A PhD in social sciences and humanities: impacts and mobility to get better salaries in an international comparison

ABSTRACT

The paper analyses which conditions may predict a better salary for people who got a PhD in social sciences and humanities (SS&H) in 13 European countries. Among the controlling variables, predictors are also: change of country of residence; percentage of time spent respectively in research and managerial activities; and impacts achieved during one’s PhD programme. Findings, but also policy implications both for PhD programme planners and PhD candidates, are: some specific impacts such as having advised policy-makers, having released interviews to media and having managed and coordinated projects, all predict better salaries for PhD holders in SS&H, other things being equal. To move geographically out of one’s country where PhD was awarded is also a good predictor of better wages, provided PhD holders do not swap sectors after attainment of PhD.

KEYWORDS:

• PhD
• mobility
• impact
• social sciences and humanities
• career

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by FP7 Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities [grant number 290770] and The Economic and Social Research Council [grant number ES/M010082/1].