I was just browsing through as I was thinking of working at a middle east uni and I find the discussion on this thread very interesting, so here's my 2 pence worth.
20500 Qatar Riyals*12 months = USD67620 according to today's (30 March 2010) rates. Ok, not flash, but it is a salary bereft of a normal person's two largest expenses/deductions (tax and accommodation costs).
I'm an assistant professor in economics at a world top 50 ranked uni (Times Higher education ranking) in Australia. At any rate, a good uni. But my salary is currently AUD 80531-at current rates roughly about USD72478. My effective tax rate is about 25% so that leaves me with about USD54358.50. I'm paying a home loan, which roughly works out to USD19440 per annum (and rising), so that leaves me with USD34918.50 (if I move overseas and rent it out, the rent covers the loan).
Now, USD67620 in comparison to a disposable income of USD34918.50-it looks flash once we account for the additional costs noted above. Question is is it worth what:
(a) you are currently earning
(b) social/cultural shocks of living in a foreign culture
(c) help you save $$$ for your future.
Myself, I won't go for USD67620, to be perfectly frank, as I don't think the $$$ outweights the 'costs.' At USD80000 though, I'll take the next flight out to Qatar!
Maybe this salary seems very low for those intending to work in US unis, but the salaries on offer in the US and say HK/Singapore unis are outliers. My Australian university salary is higher than that offered in continental Europe and is comparable to that in the UK. And since the financial crisis, we've had no shortage of US phds banging on our doors, believe me. I would suggest that those of you thinking you can finish your phd and just walk into a USD100k uni job are in serious need of a firm re-evaluation of the uni job market. It is pretty bad just rght now.
I was just browsing through as I was thinking of working at a middle east uni and I find the discussion on this thread very interesting, so here's my 2 pence worth.
20500 Qatar Riyals*12 months = USD67620 according to today's (30 March 2010) rates. Ok, not flash, but it is a salary bereft of a normal person's two largest expenses/deductions (tax and accommodation costs).
I'm an assistant professor in economics at a world top 50 ranked uni (Times Higher education ranking) in Australia. At any rate, a good uni. But my salary is currently AUD 80531-at current rates roughly about USD72478. My effective tax rate is about 25% so that leaves me with about USD54358.50. I'm paying a home loan, which roughly works out to USD19440 per annum (and rising), so that leaves me with USD34918.50 (if I move overseas and rent it out, the rent covers the loan).
Now, USD67620 in comparison to a disposable income of USD34918.50-it looks flash once we account for the additional costs noted above. Question is is it worth what:
(a) you are currently earning
(b) social/cultural shocks of living in a foreign culture
(c) help you save $$$ for your future.
Myself, I won't go for USD67620, to be perfectly frank, as I don't think the $$$ outweights the 'costs.' At USD80000 though, I'll take the next flight out to Qatar!
Maybe this salary seems very low for those intending to work in US unis, but the salaries on offer in the US and say HK/Singapore unis are outliers. My Australian university salary is higher than that offered in continental Europe and is comparable to that in the UK. And since the financial crisis, we've had no shortage of US phds banging on our doors, believe me. I would suggest that those of you thinking you can finish your phd and just walk into a USD100k uni job are in serious need of a firm re-evaluation of the uni job market. It is pretty bad just rght now.