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I'm surprised, with the salary gap I'd think there would be many more people still moving from Europe to the USA.

• jltsiren 1y ago
  That salary gap is not particularly important. People who prioritize salary are more likely to leave the academia for industry than take a new academic job in another country. The salary gap that matters is the gap between academic and industry salaries. That gap is wider in the US, especially for juniors. Because the academia is a better option relative to the alternatives in Europe than in the US, Europeans are more likely to choose it. That leads to more competition for jobs and grants. Many then find it easier to get a job in the US. As a European mid-career academic in California, the value of money is just different here. Everyday living is very expensive, while extras such as international travel and fancy tech gadgets are cheap. Many academics find themselves in the weird financial spot, where they can easily afford the cost of living and possibly even early retirement, while having no hope of home ownership on a single academic salary. (Meanwhile, in my home country, even grad students often buy homes.)
  • seanmcdirmid 1y ago
    European housing markets are diverse. I can buy a home in Seattle but I never dreamed of buying one in Lausanne Switzerland. Switzerland is the odd ball out as their academic salaries are pretty good though (at least my post doc was a good deal). I have friends working in other parts of western Europe who don’t make much but have pretty good lives, retirement is basically covered and they have good job satisfaction, so what else do you really need in life?