Comparative study on job satisfaction of scientific and technological workers in universities, research institutes, and large enterprises: A case study of Hubei Province

The job satisfaction of scientific and technological workers has become a key concern for government and academia. This study investigated 2 781 scientific and technological workers across 17 regions in Hubei Province. By controlling for geographical factors, the sample was categorized into three groups based on organizational type: universities, research institutes, and large enterprises. Methods including mean value comparison and logit regression analysis were employed to examine the impact of compensation and institutional factors on job satisfaction. The findings revealed: (1) The overall job satisfaction of scientific and technological workers was relatively high, but there were significant organizational differences; (2) Salary was the most common and powerful factor influencing job satisfaction; (3) The influence of institutional factors showed organizational heterogeneity; (4) Age only had a significant positive impact on the satisfaction of scientific and technological workers in colleges and universities. Based on these conclusions, it is suggested that universities deepen the coordinated reform of personnel and salary, research institutes establish a mechanism to alleviate regional pressure, large enterprises consolidate their salary advantages and improve institutionalized incentive mechanisms. Through targeted measures, job satisfaction among scientific and technological works can be enhanced and stimulate their innovative vitality.