Research Assistant Stipend Rates

Three tiers for RA stipends were established in FY15, with a fourth added in FY22, and periodic increases are made to the stipend rate established for each tier. The tier that applies to a given college (and within Letters and Science, to specific departments) is authorized by the dean.

The stipends for each tier at full time and the most common appointment percentages are shown in the tables below.


Spring 2026

Tier 1

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$31,836$15,918$10,506
Annual*$38,911$19,455$12,841

Tier 2

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$36,081$18,041$11,907
Annual*$44,100$22,049$14,553

Tier 3

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$40,326$20,163$13,307
Annual*$49,286$24,644$16,265

Tier 4

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$44,571$22,285$14,708
Annual*$54,475$27,238$17,977

*Annual appointment stipend is calculated as 11/9ths of Academic Year appointment

Spring 2026 Research Assistant Stipends by School, College, or Department

C-Basis (9-month)

SCHOOL/COLLEGE/DIVISION100% C-basis50% C-basis33% C-basis
Academic Affairs$31,836$15,918$10,506
Arts and Architecture$31,836$15,918$10,506
Business (Lubar)$31,836$15,918$10,506
Community Engagement & Professions$36,081$18,041$11,907
Engineering & Applied Science$44,571$22,285$14,708
Freshwater Sciences$44,571$22,285$14,708
Graduate School$31,836$15,918$10,506
Health Professions & Sciences$36,081$18,041$11,907
Letters and Science (see below)   
Public Health (Zilber)$44,571$22,285$14,708

Spring 2026 LETTERS & SCIENCE

L&S Department100% C-basis50% C-basis33% C-basis
African & African Diaspora Studies$31,386$15,918$10,506
Ancient and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures$31,836$15,918$10,506
Anthropology$31,836$15,918$10,506
Art History$31,836$15,918$10,506
Biosciences$44,571$22,285$14,708
Chemistry$44,571$22,285$14,708
Communication$31,836$15,918$10,506
Economics$31,836$15,918$10,506
English$31,836$15,918$10,506
Geography$36,081$18,041$11,907
Geosciences$44,571$22,285$14,708
History$31,836$15,918$10,506
Linguistics$31,836$15,918$10,506
Mathematical Sciences$44,571$22,285$14,708
Philosophy$31,836$15,918$10,506
Physics and Astronomy$44,571$22,285$14,708
Political Science$31,836$15,918$10,506
Psychological and Brain Sciences$44,571$22,285$14,708
Sociology$31,836$15,918$10,506
Urban Studies$31,836$15,918$10,506
Women’s and Gender Studies$31,836$15,918$10,506
World Languages and Cultures$31,386$15,918$10,506

Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 (effective July 1, 2026. Note: Stipends for a summer-session appointment are based on the stipend schedule approved for the preceding academic year, unless the appointment is an annual basis appointment effective July 1.)

Tier 1

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$32,473$16,236$10,716
Annual*$39,689$19,844$13,097

Tier 2

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$36,803$18,402$12,145
Annual*$44,982$22,490$14,844

Tier 3

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$41,133$20,566$13,574
Annual*$50,272$25,137$16,590

Tier 4 base

Appointment %100%50%33%
Academic Year$45,462$22,731$15,003
Annual*$55,565$27,783$18,336

*Annual appointment stipend is calculated as 11/9ths of Academic Year appointment

Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 (effective July 1, 2026. Note: Stipends for a summer-session appointment are based on the stipend schedule approved for the preceding academic year, unless the appointment is an annual basis appointment effective July 1.)

Research Assistant Stipends by School, College, or Department

C-Basis (9-month)

SCHOOL/COLLEGE/DIVISION100% C-basis50% C-basis33% C-basis
Academic Affairs$32,473$16,236$10,716
Arts and Architecture$32,473$16,236$10,716
Business (Lubar)$32,473$16,236$10,716
Community Engagement & Professions$36,803$18,402$12,145
Engineering & Applied Science$45,462$22,731$15,003
Freshwater Sciences$45,462$22,731$15,003
Graduate School$32,473$16,236$10,716
Health Professions & Sciences$36,803$18,402$12,145
Letters and Science (see below)   
Public Health (Zilber)$45,462$22,731$15,003

Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 LETTERS & SCIENCE (effective July 1, 2026. Note: Stipends for a summer-session appointment are based on the stipend schedule approved for the preceding academic year, unless the appointment is an annual basis appointment effective July 1.)

L&S Department100% C-basis50% C-basis33% C-basis
African & African Diaspora Studies$32,473$16,236$10,716
Ancient and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures$32,473$16,236$10,716
Anthropology$32,473$16,236$10,716
Art History$32,473$16,236$10,716
Biosciences$45,462$22,731$15,003
Chemistry$45,462$22,731$15,003
Communication$32,473$16,236$10,716
Economics$32,473$16,236$10,716
English$32,473$16,236$10,716
Geography$36,803$18,402$12,145
Geosciences$45,462$22,731$15,003
History$32,473$16,236$10,716
Linguistics$32,473$16,236$10,716
Mathematical Sciences$45,462$22,731$15,003
Philosophy$32,473$16,236$10,716
Physics and Astronomy$45,462$22,731$15,003
Political Science$32,473$16,236$10,716
Psychological and Brain Sciences$45,462$22,731$15,003
Sociology$32,473$16,236$10,716
Urban Studies$32,473$16,236$10,716
Women’s and Gender Studies$32,473$16,236$10,716
World Languages and Cultures$32,473$16,236$10,716

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