Support Competitive Compensation for Grad Students and Postdocs
Graduate students and postdocs are a critical part of the research and development (R&D) workforce. They conduct novel research and work in the lab, field, and classroom. However, uncompetitive compensation rates discourage young scientists from pursuing this career path.
The median stipend for a first-year physics grad student is just $29K, less than half the starting salary for a physics bachelor's degree-holder in civilian government or private-sector STEM jobs. These low stipend rates exacerbate high-skilled STEM worker shortages.
More than half of U.S. physics graduate students are supported through federal research awards and fellowships. However, standard research grants have barely budged in the last 20 years, meaning that what once could sustain two to three students now supports one or fewer.
The RESEARCHER Act would help address competitive compensation issues by authorizing data collection and directing the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish uniform guidelines for federal science agencies. For agencies to successfully develop and implement policies based on OSTP’s guidance, appropriations will need to be necessarily augmented.
Congress should pass the RESEARCHER Act and the subsequent necessary appropriations for federal science agencies to ensure our future STEM workforce.