Undergraduate research opportunities—Are these paid positions?

[Anonymous]

You hear so much on college tours about research opportunities for students. If you work, say, in a professor’s lab during the semester (not for credit) do you get paid? What about a research position with the university over the summer? Are they paid and do you get a housing allowance? What hourly rate is typical? Or does it just depend on the position? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Totally depends on the school and what year the student is in.

Generally the more selective the school the more likely you’ll get access to this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally depends on the school and what year the student is in.

Generally the more selective the school the more likely you’ll get access to this

At a SLAC you’re more likely, not less likely, to have access to being a research assistant since there aren’t grad students filling those roles and it’s a smaller school. One of the reasons I advocate for SLACs over bigger universities.

But to the OPs question — it depends on the school. My assistantship with my professor was a work study job (even though I wasn’t on fin aid) so got minimum wage per hour. As a lab manager in grad school we also paid our undergrads but had a few others volunteer on our projects just for the experience.

[Anonymous]

VT, depends on lab. At minimum you’ll get 3 credits per semester. DD is a senior and now getting paid. Sounds like engineering students do get paid, so can vary. Some labs have bigger grants.

[Anonymous]

School dependent. My kid is at a SLAC. Got credit during sophomore year. Is getting a stipend for summer between sophomore and junior.

[Anonymous]

My kids didn't get anything at UMD - summer and during semester. But did get pay for NSF's REU program at a different school.

[Anonymous]

At W&M my kid has had paid research opportunities since his sophomore year.

[Anonymous]

Both of my kids did paid summer research at their LACs. One of them was a co-author on a published piece that resulted from the research, and presented it at a conference the fall after graduating.

[Anonymous]

Summer is usually paid and during the semester it is for credit (chemistry/biology). Most undergraduates have to be trained extensively so you're actually costing the lab money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally depends on the school and what year the student is in.

Generally the more selective the school the more likely you’ll get access to this

False. At larger selective schools, everyone is gunning for these and it’s really competitive to get research. Honors programs at less selective schools and SLACs are easier to get undergrad research if your DC would like it.

[Anonymous]

DC is doing on campus research this summer at their LAC. $4500 for ten weeks, plus something toward incidental expenses. Room and board is subsidized at a little under $100 per week. So, minimum wage, but no cost summer.

[Anonymous]

Better chance of getting paid with private schools than public. There are a lot of kids willing to do for free in public schools. More kids than they have open slots.

[Anonymous]

Some are paid, some are unpaid at UMD. Pay may be with scholarship funds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally depends on the school and what year the student is in.

Generally the more selective the school the more likely you’ll get access to this

False. At larger selective schools, everyone is gunning for these and it’s really competitive to get research. Honors programs at less selective schools and SLACs are easier to get undergrad research if your DC would like it.

I think it still depends at the school. W&M is competitive, but has a culture of supporting undergraduate research and even middling students can get lots of paid research opportunities.

[Anonymous]

I was at a SLAC and most of my research for a professor was funded, usually in lieu of or in addition to my work study. I typically held 2-3 additional jobs, usually 5-10 hours of research work a week.