Salaries in the scientific community aren’t dipping with the economy, as might be expected from the massive budget cuts and subsequent layoffs being observed around the country. In fact, in The Scientist ’s 2009 salary survey, we’re seeing a 5% increase in total compensation over salaries last year—an increase that exceeds the 2008 inflation rate of 3.8%.
However, any decreases in academic salaries aren’t likely to show up until next year’s survey, says John Curtis, director of Research and Public Policy at the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). “Most of [the ‘08-’09] salaries had been decided the previous summer or spring, almost a year before the full extent of the economic downturn was really known.”
In industry, “we have seen some pressure to reduce salaries, to reduce overall ...
