The Office of the Vice Provost for Research, in consultation with the Provost Council on Research, is responsible for setting minimum stipend levels for postdoctoral trainees across the University. In recent years, the University has adopted the National Research Service Awards (NRSA) stipend scale.

In keeping with this practice, effective last December the University revised its postdoc stipend levels to meet the NRSA guidelines. See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-16-131.html

Please note that these stipend levels represent minimums. Schools and departments may establish their own guidelines as long as stipend rates meet or exceed those established by the University. Penn investigators are also expected to comply with any postdoctoral stipend guidelines promulgated by their sponsors, if these sponsor-specified guidelines exceed the Penn minimum stipend levels.

Stipends should be adjusted upwards at the time of the annual postdoctoral reappointment, at the time of the annual grant renewal or at the beginning of the NIH fiscal year.

—Dawn Bonnell, Vice Provost for Research

FY2018 Minimum Stipend Levels