As in your undergraduate degree, graduate school can be a financial adjustment and a wake-up call about money matters. However, graduate students have many choices for ways to make money during their time in the program. While some graduate students maintain jobs outside the university, a position within the university is strongly encouraged and helpful for both gaining useful skills and having an efficient schedule. Outlined below are the types of positions available to graduate students.

Teaching Assistant (TA)

  • Responsibilities
    • Attend mandatory weekly meetings, as well as pre-semester orientation meetings
    • Proctoring 2 midterms and 1 final exam per semester
    • Create and distribute syllabi for classes
    • Hold office hours weekly
    • Present lectures and lead labs weekly
    • Preparation and cleanup
    • Grade student assignments (homework, midterms, practicals, etc.)
  • Wages (number after TA denotes hours per week)*
    • TA1: $215/mo, x 6 checks = $1,290 total/semester
    • TA2: $430/mo, x 6 checks = $2,580 total/semester
    • TA5: $860/mo, x 6 checks = $5,160 total/semester
  • Class Options:
    • BIO100L: Introductory Biology for non-biology majors
    • BIO101L: Introductory Biology for non-biology majors
    • BIO106L: Biological Principles I Lab (Biology majors)
    • BIO107L: Biological Principles II Lab (Biology majors)

Student Assistant (SA)

  • Responsibilities: depends on the position; may be assisting advisor with experiments
  • Wages: $10 - 17.26/hour

Biology Tutor

  • Responsibilities: tutor undergraduate (and sometimes graduate) students across fields in biology with course material
  • Wages: (number after GA denotes hours per week)*
    • GA5: $279/mo, x 5 checks = $1,395 total/semester
    • GA10: $558/mo, x 5 checks = $2,790 total/semester

Graduate Associate (GA)

  • Responsibilities
    • Proctoring 2 midterms and 1 final exam per semester
    • BIO 100L – monitor and help students during computer lab
  • For a course (different per course, these are examples)
    • Attending lectures
    • Grade student assignments
    • Preparation and cleanup of labs
    • Instruction of or assistance with labs
    • Drive university vehicles for field trips
  • Wages (number after GA denotes hours per week)*
    • GA3: $167/mo, x 5 checks = $835 total/semester
    • GA5: $279/mo, x 5 checks = $1,395 total/semester
    • GA6: $334/mo, x 5 checks = $1,670 total/semester
    • GA10: $558/mo, x 5 checks = $2,790 total/semester

Grader

  • Responsibilities: grading assignments for introductory biology major courses
  • Wages: N/A

Peer Learning Facilitator (PLF)

  • Responsibilities: provide students with additional tools and lessons to help them understand course material
  • Wages: N/A

*Note: hourly wages below are as of 2015-2016, and may change in the future*