Biological scientist demographics and statistics in the US
Biological scientist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates biological scientist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our biological scientist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about biological scientists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 10,347 biological scientists currently employed in the United States.
- 53.9% of all biological scientists are women, while 46.1% are men.
- The average biological scientist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of biological scientists is White (67.6%), followed by Asian (15.3%), Hispanic or Latino (8.5%) and Unknown (5.0%).
- Biological scientists are most in-demand in San Diego, CA.
- The pharmaceutical industry is the highest-paying for biological scientists.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $103,627, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women biological scientists earned 102% of what men earned.
- 10% of all biological scientists are LGBT.
- California is the best state for biological scientists to live.
- Biological scientists are 46% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Biological scientist demographics by:
Biological scientist gender statistics
53.9% of biological scientists are women and 46.1% of biological scientists are men.
- Female, 53.9%
- Male, 46.1%
Biological scientist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 53.9% |
| Male | 46.1% |
Biological scientist gender pay gap
Women earn $1.02 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$72,440
Female income
$73,876
Biological scientist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in biological scientist positions over time. Currently, 53.9% of biological scientists are female.
Biological scientist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 49.11% | 50.89% |
| 2011 | 48.35% | 51.65% |
| 2012 | 54.07% | 45.93% |
| 2013 | 48.54% | 51.46% |
| 2014 | 46.79% | 53.21% |
| 2015 | 51.11% | 48.89% |
| 2016 | 49.80% | 50.20% |
| 2017 | 53.08% | 46.92% |
| 2018 | 47.14% | 52.86% |
| 2019 | 47.82% | 52.18% |
| 2020 | 47.54% | 52.46% |
| 2021 | 46.06% | 53.94% |
Biological scientist related jobs gender ratio
We compared biological scientists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, procurement forester and field agronomist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Behaviorist | 18% | 82% |
| Chronic Disease Epidemiologist | 25% | 75% |
| Collector Of Aquarium Specimens | 27% | 73% |
| Biological Scientist | 46% | 54% |
| Forestry Consultant | 93% | 7% |
| Field Agronomist | 94% | 6% |
| Procurement Forester | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Biological scientist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among biological scientists is White, which makes up 67.6% of all biological scientists. Comparatively, 15.3% of biological scientists are Asian and 8.5% of biological scientists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 67.6%
- Asian, 15.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.5%
- Unknown, 5.0%
- Black or African American, 3.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Biological scientist race
| Biological scientist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.6% |
| Asian | 15.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.5% |
| Unknown | 5.0% |
| Black or African American | 3.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Biological scientist race and ethnicity over time
See how biological scientist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Biological scientist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.26% | 3.53% | 16.66% | 7.59% |
| 2011 | 73.73% | 3.54% | 14.24% | 5.64% |
| 2012 | 73.52% | 2.03% | 14.79% | 7.21% |
| 2013 | 71.71% | 3.93% | 14.34% | 6.78% |
| 2014 | 71.23% | 3.43% | 15.35% | 6.89% |
| 2015 | 72.44% | 3.05% | 15.51% | 6.73% |
| 2016 | 72.26% | 3.42% | 15.16% | 5.91% |
| 2017 | 70.00% | 2.98% | 16.98% | 7.55% |
| 2018 | 71.31% | 2.71% | 15.31% | 7.75% |
| 2019 | 72.19% | 2.36% | 16.52% | 6.24% |
| 2020 | 67.75% | 3.10% | 14.15% | 9.31% |
| 2021 | 67.60% | 3.03% | 15.29% | 8.52% |
Biological scientist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian biological scientists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White biological scientists have the lowest average salary at $68,472.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $69,589 |
| White | $68,472 |
| Black or African American | $73,180 |
| Asian | $76,095 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $75,176 |
Average biological scientist age
See how the average age of biological scientists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Biological scientist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 36.5 | 35 |
| White | 42 | 37 |
| Black or African American | 35 | |
| Asian | 35 | 37 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 37 |
Biological scientist age breakdown
The average age of biological scientists is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the biological scientist population.
Biological scientist age breakdown
| Biological Scientist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 33% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Biological scientist educational attainment
The most common degree for biological scientists is bachelor's degree, with 68% of biological scientists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Master's, 18%
- Doctorate, 9%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Biological scientists by degree level
| Biological scientist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 68% |
| Master's | 18% |
| Doctorate | 9% |
| Associate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Biological scientist jobs you might like
Biological scientist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, biological scientists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $85,162 annually. With a Master's degree, biological scientists earn a median annual income of $70,603 compared to $63,220 for biological scientists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $70,603 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,220 |
| Doctorate Degree | $85,162 |
Biological scientist employment statistics
Most biological scientists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where biological scientists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where biological scientists work.
Biological scientist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Biological scientist jobs by company type
Employees with the biological scientist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most biological scientists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Biological scientist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 15% |
| Public | 30% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 9% |
Biological scientist jobs by industry
The most common industries for biological scientists are health care, education and pharmaceutical.
Biological scientist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 26% |
| Education | 12% |
| Pharmaceutical | 10% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Government | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Start-up | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Biological scientist turnover and employment statistics
Biological scientist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for biological scientists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Biological scientist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Biological scientist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.14% |
| 2011 | 3.66% |
| 2012 | 4.27% |
| 2013 | 3.42% |
| 2014 | 3.31% |
| 2015 | 1.87% |
| 2016 | 3.18% |
| 2017 | 2.44% |
| 2018 | 1.77% |
| 2019 | 1.62% |
| 2020 | 2.69% |
| 2021 | 2.75% |
Average biological scientist tenure
The average biological scientist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 508 biological scientists resumes in Zippia's database.
Biological scientist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Biological scientist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of biological scientists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Park Superintendent | 8.40% | 11,947 |
| Senior Applications Scientist | 8.45% | 56,966 |
| Biological Scientist | 9.74% | - |
| Microbiology Soil Scientist | 19.06% | 42,331 |
Similar biological scientist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Park Superintendent | 8.40% | 11,947 |
| Senior Applications Scientist | 8.45% | 56,966 |
| Microbiology Soil Scientist | 19.06% | 42,331 |
Foreign languages spoken by biological scientists
The most common foreign language among biological scientists is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 8.3% and French is the third-most popular at 8.3%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- Chinese, 8.3%
- French, 8.3%
- Hindi, 8.3%
- Portuguese, 4.2%
- Other, 20.9%
Biological scientist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| Chinese | 8.3% |
| French | 8.3% |
| Hindi | 8.3% |
| Portuguese | 4.2% |
| Other | 20.9% |
