Last year the recession hit paychecks as well as jobs, with overall salaries in the life sciences showing the first decrease over a previous year since The Scientist began the survey in 2001. But this year things are moving back up, with a $6,000 increase in median salaries over 2010, bringing total earnings (salaries plus fees, bonuses, and profit sharing) almost back to the 2009 median of $90,000. Thus, despite the starker grant-funding reality for scientists the world over, salaries, at least, are starting to recover.
Indeed, the moderate increase in salaries is seen across many disciplines in this year’s data. The highest salaries are found in areas under the most pressure to improve the public’s safety and standard of living. This translates to a ...
