Fellow Salary and Benefits

Key points

  • Fellows are are full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.
  • Salary is dependent on the fellow's educational degree.
  • There are many benefits for fellows participating in the program.

Salary and benefits

Fellows are hired under Title 42 training fellowship appointments as term employees for the two years of the fellowship.

Fellow's salary is based on their education level (based on the qualifying degree) and experience. CDC Human Resources Office determines the fellow's salary is non-negotiable because this is a training program. Salaries start at a base rate comparable to the OPM's Federal Government General Schedule (GS) base pay rate. All fellows start at Step 1 of the GS level. Fellows with a master's degree and no work experience start at equivalent pay rate of GS-9, step 1. Fellows with a master's degree and at least a year of relevant full-time work experience start at GS-11, step 1. Fellows with a doctoral degree start at the GS-12, step 1 level. Fellows will be eligible for a performance-based step increase in the second year.

The fellowship is considered a qualifying employment for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Please see their website for eligibility and requirements for the program.

Fellows also receive significant financial support for professional development and CDC employee benefits (e.g., medical insurance, sick and vacation leave).

Additional benefits

Participating in CDC's Evaluation Fellowship includes these benefits:

  • Exposure to world-class evaluators and public health professionals who work at and visit CDC.
  • A view of the public health system from the federal level, working in various disease and prevention areas.
  • A strong cohort of Evaluation fellows and an evaluation community of practice from whom fellows can learn and obtain feedback.
  • Strong program oversight and management from the Division of Workforce Development.
  • Recognition through the highly respected branding of the CDC Evaluation Fellowship Program.
  • Access to limited-duration evaluation projects outside the host program that increase the fellow's visibility and exposure across CDC and provide opportunities to learn and apply skills in topic areas that the fellow might not otherwise have.