Salary and stipend rates

MIT strives to offer salaries and stipends that enable students to live and pursue their education in Cambridge and the Greater Boston area.

Salary and stipend rates are extensively reviewed and revised each year by the Office of the Provost, in consultation with the Graduate Student Council and MIT’s senior leadership, to respond to changes in the cost of living. Set rates vary by field of study, length of degree time, degree type, and teaching appointment status, and are announced each spring.

Please note these rates can only serve as a guideline to what a department may offer when providing a funding package. Departments have the freedom to set higher rates that are in line with their funding policies for MIT appointments and external fellowships. Additionally, we offer also grants for graduate students with dependent children and other sources of support

MIT doctoral programs typically provide 12-month appointments; details on funding are outlined in graduate student offer letters. For students in 12-month programs who have a 9-month funding appointment, it is very important that you check with your department or program about opportunities for summer support, since nine months of support is typically insufficient to cover living expenses in the area.

12-month salary and stipend rates (2023-2024)

RA, DoctoralRA, Master’sTA, DoctoralTA, Master’s
Monthly: $3,995Monthly: $3,649Monthly: $4,088Monthly: $4,088
Annual (12mo.): $47,936Annual (12mo.): $43,787Annual (12mo.): $49,062Annual (12mo.): $49,062
High Range (+15%): $55,126High Range (+15%): $50,355High Range (+15%): $56,421High Range (+15%): $56,421

Salaries, stipends, payroll, and taxes

All students are paid via MITPay, with the first payment typically disbursed during the second week of the term. Please see payroll information for graduate students for more information.

The salary or stipend is only part of the financial picture for supporting graduate students. Depending on award or appointment type, there are different costs to MIT and/or external sponsors. In all cases, MIT pays a substantial fraction of the tuition for students with research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships. MIT also subsidizes the graduate student housing system and the cost of health care.

Payments received from MIT may be subject to withholding tax in accordance with regulations governed by U.S. federal and state tax authorities. To learn more about how common payment types are defined by the IRS, and details about tax withholding and reporting, please visit the Office of the Vice President for Finance (VPF) website.

The MIT International Students Office (ISO) and MIT VPF host a series of tax information workshops each spring for both U.S. and international students. More information can be found on the workshops page. You can also see articles and videos about preparing and filing taxes for students and academics at the taxes section of MIT’s iGrad portal.

Useful links: 

Office of Sponsored Programs – Graduate Research Assistant Tuition Subsidy Rates

Historic Stipend Levels