Master's Program Stipend Offer Comparison

[leica818]

Hi all,

(This is my first post!

I recently received an admissions offer for a Master's program in cog psych, but I feel like what they're offering to give me is significantly lower than a lot of what my classmates elsewhere are receiving. The stats I've found through a general internet search seem kind of outdated, so I figured this would be the best way to find out. The university is offering me one-half of a Graduate Assistantship, which includes a scholarship of about $37,000, and $4,200 in stipend divided over ten months (~$400/month). I've checked apartment rates around the university, and they're about $450 or so per month. Obviously, I would not be able to have a part-time job.

One of my friends, who is in a PhD developmental program is receiving a full scholarship in addition to $1,700/month. Another friend, who is not in a psychology program but rather a neuroscience MA program, receives $1,500/month.

My question is, are the figures my university offering me pretty standard?

At that rate, I will definitely have to tap into my savings. Also, I missed the deadline for FAFSA, so that's out of the question. Unfortunately, moving closer to this university will cost me as well (moving from midwest/south to the east coast)... My other option would be to take my second-choice program offer and live at home, but that program is not offering funding at all.

Any tips, advice, insight are greatly appreciated!

[wtncffts]

You meant $3,700, right? Does that include tuition waiver? If that's the total amount of funding, it does seem pretty low. For an MA program, though, I think any funding is good.

[Eigen]

I'm guessing the 37k is the tuition waiver for a year.

Masters programs seem to be all over the place compared to PhD programs, in which the funding is more standard. I know our neuroscience program offers no funding at all to MA students, for what it's worth.

[runonsentence]

I'm guessing the 37k is the tuition waiver for a year.

Masters programs seem to be all over the place compared to PhD programs, in which the funding is more standard. I know our neuroscience program offers no funding at all to MA students, for what it's worth.

I agree that it's hard to find a standard for funding. Most MA programs in my field can't fund you, unless it's more of an MA>PhD program. I managed to find a school that offered master's funding last time I did apps (F09), but because of state budget cuts being what they are (I have so many choice words about the Ohio governor...), we stand to lose almost all of our funding for incoming master's candidates.

(Also, in case it helps, I speak from the perspective of a humanities student.)

[IRdreams]

A lot of programs uses MAs as cash cows for the PhDs and the university in general. Thus, getting any funding is often lucky. When I did my admissions, I received an MA slot at Chicago who were willing to give me only a partial tuition waver and definitely no stipend. While I said thanks but no thanks due to substantially better PhD offers, I later found out that this was actually considered a very generous offer for this program. If I were not in it to win it (ie get a PhD and be poor for life), I would likely apply for PhD programs that offer terminal masters and leave after I had attained this degree. They are more likely to give more generous funding to PhD students and the debt load is substantially lower if non-existent at many of programs and all of the better programs.

[leica818]

You meant $3,700, right? Does that include tuition waiver? If that's the total amount of funding, it does seem pretty low. For an MA program, though, I think any funding is good.

Nope, I just double-checked, it's $36,XXX, almost $37,000.

Thanks everyone for your responses! It seems the typical stipend for MA students is, well, none at all. Like IRdreams said, I guess this is pretty generous of the university!

[Golden Monkey]

Nope, I just double-checked, it's $36,XXX, almost $37,000.

Thanks everyone for your responses! It seems the typical stipend for MA students is, well, none at all. Like IRdreams said, I guess this is pretty generous of the university!

I think you did pretty well with this. When I was applying to master's programs, I was told that for the most part, they were cash cows for the university. I got a scholarship that covered half of tuition and felt pretty lucky to get that much.

[runonsentence]

A lot of programs uses MAs as cash cows for the PhDs and the university in general. Thus, getting any funding is often lucky. When I did my admissions, I received an MA slot at Chicago who were willing to give me only a partial tuition waver and definitely no stipend. While I said thanks but no thanks due to substantially better PhD offers, I later found out that this was actually considered a very generous offer for this program. If I were not in it to win it (ie get a PhD and be poor for life), I would likely apply for PhD programs that offer terminal masters and leave after I had attained this degree. They are more likely to give more generous funding to PhD students and the debt load is substantially lower if non-existent at many of programs and all of the better programs.

This is something to be careful about doing, though. Not every field recognizes this kind of MA as a terminal MA, and it may burn some bridges to (intentionally) leave this way.

[Eigen]

This is something to be careful about doing, though. Not every field recognizes this kind of MA as a terminal MA, and it may burn some bridges to (intentionally) leave this way.

Agreed. If you started as a PhD student, and ended with an MS... This can be easily misconstrued as you being kicked out with a courtesy MS.

[wtncffts]

Nope, I just double-checked, it's $36,XXX, almost $37,000.

Thanks everyone for your responses! It seems the typical stipend for MA students is, well, none at all. Like IRdreams said, I guess this is pretty generous of the university!

OK, that does seem generous. I'm still not sure about that amount, though. Does that include tuition waiver? I think what really matters is the cash in hand that they're offering, and if that $37,000 is basically all tuition, such that the $4,200 is all you actually have to live on, I'd say that that's probably not enough to go on without going into your savings.

[leica818]

OK, that does seem generous. I'm still not sure about that amount, though. Does that include tuition waiver? I think what really matters is the cash in hand that they're offering, and if that $37,000 is basically all tuition, such that the $4,200 is all you actually have to live on, I'd say that that's probably not enough to go on without going into your savings.

I'd misread my letter; the 36,xxx includes the stipend, so it's actually 32,xxx for scholarship, then 4200 left as stipend. The letter doesn't specifically mention "tuition waiver" but calls it "tuition scholarship."

[IRdreams]

This is something to be careful about doing, though. Not every field recognizes this kind of MA as a terminal MA, and it may burn some bridges to (intentionally) leave this way.

Yeah, it definitely depends. This is more common behavior in the social science especially in light of the fact that there is less available funding for students. While this is not something I am doing nor would do lightly, I know that it is done. Many people do not look at a terminal MA necessarily as the PhD program saying "Thanks but no thanks," since people fade out of PhD programs for a variety of reasons. Friends of mine have left, for example, because they discovered that academic political science research was not really what they wanted to be doing with their lives or they found teaching substantially less fulfilling than they thought they would, and they have done fine in their other pursuits, MA in hand.

And obviously this advice is not even applicable if one is in a field without PhDs and MAs are the highest it goes or if there is a substantial professional rather than research orientation to MAs of the field than compared to the PhDs that are offered. It just depends.

Edited March 19, 2011 by IRdreams

[lasgirl]

It really can vary - I applied to an interdisciplinary social science MA, and was offered funding from several schools, including full tuition + 24k/year in stipend (but in NYC, that doesn't go as far as it sounds like it would! haha).

[polarscribe]

I was offered a $13,000 stipend for a 9-month academic year GTA appointment - or about $1,470 a month. Not going to be rich, but won't have to take out loans either. The 18-credit tuition waiver is worth about $20,500, plus 50% of insurance costs, or another $1,100. Figure $35,000 total value.

As a master's student, I'm happy to have anything.

[GopherGrad]

I think what really matters is the cash in hand that they're offering, and if that $37,000 is basically all tuition, such that the $4,200 is all you actually have to live on, I'd say that that's probably not enough to go on without going into your savings.

I'd second that and expand: It is also important to note how much tuition is left after the scholarship. OP now says that the scholarship is $32K, but that's basically meaningless to us. A $20K scholarship to a school that costs $25K is "better" than a $32K scholarship at a school that costs $45K.

I will also add to the consensus that it is not a good idea to compare MA funding to PhD offers. In my field (political science), decent funding for MAs is really hard to come by.

[leica818]

I'd second that and expand: It is also important to note how much tuition is left after the scholarship. OP now says that the scholarship is $32K, but that's basically meaningless to us. A $20K scholarship to a school that costs $25K is "better" than a $32K scholarship at a school that costs $45K.

I will also add to the consensus that it is not a good idea to compare MA funding to PhD offers. In my field (political science), decent funding for MAs is really hard to come by.

That's a really good point. I will contact the school to make sure how much the total tuition is. Thanks

[studentaffairsgrad]

I just accepted an assistantship in residence life as a residence hall director. I am going for my Master's in College Student Personnel/Higher Education.

I know this is pretty late to be responding, but just going to throw out what I received for my assistantship, which is a totally different program than everyone else.

My benefit package includes a full tuition waiver, free room and board (it is a live-in position), free parking, and a stipend of $9,700 for the year. Most other places I looked at were t least 2,000 less, so this may be the exception. I feel really fortunate, but I hear most people put over 60 hours a week into the job, so I will be working hard for the money!

Just wanted to share that with anyone contemplating a similar path...not a ton of info out there in the Higher Ed area.

[leica818]

I just accepted an assistantship in residence life as a residence hall director. I am going for my Master's in College Student Personnel/Higher Education.

I know this is pretty late to be responding, but just going to throw out what I received for my assistantship, which is a totally different program than everyone else.

My benefit package includes a full tuition waiver, free room and board (it is a live-in position), free parking, and a stipend of $9,700 for the year. Most other places I looked at were t least 2,000 less, so this may be the exception. I feel really fortunate, but I hear most people put over 60 hours a week into the job, so I will be working hard for the money!

Just wanted to share that with anyone contemplating a similar path...not a ton of info out there in the Higher Ed area.

Thanks, studentaffairsgrad. Dang, 9700/year is a lot! I'm jealous. What city are you going to be in?

[studentaffairsgrad]

In the air of trying to be sort of anonymous, I won't say what city exactly, but it is in Ohio, and no, it isn't Ohio State

[siue16171617]

I think you did pretty well with this. When I was applying to master's programs, I was told that for the most part, they were cash cows for the university. I got a scholarship that covered half of tuition and felt pretty lucky to get that much.

Agreed. MA/MS = $$$$$ for universities. If you get any kind of aid for an MA/MS, then you are one of the lucky few.

[rising_star]

Agreed. MA/MS = $$$ for universities. If you get any kind of aid for an MA/MS, then you are one of the lucky few.

Actually, this varies a bit by discipline. In mine, most MA/MS offers come with funding and it's actually not the norm to be admitted to a master's program without funding.