Affordability – Salary

SURPAS Priorities

Additional support is needed for our salaries

We computed different scenarios*:

Scenario #1 (Housing at Oak Creek, Does not own a car): Single Postdoc $71,650 income (minimum starting salary)

  • Monthly take-home salary: $4,270 (single)
  • Least expensive Stanford housing (Studio, 1-bedroom): $2100-$2900 per month + Utilities ($200)
  • Average Food Cost: $400-700 ($550 average)
  • Medical + Phone Bill + Miscellaneous: $100
  • Remaining Income: $4270 – ($2500 (average) + $200 + $550 + $100 ): $920
  • Have not accounted for transportation costs, childcare, visa expenditures, or medical emergencies.

Scenario #2 (Housing elsewhere, Owns a car): Single Postdoc $71,650 income (minimum starting salary)

  • Monthly take-home salary: $4,270 (single)
  • Least expensive Stanford housing (Studio, 1-bedroom): $2100-$2900 per month + Utilities ($200)
  • Average Food Cost a month: $400-700 ($550 average)
  • Average Transportation Cost: $500-700 ($600 average)
  • Medical + Phone Bill + Miscellaneous: $100
  • Remaining Income: $4270 – ($2500 (average) + $200 + $550 + $100 + $600 ) = $320
  • Have not accounted for transportation costs, childcare, visa expenditures, or medical emergencies.

*Take-home salary calculator (SmartAsset), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Recommendations to support affordability

Housing consumes 49% – 68% of our income. The most impactful and broadest solution would be to increase our salaries or provide housing allowances.

Housing avg. at Oak Creek for Studio/1 bed: $2500 (58.5% of income)

If our housing costs made up the standard 30% of our salaries ($4270 x 0.3=1281), then we would need $1219 per month ($2500 – 1281).

Thus, an increase in salary or housing allowance of $1219 x 12 = $14,628 would provide better support for all Stanford postdocs.

Help us collect data

Please fill out our Anonymous Housing Survey to help us advocate for affordable housing for Postdocs at Stanford with up-to-date data.

These are the current results (with very limited data):

Demographics

How many dependents (children, seniors) do you have in your household that you are financially supporting?

Living Location: Oak Creek

Do you live in Oak Creek apartments?

Cost of Housing

How much are you paying for rent?

Housing Types Among Postdocs