Denmark and other Scandinavian countries are considered top destinations for PhD candidates from other European countries.
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How Much Do PhD Students Earn in Europe?
The first comprehensive overview of PhD earnings shows huge disparities in doctoral pay across much of Europe1.
A report examining the income of first-year doctoral candidates in 2024–25 across 26 countries was released in September by the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Young Researchers (Eurodoc).
“Comparative data on remuneration across Europe is notoriously difficult to collect,” says Norbert Benze, one of the report’s authors and president of the Brussels-based Eurodoc, which represents young researchers and PhD candidates across Europe. “Our aim is to draw attention to disparities and encourage further data collection.”
Co-author Pir Maria Sorgman, an academic-governance researcher and former Eurodoc chairman, says the findings show that “brain drain” is directed towards Scandinavia and Benelux countries from many other parts of Europe. See “Is It a Job?”
Source: Reference 1
But Estonia has shown that it is possible to buck that trend, Sorgman added. She says that the country’s 2022 reform of doctoral education replaced an annual student allowance of about €8,000 (about $9,000) with a guaranteed salary of about 2.5 times that amount. The change has increased applications for doctoral positions and strengthened connections with industry.
Why PhD pay is difficult to compare
Compensation structures can be difficult to compare, Benze says. Some doctoral candidates are salaried, some receive stipends and others have different arrangements. The cost of living is also important because it varies widely by location.
For doctoral candidates in paid employment, take-home pay is lower because income is taxed, but they may receive benefits such as pension rights and parental leave. Scholarships are usually tax-free, but they may not include the same benefits.
Source: www.nature.com