Office of Postdoctoral Studies
Postdoctoral Fellow Salary Guidelines
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) establishes annual stipend and salary levels for postdoctoral trainees, which serve as the national benchmark for postdoctoral compensation. UMMC adopts the NIH NRSA postdoctoral salary scale, with salary minimums being based on years of relevant postdoctoral experience following completion of a terminal degree (e.g., PhD, MD, PharmD). UMMC follows the NIH definition of postdoctoral experience (i.e., “temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training for those who have received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue their chosen career path”) when determining compensation for incoming and current postdoctoral fellows. Annual salary increases are tied to updated NIH salary scales and years of experience. UMMC maintains a coordinated communication process among the Office of Postdoctoral Studies, Human Resources, and Finance to ensure timely implementation of salary updates and institutional compliance.”
Postdoctoral Trainees and Fellows: For institutional training grants (T32, T90, TL1) and individual fellowships (F32), the stipend level for the entire first year of support is determined by the number of full years of relevant postdoctoral experience when the award is issued. Relevant experience may include research experience (including industrial), teaching assistantship, internship, residency, clinical duties, or other time spent in a health-related field beyond that of the qualifying doctoral degree. Once the appropriate stipend level has been determined, the trainee or fellow must be paid at that level for the entire grant year. The stipend for each additional year of Kirschstein-NRSA support is the next level in the stipend structure and does not change mid-year.
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees, and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2026
Career Level | Years of Experience | Stipend for FY 2025 | Monthly Stipend |
Postdoctoral | 0 | $63,480 | $5,290 |
Postdoctoral | 1 | $63,900 | $5,325 |
Postdoctoral | 2 | $64,380 | $5,365 |
Postdoctoral | 3 | $66,948 | $5,579 |
Postdoctoral | 4 | $69,180 | $5,765 |
Postdoctoral | 5 | $71,748 | $5,979 |
Postdoctoral | 6 | $74,424 | $6,202 |
Postdoctoral | 7 or More | $77,076 | $6,423 |