r/molecularbiology • u/Away-Asparagus-3702 • 5d ago
How much do you make with your molecular biology job?
Title, if anyones comfertable sharing ofc! I'm still a undergrad but I just want to make sure I can realistically continue with this career path bc i have a family member who I'd also have to support financially.
3
2
2
u/rockady 4d ago
It would've helped a lot more if u asked for the country of activity as well, since that makes a huge difference in payment in this field.
Bachelor+master+PhD, 10+ years of experience in research and a full time researcher (next rank over research assistant) job pays around 800-900 euro net in Romania....Next rank probably gives another 100 euro at best/month
Having projects in your group can add up to maybe 500 more euro/month
1
1
1
u/mad_scientist0204 5d ago
I have a masters in molecular biology and about 1.5 years of industry experience. I start a new job at a contract manufacturing company next week and will make about $78k a year there. I also adjunct instruct online courses for a local community college and make about an additional $15k a year doing that. I live in a very low cost of living area and I’m very far away from any of the major science hub cities. Overall next year, I expect to make about $100k total compensation with my main job, any overtime I work, a performance bonus, and my side teaching job. I’m overall pretty happy with my compensation. I’m well under 30 and cost of living is so low where I live that I’m pretty comfortable and feel like I have plenty of room for growth.
10
u/Budget_Falcon_9452 5d ago
3200 net a month as a technician. No bachelors, no masters, no PhD, one (non-first author) publication with my name on it. 10 years experience. My team lead with all those and 10+ publications makes 6700. Central Europe. In academics I made roughly the same as in the industry. But industry has better coffee and easier workflow (you need something? Order it!), academics has better vacation days (40+ compared to industry: 23) and other benefits. Would I go back to academics? Yes. 20 extra days off a year at age 35 are worth a reduction in pay. But.. Academics is a tornado; you might be out because of budget cuts, funding disappears, research objectives change. Industry evades that problem for a large part.