Have any of you worked at a state university?

[quote] I’ve heard not so great things about working in academia.

To paraphrase Kissinger, the fights in academia are so great because the stakes are so small.

Mediocre pay...good benefits...stale raises...hard to get fired

As with any state job.

The only way to get a better raise is to get a better position.

It depends on the state.

I’ve been in academia for 16 years now, OP, and speaking only for myself, I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.

Academia is a labor of love - as an IT professional I earn probably ⅔ to ¾ what I might make in the private sector, but I love the university, the seminars, recitals, and the campus itself.

The raises are at the whim of the legislature, so if you want anything more or better you’ve got to be willing to jump around.

Yes, egos run rampant over silliness and there are spectacular arguments over peanuts, but I thrive on the energy and palpable hopefulness of the student culture.

Any questions in particular?

R5 Do you work at a public or private university? What are some benefits working at a university as opposed to the corporate world? And do you get a good amount of Paid Time Off?

Access to hot young tops!

r6 Public University - and with 16 years of service I’m grandfathered into the “old” state positions. Over time we earn more leave, have a more solid retirement system, and the university would literally have to go to court to fire us.

I blathered on above about the University environment, which is chill, interesting for the intellectually curious and the campus itself is nearly as charming as San Francisco before the tech bros took over. I get a free class every semester, access to the library system and campus “maker spaces” and a full membership to the campus gyms, pools, climbing walls, etc.

As someone posted above benefits and perks likely vary by state, but more than anything else I love that we’re teaching young people to think for themselves and to improve the world around them.

May I ask where you’re considering the job?

Academia is awful.

r9 is inarticulate.

administration or academia? I worked admin years ago and when I was looking for a new job, I went back to the university. I like it. it's not exciting but it's steady, a known factor and non abusive. some days, that's all you want. the health care is phenomenal, most of the benefits are. the pay is middle of the road but the environment is really good.

My ex works at a community collage in California and his starting pay was almost $100,000. once he got tenure it jumped to around $125,000. And he loves it, because at a private university he’d have more responsibilities like trying to get published.

Another perk is every other summer he gets to take a class of students abroad for a month (usually a major European city ) and gets his full pay for it. And he also gets a per diem on top of that.

You get to ogle fresh eye candy every September. Perhaps take showers at the same time as the various sport teams.

R12, does he use the casting couch to determine which students travel with him?

What kind of job are you seeking?

I work for one currently. r2 and r3 are both right, except in place of mediocre pay, I'd flat out just say low pay, but the benefits and possibility of a modest pension do make up for it slightly.

Janitor or president? It kind of matters to your question.

R8 I’m considering one of the state universities I’m shithole Illinois (since I unfortunately live here). Our state is known for being broke, so I’m pretty much accepting that raises will be practically nonexistent and the only way to earn more will be to apply for a higher paying position.

R11 It would be Administrative.

Go for it, OP. There's a lot worse places you could work. College campuses are usually like little cities unto themselves that can be fun and lively or quiet and serene depending on the day or time of year. You'll have most major holidays off. There will probably be an option to take classes for low or no cost. The benefits as mentioned tend to be quite good. You'll likely be unionized (which you make monthly paycheck contributions to), so you'll have advocates fighting for your pay increases and to maintain or improve your benefits. There may also be a pension system, which will be a small boon in your old age. Also, if you have student loan debt, you'd qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which will wipe out any student loan debt you have after ten years of monthly income based repayments.

I wished I got into college counseling. Cushy job and plenty of eye candy.

I work in academia and I'll echo what R16 and R19 said. Yes, the pay is poor compared to corporate and raises are non-existent. But benefits and job security are excellent, as well as the ability to keep work-life balance. Also, lots of time off (in addition to our decent sick and vacation time, we get 10 free days at Christmas break.)

It just depends on whether you prioritize money or everything else.

I work for a state university in a blue state. The two segments that get terrific pay and perks are the sports department and administration. Administration keeps growing like crazy - every administrator just has to an assistant, who requires their own assistant, and then they need a coordinator, and so on. And they get paid very, very well, with great perks. Admin and upper management (civil service) are the only areas where you're essentially unable to get fired. Everywhere else, including the unionized jobs, if they want you gone, you're gone. And it happens pretty regularly.

The football/basketball/hockey sports coaches have got the best public employee jobs in the state. They out-earn the governors in almost every state, and if you get a look at their employment contract you'll gasp at the lush perks they get on top of their great pay. In this state their perks include getting their mortgage paid and a car and driver at their disposal. It really is a racket.

Faculty, except for research stars and the medical school faculty, start out with terrible pay and tremendous pressure to perform. Usually hired on 3 year up-or-out contracts - if you don't make your bones by the end of the contract, you're gone. They rarely offer tenure anymore, just continuing appointments.

Civil service doesn't pay well, either, but surprisingly many of the positions' starting pay will be equal to or higher than what adjunct or newly hired faculty earn. Which only emphasizes that teaching is a bad career option.

I'm civil service, and we're included in one of the state's pension plans. We're vested after nine years into a defined-benefit plan that is fiscally sound and healthy, because our contributions and payout levels get adjusted every few years to ensure the fund doesn't run into the red.

New hires get 2 weeks vacation a year, which increases with seniority, topping out at one month/year. Plus 12 paid holidays and 1 personal holiday per year. 8 hours sick leave per pay period.

Many positions have a good bit of leeway with regards to setting one's work schedule. I work four ten-hour days a week, so I have a three-day weekend every week, along with racking up lots of vacation time. It's great for being able to schedule medical appointments and service calls without having to take time off. It also means a 20% savings on my commute expenses.

Employees get free tuition, so the advice I give youngsters is to start college, get a student job in a department to get some training and experience, then apply for every full time job listed. If you get hired, then complete your degree with the university's employee scholarship program. Still have to pay for books, fees, etc, but it's a considerable savings. It's also why so many civil service staff have advanced degrees.

Worst case scenario, you can work in academia for a few years then network into a corporate job.

Yes. I'm currently an adjunct at UCLA. It doesn't pay all that great but it keeps the lights on, along with my other college teaching gigs.

My department head, and the tenured professors, and staff have all been very welcoming. A cool perk is the state doesn't tax my income.

I like it. I’ve worked (staff, not faculty) at two land grant universities in college towns. It’s a company town feel with culture and entertainment and the aforementioned eye candy. I was able to work my way up into a high paying job, and large universities usually allow quite a few opportunities for promotion and advancement, or even just another department or college If you don’t like where you are. Benefits are good. I have tiaa cref, which has allowed me to take my retirement funds with me between these jobs.

I've worked at an Australian lower-tier university - expect that they want 'fresh eyes' and 'fresh ideas' but the reality is they don't change, ultimately. People often staying for the benefits and so don't rock the boat.

If you can deal with the inefficiency and waste, and lots of meetings that go nowhere, then go for it - if not, stay clear.