graduate student worker Pay

Current pay Rates - 2023/2024 academic year

  • 9-month PhD stipend minimum: $38,000 + $1,100 summer supplement if one is not teaching over the summer

  • 12-month PhD stipend minimum: $41,420

  • Hourly wage minimum: $22 per hour

pay raises in our second union contract (in effect fall 2023)

  • Raised the 9-month stipend minimum for PhD Assistants by 12% from $33,813 to $38,00, 15.5% if summer supplement is included.

  • Raised 12-month stipend minimum for PhD Assistants by 12% from $36,934 to $41,420.

  • Raised hourly wage minimum for Masters Assistants by 8% from $21.29 per hour to $22 per hour.

  • Guaranteed a 2.5% raise to the minimum pay for all graduate student assistants in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

+ What were the PhD stipend levels before GAGE won our first contractual pay raises 2020?

9-month stipend on Main Campus (e.g., Economics, History, Philosophy, Government)

  • 2014: $25,000
  • 2015: $26,000
  • 2016: $27,000
  • 2017: $28,000
  • 2018: $29,000
  • 2019: $29,000

12-month stipend on Med Campus (e.g., Pharmacology, Tumor Biology, Neurosciences)

  • 2014: $28,500
  • 2015: $28,500
  • 2016: $29,000
  • 2017: $30,000
  • 2018: $31,000
  • 2019: $31,000

12-month stipend on Main Campus (e.g., Biology, Chemistry)

  • 2014: $29,500
  • 2015: $29,500
  • 2016: $30,500
  • 2017: $32,000
  • 2018: $33,000
  • 2019: $33,000

+ Does GAGE's contract prevent Georgetown from paying graduate student workers more than the minimum?

Unequivocally, no it does not. The following is the exact language in our union contract:

  • Nothing contained herein shall preclude the University from paying Graduate Student Assistants more than the minimum hourly rate provided in this Agreement.
  • Nothing contained herein shall preclude the University from paying Graduate Student Assistants more than the minimum stipend provided in this Agreement.

+ Which graduate student workers are guaranteed the minimum pay rates that GAGE won?

All graduate students who are enrolled in the Graduate School who work as PhD research assistants, PhD teaching assistants, PhD teaching associates, Graduate research assistants, Graduate teaching assistants, Student research assistants, or Student teaching assistants. In our contract, these positions are collectively referred to as “Graduate Student Assistants,” but we also refer to them here as graduate workers.

These rates apply to all grad student workers, regardless of whether they have signed a membership card. Signing a membership card is a HUGELY important show of support for our union!

Compensation for Cancelled Positions

If a graduate student is offered an assistantship position that is then eliminated or reduced, the university must give them two weeks notification. If no notification is given and the position is eliminated or reduced, the university must either offer them an alternative appointment or give them two weeks compensation. This also applies to summer sessions. Contact our Grievance Committee right away if you are experiencing this issue so we can help.

+ Are hourly workers eligible for this benefit?

Yes! For graduate workers who are compensated hourly, the two weeks of compensation will be based on the average number of hours that they were expected to work each week.

+ My summer course was canceled due to low enrollment, and I wasn’t given two weeks notice. What should I do?

Our contract states that the university must provide you with an alternative appointment, or compensate you for two weeks worth of work performed at your expected pay rate. Contact our Grievance Committee right away so we can help you make sure you are reassigned or compensated.

payday rights

Our contract states graduate student workers must be paid on a timely basis. Contract our Grievance Committee right away if you are not paid on time!

In the event that an error on the part of the University prevents the timely payment of a Graduate Student Assistant, the Graduate Student Assistant may request and receive payment by contacting the Student Employment Office during normal business hours. In such cases, the University shall provide payment through whatever means are most expedient, including (but not limited to) the issuance of a physical check payment, and shall endeavor to provide payment whenever possible within three (3) business days.

Graduate Student Assistants have the right to receive an itemized pay stub identifying any applicable tax withholdings and this will normally be available in electronic form.

Graduate Student Assistants have the right be paid through direct deposit if they provide the relevant information according to the University’s normal procedures.