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1) Many UTD graduate students prefer to live on-campus to cut the commute cost and time. Nonetheless, the cost of on-campus housing has been monotonically increasing during past several years. For example, the monthly rent for a University Village 2 bedroom apartment (with 1 roommate) has been increased by

08/2010   $605

08/2011   $629 (%4 increase w.r.t last year)

08/2012   $654 (%4 increase w.r.t last year)

08/2013   $667 (%2 increase w.r.t last year).

After purchase of the Waterview Park Apartments in 2013 by UTD, the University Village became the sole owner of all on-campus housing options. This noncompetitive market recently resulted in a 9% increase in the rent. For example, the monthly rent for a single bedroom apartment has been increased by

2012        $620

08/2013   $670

08/2014   $730 (30% increase in the rent in 2 years).

Clearly, UT Dallas student employees have to spend more than half of their salaries for the rent and utilities.

2) Based on the UT Dallas International Students Services website [1], living expenses for the Fall and Spring semesters (8 months) has been estimated to be $14,464. This is equivalent to a monthly income of $1,808.

3) From 2009 to 2014, the overall inflation rate in the United States has been estimated as 12.88%. Specifically, the prices of food and beverages and energy have increased by 10.15% and 48.81%, respectively [2]. Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate provided by the United States Department of Labor [3], a salary of $1,570 in 2009 is equivalent to a salary of $1,744 in 2014. 

4) Based on the UTD Student Health Center website [4], the new student health insurance policy (with $500 in-network deductible!) will cost $1860 per year. Most non-resident student employees used to purchase insurance plans in the market that satisfied the old waiver requirements, which was around $1450 cheaper (per year).

[1] https://www.utdallas.edu/isso/i20-expenses/

[2] http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=us+inflation+rate+2009-2014

[3] http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

[4] http://www.utdallas.edu/healthcenter/insurance/intl-waivers.html

 

Salaries Comparison of UT system

 

By comparing the salaries between UT Dallas, UT Arlington and UT Austin, great differences of the salaries per category can be observed. For instance, a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) from UTDallas earns about $1,056-$1,750/month [5], while at UTAustin, the salary would be around $1,955-$4,396/month [6]. In the case of graduate research assistant (GRA), their monthly income at UTDallas would be $1,650-$2,500 [5] and their counterparts at UTAustin would be earning $2,114-$5,358/month [6]. Similarly, a UTDallas postdoc can be earning $2,260/month, while at UTArlington and UTAustin their minimum monthly salaries are $2,750 [7] and $2,916 [8], respectively (and maximum are $4,580 [7] and $8,660 [8], respectively). It is also important to mention that UT Austin offers for GRAs and GTAs employee insurance benefits, while at UT Dallas this benefit is offered only for Postdocs [9].

 

[5] http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/UT-Dallas-Salaries-E475461.htm

[6] http://www.utexas.edu/hr/student/compensation.html

[7] http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/University-of-Texas-at-Arlington-Salaries-E134254.htm

[8] http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/University-of-Texas-at-Austin-Salaries-E133952.htm

[9] http://www.utexas.edu/hr/student/student_empl_benefits.htm