Budgeting
Budgeting for a Postdoc
When planning to hire a postdoctoral associate or postdoctoral scholar, Principal Investigators (PIs) should budget for more than the annual salary or stipend. Total appointment costs include compensation, employee benefit fringe rate or fee, annual merit increases, and visa fees (if applicable). Careful planning helps ensure sufficient funding throughout the duration of the appointment.
OPA establishes the annual salary range for postdoctoral appointments, including the minimum, midpoint, and maximum compensation levels.
All newly hired postdoctoral associates and postdoctoral scholars must be appointed at or above the current George Washington University minimum salary. GW's minimum salary is based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service Award (NRSA) Year 0 stipend level.
While GW updates its minimum salary for new appointments to align with the current NIH NRSA guidance, existing postdoctoral salaries are not automatically adjusted when NIH publishes updated stipend levels. Salary increases for current postdoctoral associates are administered through the university's annual merit process.
Requests to appoint a postdoc above the established maximum salary require Associate Dean approval through the Salary Exception Process. Placement within the basic or advanced salary range should reflect the qualifications, experience, and responsibilities of the position.
Minimum Salary: $63,480
Basic Trainee:
Basic Trainee: $63,480 - $71,748.
Maximum Salary: $91,000
Advanced Trainee
Advanced Trainee: $71, 749 ‐ $91,000.
Associate Research Dean approval is required for all advanced trainee salaries. Please see Salary Exception Process.
All compensation is subject to the initial and continued availability of funding as well as any terms and conditions, if applicable, set forth by the sponsor funding the appointment. OPA works closely with the faculty mentors and deans to initiate compensation reviews of current postdocs.
In addition to salary, benefit costs are an essential component of budgeting for a postdoctoral appointment. The method for budgeting these costs varies by appointment type. Postdoctoral associates are subject to the postdoctoral fringe benefit rate, while postdoctoral scholars are assessed a monthly fringe fee based on their elected coverage. Fringe rates do not include items charged directly to departmental budgets such as compensated absences (annual leave, sick leave, sabbaticals, etc.), training and professional development, etc. Current rates and contribution amounts are provided below.
Postdoctoral Associate- Fringe Rate
GW has negotiated an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that approves the fringe benefit rate for postdoctoral associates.
Beginning FY26 (i.e., July 1, 2025), the postdoc associate fringe rates will be:
25.02% for postdoctoral associates funded by sponsored projects.
29.00% for postdoctoral associates funded by non-sponsored projects.
More details can be found in the rate agreement and institutional information for sponsored projects.
Postdoctoral Scholar- Fringe Fee
The Postdoctoral Scholar Benefits Fee consists of separate employer contributions that support the scholar's benefits. These contributions include a Health Care Contribution and contributions for Basic Life Insurance, Basic Long-Term Disability (LTD), and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), each with its own budgeting requirements.
- Health and Well-Being Programs- Allowable expense
Each postdoctoral scholar appointment is assessed a monthly fee that primarily funds the university's contribution toward the scholar's health and welfare benefits. The amount of the monthly fee is determined by the scholar's elected level of health coverage (individual or family). For most sponsored projects, this fee is an allowable expense and should be included in the project budget.
FY27 Health Insurance Contribution Rates Monthly GW Contribution Individual Coverage $558.43 Individual + Spouse $1,234.29 Individual + Child(ren) $929.56 Family Coverage $1,655.26 - Other Benefits- Not Allowable
In addition to the Health Care Contribution, postdoctoral scholar appointments are assessed monthly contributions for Basic Life Insurance (BL), Basic Long-Term Disability (LTD), and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D). These contributions are not allowable expenses on sponsored projects and must be paid by the postdoctoral scholar's home department.
The monthly contribution is based on the scholar's compensation and typically ranges from $13 to $22 per month. Contribution rates are reviewed annually. Any changes become effective on January 1 and are communicated to departments during the preceding fall.
Postdoctoral associates are eligible to participate in GW's annual merit program.
It is expected that potential annual merit increases are accounted for in grant proposals and budgets. The Office of Sponsored Projects advises Principal Investigators to budget up to 4.5% annually for potential merit increases when planning sponsored projects and other funding sources.
The 4.5% figure is a budgeting recommendation and does not represent a guaranteed merit increase. Actual merit awards are determined annually based on the university-approved merit budget, the applicable school or unit merit philosophy, and the employee's performance rating.
In the rare circumstance that a grant cannot accommodate an approved merit award, departmental funds should be used to cover the required amount. Merit awards will automatically be applied based on the employee's existing labor distribution.
Employees whose salaries are at or above the maximum of the approved salary range are not eligible for a base salary increase. Instead, they may be eligible to receive a lump-sum merit payment based on their performance rating and the university's annual merit guidelines.
Please see the Staff Performance Management and Salary Planning Guide for more information on the merit process.
Please check back for updates!
Visa fees are typically paid by the postdoc's department. Detailed information on any fees associated with each visa type is available on the International Services Office Website.