Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The average salary for an Associate Principal Scientist stands at $112,297 annually, translating to about $54 per hour. This role is pivotal in conducting advanced scientific research and often requires a PhD or equivalent experience.
Salaries can fluctuate significantly based on experience, ranging from entry-level positions to those requiring extensive expertise. For instance, entry-level candidates might earn around $90,000, while seasoned professionals can command salaries exceeding $130,000.
States like California, Massachusetts, and New York tend to offer higher salaries for this role, often reflecting the cost of living and demand for specialized skills. Candidates in urban areas generally find more lucrative job offers compared to those in rural locations.
Job prospects for Associate Principal Scientists are robust, especially in sectors like pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and environmental science. Companies are actively seeking candidates with a strong background in research methodologies and data analysis.
Let Zippi find your next associate principal scientist job
Let Zippi find your next associate principal scientist job
The average associate principal scientist salary in California, Tennessee, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average associate principal scientist salary states are Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $120,773 | $58.06 |
| 2 | Nevada | $124,933 | $60.06 |
| 3 | California | $145,704 | $70.05 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $119,667 | $57.53 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $116,312 | $55.92 |
| 6 | Arizona | $118,868 | $57.15 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $107,629 | $51.74 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $111,482 | $53.60 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $126,364 | $60.75 |
| 10 | Oregon | $104,560 | $50.27 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $100,667 | $48.40 |
| 12 | Delaware | $107,266 | $51.57 |
| 13 | Alaska | $115,168 | $55.37 |
| 14 | Maine | $114,781 | $55.18 |
| 15 | Indiana | $118,383 | $56.91 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $99,125 | $47.66 |
| 17 | Illinois | $98,240 | $47.23 |
| 18 | New York | $99,449 | $47.81 |
| 19 | Idaho | $91,865 | $44.17 |
| 20 | Maryland | $95,760 | $46.04 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $89,521 | $43.04 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $91,464 | $43.97 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $88,693 | $42.64 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $91,070 | $43.78 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $93,325 | $44.87 |
| 26 | Vermont | $96,011 | $46.16 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $94,953 | $45.65 |
| 28 | Washington | $93,155 | $44.79 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $104,709 | $50.34 |
| 30 | Ohio | $88,043 | $42.33 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $99,405 | $47.79 |
| 32 | Florida | $87,262 | $41.95 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $87,301 | $41.97 |
| 34 | Virginia | $83,739 | $40.26 |
| 35 | Missouri | $86,618 | $41.64 |
| 36 | Colorado | $85,630 | $41.17 |
| 37 | Michigan | $89,186 | $42.88 |
| 38 | Georgia | $88,021 | $42.32 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $82,244 | $39.54 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $88,308 | $42.46 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $82,918 | $39.86 |
| 42 | Texas | $81,242 | $39.06 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $79,981 | $38.45 |
| 44 | Alabama | $84,115 | $40.44 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $81,413 | $39.14 |
| 46 | Kansas | $77,114 | $37.07 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $78,586 | $37.78 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $77,341 | $37.18 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $72,474 | $34.84 |
| 50 | Utah | $76,257 | $36.66 |
| 51 | Iowa | $64,250 | $30.89 |
The highest-paying cities for associate principal scientists are San Francisco, CA, Carson City, NV, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $155,534 | $74.78 |
| 2 | Carson City, NV | $129,182 | $62.11 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $119,823 | $57.61 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $117,961 | $56.71 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $107,762 | $51.81 |
| 6 | Dover, DE | $107,049 | $51.47 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $100,875 | $48.50 |
| 8 | Albany, NY | $100,008 | $48.08 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $99,911 | $48.03 |
| 10 | Annapolis, MD | $95,845 | $46.08 |
| 11 | Charleston, WV | $92,676 | $44.56 |
| 12 | Concord, NH | $91,425 | $43.95 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $87,828 | $42.23 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $87,540 | $42.09 |
| 15 | Cheyenne, WY | $87,401 | $42.02 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $85,392 | $41.05 |
| 17 | McLean, VA | $84,531 | $40.64 |
| 18 | Frankfort, KY | $81,910 | $39.38 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $81,618 | $39.24 |
| 20 | Bismarck, ND | $79,852 | $38.39 |
An associate principal scientist's salary ranges from $78,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $160,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $160,000 | $13,333 | $77 |
| 75th Percentile | $135,000 | $11,250 | $65 |
| Average | $112,297 | $9,358 | $54 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
The highest paying types of associate principal scientists are medical science liaison, senior scientist, and scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| Researcher | $67,145 | $5,595 | $32.28 | 30,498 |
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Research Chemist | $75,843 | $6,320 | $36.46 | 53,769 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
Top companies hiring associate principal scientists now:
Associate principal scientist salaries at Schrödinger and bluebird bio are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate principal scientist salary at companies like Biogen and PepsiCo are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schrödinger Inc | $127,412 | $61.26 |
| 2 | bluebird bio | $125,736 | $60.45 |
| 3 | Biogen | $121,499 | $58.41 |
| 4 | PepsiCo | $118,377 | $56.91 |
| 5 | Novartis | $118,340 | $56.89 |
| 6 | Catalent Pharma Solutions | $115,092 | $55.33 |
| 7 | Frito-Lay | $114,485 | $55.04 |
| 8 | Codiak BioSciences | $114,369 | $54.99 |
| 9 | Generation Bio | $114,301 | $54.95 |
| 10 | Omega Therapeutics | $112,753 | $54.21 |
| 11 | Planet Pharma | $112,689 | $54.18 |
| 12 | Nurix | $112,249 | $53.97 |
| 13 | KSQ Therapeutics | $112,030 | $53.86 |
| 14 | Gossamer Bio | $111,101 | $53.41 |
| 15 | L'Oréal | $109,793 | $52.79 |
| 16 | IBM | $109,035 | $52.42 |
| 17 | Merck | $108,674 | $52.25 |
| 18 | Avery Dennison | $108,130 | $51.99 |
| 19 | Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc | $108,057 | $51.95 |
| 20 | AstraZeneca | $106,903 | $51.40 |
The average associate principal scientist salary has risen by $18,873 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate principal scientist earned $93,424 annually, but today, they earn $112,297 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for associate principal scientists over the last decade.
Compare associate principal scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare associate principal scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $112,000 | $53.99 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $109,000 | $52.38 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $104,000 | $50.04 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $101,000 | $48.43 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $98,800 | $47.51 | -2.1% |
Search for associate principal scientist jobs