating to their major. They usually spend the first few years fulfilling general course requirements.  

Graduate programs are very different. You go to graduate school to learn something very specific. So, all the courses you take relate to your field of study.

Another big difference between the two is switching majors. In undergraduate programs, students aren’t always sure what they want to major in . Even if they choose a specific major, they may end up changing it. Undergraduate programs allow students to switch majors. It is also fairly easy to transfer to another school for any given reason.

Because graduate programs are so specific, it’s not easy to switch your field of study. You would have to fulfill new requirements and go through the application process all over again.

Another big difference is class size. Undergraduate classes tend to be much larger than graduate classes. In graduate programs, class sizes are much smaller.

Because of the difference in class size, teacher-student interaction also differs. In undergraduate programs, there isn’t much room to interact with your professors. There are also fewer opportunities to participate in class.

Graduate programs are more intimate and thus, more dynamic. Students have more opportunities to participate in class discussions. They also have more opportunities to work with their professors.

To get accepted into an undergraduate program, students must take the SAT or ACT . Other requirements include a minimum GPA , letters of recommendation  and personal statements . Colleges and universities all have their own requirements.

Many graduate programs require students to take an entrance exam such as the GRE, or specialized entrance exams for law school or medical school. Not all graduate programs require an entrance exam, so be sure to check the requirements for the program you are applying for.

Graduate programs also typically require that certain undergraduate classes be completed prior to applying, so you’ll want to check to be sure that you have completed any required courses. Sometimes graduate programs will allow you to complete missing prerequisites while enrolled in your graduate degree program.  

Final thoughts

Whether you have already started your bachelor’s degree or you’re still in high school, it’s nice to get an idea of what your options are. This can help you plan the classes you want to take in college or university and make the most of your degree.

• College guide
• Financial Aid
• Graduate Student
• Postgraduate
• Study in USA
• Undergraduate

Jennifer Finetti

As a parent who recently helped her own kids embark on their college journeys, Jennifer approaches the transition from high school to college from a unique perspective. She truly enjoys engaging with students – helping them to build the confidence, knowledge, and insight needed to pursue their educational and career goals, while also empowering them with the strategies and skills needed to access scholarships and financial aid that can help limit college costs. She understands the importance of ensuring access to the edtech tools and resources that can make this process easier and more equitable - this drive to support underserved populations is what drew her to ScholarshipOwl. Jennifer has coached students from around the world, as well as in-person with local students in her own community. Her areas of focus include career exploration, major selection, college search and selection, college application assistance, financial aid and scholarship consultation, essay review and feedback, and more. She works with students who are at the top of their class, as well as those who are struggling. She firmly believes that all students, regardless of their circumstances, can succeed if they stay focused and work hard in school. Jennifer earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from National University, and her BA in Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Related Stories View All

Do Scholarships Expire?

Bonus Scholarship Opportunity

Scholarship Myths We’ve Got to Bust

Get started with scholarshipowl.

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships