Come in if you or your SO is an academic

[Anonymous]

This thread has gotten me curious about it

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/643604.page

It seems like there is a wide variety of experience with regard to how much academics make and what kind of lifestyle they are able to maintain. It also seems like it has changed over the years and that it was much easier to live an UMC lifestyle (nice house, weekly housekeeper, nice cars like Volvos, regular travel, etc.) in the past.


What has it been like for you? How much do you make and do you see room for growth?

[Anonymous]

Would it be a surprise to learn that things were easier in the past?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would it be a surprise to learn that things were easier in the past?

No I'm just curious to see examples.

[Anonymous]

It strongly depends what academic field. The sciences/engineering/business/law, particularly at research universities, are all going to be higher paying than the humanities.

DH makes 350 a year. Most likely that's as much as he will make.

[Anonymous]

Easier to get jobs back in the day. Now? Retirements are rare. And that's understandable. I tenured professor t a T25 school makes very good money and has near total job security.

[Anonymous]

DH was a tenure track prof at AU 7 years ago - pay was less than a public school teacher and the benefits were way worse. We had to pay hundreds of dollars a month each for our kids health insurance - basically the full cost it was insane. They added ' partner benefits' but what benefits? Basically you have to have another job to survive in this area - write a textbook for freshman classes (high yield to make a lot of money, but not scholarly work), deliver newspapers- something. Marry rich?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH was a tenure track prof at AU 7 years ago - pay was less than a public school teacher and the benefits were way worse. We had to pay hundreds of dollars a month each for our kids health insurance - basically the full cost it was insane. They added ' partner benefits' but what benefits? Basically you have to have another job to survive in this area - write a textbook for freshman classes (high yield to make a lot of money, but not scholarly work), deliver newspapers- something. Marry rich?

This was not humanities either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It strongly depends what academic field. The sciences/engineering/business/law, particularly at research universities, are all going to be higher paying than the humanities.

DH makes 350 a year. Most likely that's as much as he will make.

Doing what? Even the university presidents don't make 350k/year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH was a tenure track prof at AU 7 years ago - pay was less than a public school teacher and the benefits were way worse. We had to pay hundreds of dollars a month each for our kids health insurance - basically the full cost it was insane. They added ' partner benefits' but what benefits? Basically you have to have another job to survive in this area - write a textbook for freshman classes (high yield to make a lot of money, but not scholarly work), deliver newspapers- something. Marry rich?

Professors delivering newspapers on the side? That is sad I hate how little we value education in this country.

[Anonymous]

I am the PP in that thread whose uncle was given a subsidized apartment in Morningside Heights as part of his compensation package from Columbia. Huge apartment. Do universities still subsidize housing like that? I feel like that apartment would sell for at least 3 million today and probably much more. It was huge with 4 bedrooms (one was a small maid's room), an eat in kitchen, and a dining room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH was a tenure track prof at AU 7 years ago - pay was less than a public school teacher and the benefits were way worse. We had to pay hundreds of dollars a month each for our kids health insurance - basically the full cost it was insane. They added ' partner benefits' but what benefits? Basically you have to have another job to survive in this area - write a textbook for freshman classes (high yield to make a lot of money, but not scholarly work), deliver newspapers- something. Marry rich?

Average AU professor salary is 105k which is lots more than other universities and you sure don't start anywhere close to that. And again - the benefits are expensive . 105,000 minus a few thousand a month for healthcare means you will be living frugally in this area. Certainly nowhere DC unless it's a tiny apartment.

http://faculty-salaries.startclass.com/l/1991/American-University

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the PP in that thread whose uncle was given a subsidized apartment in Morningside Heights as part of his compensation package from Columbia. Huge apartment. Do universities still subsidize housing like that? I feel like that apartment would sell for at least 3 million today and probably much more. It was huge with 4 bedrooms (one was a small maid's room), an eat in kitchen, and a dining room.

That would be a great benefit. Maybe the thing to look for is not the salary (never high) but look into the benefits. Some still give tuition breaks for your kids even (though who knows if kids would get in even).

[Anonymous]

DH is tenure track (but not yet tenured) in the sciences. He's makes $100k though it was a hard slog to get there and he made <50K until well into his 30s.

I also am in a relatively low-paying job, and am currently reluctantly job searching to find something that pays more (which mean less flexibility and less time with our kids). We have a good life, but paying for things like a biweekly cleaner and music lessons is a stretch, and we stopped at 2 children because we couldn't afford a third.

Pretty much all the academic couples I know are dual-earner households. You're not going to be driving a volvo unless the non-academic spouse is a much higher earner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It strongly depends what academic field. The sciences/engineering/business/law, particularly at research universities, are all going to be higher paying than the humanities.

DH makes 350 a year. Most likely that's as much as he will make.

Doing what? Even the university presidents don't make 350k/year.

He's a tenured professor with an administrative appointment. Not sure what university presidents you're referring to..many presidents/deans/provosts make more than 350.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the PP in that thread whose uncle was given a subsidized apartment in Morningside Heights as part of his compensation package from Columbia. Huge apartment. Do universities still subsidize housing like that? I feel like that apartment would sell for at least 3 million today and probably much more. It was huge with 4 bedrooms (one was a small maid's room), an eat in kitchen, and a dining room.

Some universities still do, particularly in NYC. Don't know of any schools in the DC area that do this.