They get what they pay for and then some. Although pay and benefits are very competitive compared to other large NON-PROFIT academic communities, MSKCC has a very corporate attitude (heavy-handed bureaucracy, very political, etc). They are purportedly non-profit. However, there is high focus on production, publication, cost-cutting, etc. This translates into obscene work hours (50-60+ hrs/wk) for non-exempt employees that make having a work-life balance difficult. You may be making more than your medical/academic counterparts, but if you are treated like a corporate cog, you should receive pay equitable to the hamsters spinning the wheels of large pharmaceutical companies, consulting firms, etc. The great reputation of the place lies in the blood, sweat, and tears of non-tenure track research support staff, coordinators, interns, residents, fellows, scientists, scholars, and researchers. If you working directly for a drug company or contract research organization, you would be making significantly more for the hours you put in.
