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Job outlook for behavioral scientists in the United States
Behavioral scientist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected behavioral scientist job growth rate is 17% from 2018-2028.
About 20,800 new jobs for behavioral scientists are projected over the next decade.
Behavioral scientist salaries have increased 13% for behavioral scientists in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,940 behavioral scientists currently employed in the United States.
There are 45,246 active behavioral scientist job openings in the US.
The average behavioral scientist salary is $84,521.
Are behavioral scientist jobs in demand?
Behavioral scientist job and salary trends over time
Behavioral scientist jobs over time
Behavioral scientist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,940 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,968 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,867 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,078 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,073 | 0.00% |
Average behavioral scientist salary over time
Behavioral scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,521 | $40.64 | +4.7% |
| 2025 | $80,715 | $38.81 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $78,787 | $37.88 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $76,879 | $36.96 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $74,603 | $35.87 | +0.8% |
Behavioral scientist jobs by state
Most common states for behavioral scientists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 855 | 14% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 130 | 14% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 169 | 13% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 976 | 12% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 108 | 12% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 69 | 11% |
| 7 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 926 | 10% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 134 | 10% |
| 9 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 100 | 10% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 79 | 10% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,134 | 9% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 95 | 9% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 70 | 9% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 51 | 9% |
| 15 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 844 | 8% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 161 | 8% |
| 17 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 409 | 7% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 399 | 7% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 268 | 7% |
| 20 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 209 | 7% |
Most common cities for behavioral scientists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 1 | 4% | $80,304 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $90,915 |
| 3 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $92,402 |
| 4 | Juneau | 1 | 3% | $73,516 |
| 5 | Alpharetta | 1 | 2% | $62,788 |
| 6 | Atlanta | 3 | 1% | $62,455 |
| 7 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $96,179 |
| 8 | Lansing | 1 | 1% | $67,864 |
| 9 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $91,161 |
| 10 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $79,560 |
| 11 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $61,992 |
| 12 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $95,820 |
| 13 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $70,841 |
| 14 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $71,718 |
| 15 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $64,958 |
| 16 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $69,313 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $106,569 |
Behavioral Scientist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of behavioral scientist experts
Quinnipiac University
The College of New Jersey
Doverspike Consulting/HR LItehouse
Robert Morris University
Tiffin University
Washington State University
Boise State University
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical SciencesQuinnipiac University
Microbiological Sciences And Immunology
What Behavioral Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.: The first and foremost would be Critical Thinking. We live in a world where facts can be easily acquired, sometimes even by asking Siri/Alexa/ChatGPT/Google/etc. But critical thinking is timeless and priceless. I can ask anyone on the street what xyz is and they can look it up, but can they provide advice or interpret.
Also being a good steward towards science and being willing and able to communicate not just with peers as we are trained, but also with the public, the politicians, the board members. John Holdren*, stated that Scientists should be tithing at least 10 percent of their time to public service ... including activism. In the ever growing science denialism that is happening in our country being able to communicate science with the public is important. As Peter Hotaz states, "Anti-science propaganda is "killing Americans in unprecedented numbers,""
*Holdren is an American scientist who served as the senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science and technology issues through his roles as assistant to the president for science and technology, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a Research Professor in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
Janet Gray Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairThe College of New Jersey
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavioral Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: Future trends in the job market will depend on some significant degree in public policy and funding changes following the 2020 elections. I would expect public health, health care, mental health, public policy, social work, social advocacy, and other social service forms to continue to be growing fields. The recent legalization of drugs for medicinal and recreational use in several states will open up new employment areas related not only to distribution but also to policy and social services, as addiction care replaces incarceration. STEM skills will be essential across employment sectors as people continue to depend on remote access for a wide range of needs and activities.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Behavioral Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: WGSS graduates enter every employment sector, so technological trends for our graduates will follow various sectors' directions. Among the most common careers for WGSS graduates are law, social work, and education. The capacity to work remotely and do so effectively--may depend more on having access to sound technology and good training, and devising more effective ways to use the tools available, than on any new technology becoming available.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Behavioral Scientists in the next 5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: I think an increase, though not dramatic. WGSS majors graduate with a capacity to analyze and strategize about a wide range of social justice issues, including racial justice, LGBTQ rights, immigration rights, and disability rights, in addition to gender equity. Very few employers require a degree specifically in WGSS. Still, many employers value the skills students gain through their major, and I would expect social justice skills to be increasingly in demand across employment sectors in the coming years. Most WGSS majors take second majors as well, and their combined majors give them an edge in a broad range of fields--including mental health, public health, law, education, politics, business, and government.
What type of skills will young Behavioral Scientists need?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Seemingly a paradox, there will continue to be a need for very general, but highly fungible, skills and demand for too specialized skills, requiring advanced education. Coding, statistics, and data analysis related skills will remain a hot growth area. The aging of the baby boomers will create demand for medical and healthcare-related regions, especially nursing, nursing aides, and emergency services. Despite the automation of many people facing jobs, there will continue to be a demand for interpersonal and people skills, including various types of sales. The switch to remote work, due to COVID, will create a substantial future market to fill the leadership and managerial skills gap. In many areas of Technology and engineering, it is already challenging to find a combination of technical knowledge and people skills, and this demand will intensify.
What are the best companies to work for a Behavioral Scientist?
Paul Badger Ph.D.: Some of the best companies to work for are companies or industries with a long history of research and development in the general field of biology. Explicitly speaking, companies associated with the healthcare industry, life sciences, or environmental sciences usually hire graduates with degrees in science fields.
Those jobs are relatively secure with opportunities for advancement over the long term. Another occupation with potential for growth that traditionally hires biology graduates in the field of forensic science. The demand for qualified biology educators has been relatively steady over the years and offers another lot where biology graduates may find employment. Science is the driver for innovation in many areas, from technology to healthcare to agriculture, and design in these areas can lead to market growth and job creation.
Sami Mejri Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Science, Assistant Dean, Graduate ProgramsTiffin University
School of Arts & Sciences
What type of skills will young Behavioral Scientists need?
Sami Mejri Ph.D.: A college education is key to personal, professional, and intellectual growth and is considered one of the best vehicles for upward social mobility. However, in a globalized, interconnected, and ever-changing job market, a college degree is not enough. There is no guarantee that the graduate's first job will be directly related to their study areas. To this end, college graduates must be versatile in various domains and strive to acquire skills related to problem-solving, oral and written communication, and digital technology. Additionally, in a diverse workforce, graduates should embrace collaboration and teamwork, which require interpersonal skills and sensitivity to the concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Joe Harrison
Animal Scientist and Extension SpecialistWashington State University
Department of Animal Sciences
What type of skills will young Behavioral Scientists need?
Joe Harrison: Critical thinking and the ability to make the best decisions, realizing that they will make better decisions as one gets more experience. A second skill is the ability to navigate conflict in the workplace.
What will help Behavioral Scientists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Arthur Scarritt: Again, the key is to follow your passions. The social sciences provide you with the core skills for a huge variety of fields. At the center of this is the skill of learning how to learn. The keys are to engage in processes of continuous learning, and of successfully illustrating your knowledge and understanding to others. Even the most specialized fields requires new employees to continuously learn on the job and to engage meaningfully and substantively with others. When we like what we do, we are eager to keep learning and to think through emerging successful strategies.