NEW DELHI: A recent statement by Anant Sudarshan, Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, has stirred debate about academic salaries in the UK. Taking to social media platform X, Sudarshan criticised the UK’s pay structures, particularly for contractual academic staff, claiming they have become so uncompetitive that universities in countries like India are now offering better compensation packages for top-tier talent.
Sudarshan’s remarks highlight an uncomfortable truth: the UK, often perceived as a high-income country with attractive salary prospects, is struggling to retain and attract skilled academicians due to declining pay scales in absolute terms.
He specifically pointed out how the UK’s High Potential Individual (HPI) visa scheme is being undermined by unattractive pay, which makes other countries, like India, comparatively more appealing to certain candidates. While he acknowledged that, on average, UK salaries remain higher than India’s, he argued that at the margins especially for top talent academic roles in the UK have become “stunningly unattractive.”
Salaries for Academic Positions in the UK
Data from Glassdoor UK reveals that academic salaries in the UK vary significantly depending on the rank and experience of the individual.
Professors: The total estimated pay for professors in the UK stands at £84,339 per year, which includes an average base salary of £79,422 and additional pay components like bonuses, commissions, and profit-sharing estimated at £4,917 annually. Salaries typically range from £66,000 to £95,000, reflecting values within the 25th and 75th percentile of reported data.
Assistant Professors: Entry-level academic roles, like Assistant Professors, report average pay of approximately £48,000 annually.
Associate Professors: Mid-tier positions, such as Associate Professors, earn around £59,000 per year.
Faculty Members and Instructors: Faculty earn an average of £37,000, while instructors, typically the lowest-paid academic rank, earn about £25,000 annually.
These figures illustrate the relatively wide spectrum of salaries based on rank and additional responsibilities, but even the higher end of this spectrum is often seen as insufficient to offset the high cost of living in the UK.
Salaries for Academic Positions in India
In comparison, academic salaries in India have historically been lower than those in developed countries. However, recent trends and competitive pay packages in certain institutions are challenging this norm.
Professors: According to Glassdoor India, the average base pay for professors is ₹1,00,000 per month, with total estimated pay, including additional compensation, averaging ₹1,03,917 monthly. Base salaries range between ₹59,000 and ₹2,00,000, depending on the institution and the professor’s credentials.
Assistant and Associate Professors: The average pay for Assistant and Associate Professors aligns with broader industry standards, typically ranging from ₹48,000 to ₹1,00,000 monthly.
Additional Pay: Similar to the UK, additional compensation includes bonuses, commissions, and profit-sharing, which supplement base pay but are generally smaller in scale.
While these figures reflect the general market, several top-tier Indian universities and government-funded institutions are offering packages that are competitive even on a global scale. This trend is part of what Sudarshan highlighted—India is emerging as a viable destination for top academic talent due to its targeted approach to hiring elite educators.
Bridging the Pay Gap in Academia
Sudarshan’s critique sheds light on an important challenge for UK academia: balancing costs with competitiveness in the global academic market. While UK professors earn higher salaries on average compared to their Indian counterparts, the disparity in purchasing power parity (PPP) and the growing appeal of certain Indian institutions have shifted the landscape. This comparison highlights the pressing need for UK universities to reevaluate pay scales, especially for early-career and contractual staff, in order to retain their status as global hubs of academic excellence.