Minimum Salary Policy
The University of Arizona is committed to providing Postdoctoral Research Associates and fellows with an outstanding mentored training experience that is compensated equitably. Postdoctoral Research Associates make significant contributions to the university's research programs and are invaluable to its scholarly mission. Offering competitive compensation helps the university recruit high-quality postdocs and strengthens its ability to secure research funding.
Effective December 9, 2024, all investigators are required to follow the minimum salary for postdocs with zero years of experience as published in the current NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipend Guidelines. The minimum salary for beginning postdocs will adjust accordingly in subsequent years. Investigators should budget postdoc salaries accordingly in grant proposals.
FY 2026 Minimum Stipend Levels
The table below reflects the NIH NRSA stipend levels used to set minimum postdoctoral salaries by years of relevant experience.
| Years of experience | Annual stipend (FY 2026) | Monthly stipend |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $63,480 | $5,290 |
| 1 | $63,900 | $5,325 |
| 2 | $64,380 | $5,365 |
| 3 | $66,948 | $5,579 |
| 4 | $69,180 | $5,765 |
| 5 | $71,748 | $5,979 |
| 6 | $74,424 | $6,202 |
| 7 or more | $77,076 | $6,423 |