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California Academy of Sciences salary estimate

$47,864yearly

$23.01 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$29,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Salary Overview at California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is renowned for its commitment to education and sustainability, offering a diverse range of career opportunities. As of 2025, the average salary is approximately $47,864. This figure reflects a variety of roles, from administrative positions to scientific research, catering to different skill sets and interests.

In addition to the average salary, specific departments at the Academy often provide competitive pay. For instance, roles in education and outreach may command higher salaries due to the specialized skills required. Furthermore, locations within California can impact compensation levels, with urban areas typically offering higher wages to match living costs.

Whether you're looking to launch a career or advance in your field, the California Academy of Sciences supports professional growth through various educational programs and collaborative projects, making it an attractive workplace for those passionate about science and the environment.

Highest paying jobs at California Academy of Sciences

The highest paying jobs at California Academy of Sciences are senior director of information & technology, project manager, director of retail operations, and research scientist. Senior director of information & technology jobs at California Academy of Sciences earn an average yearly salary of $137,623, California Academy of Sciences project manager jobs average $98,543, and California Academy of Sciences director of retail operations jobs average $96,451.

The lowest paying California Academy of Sciences roles include guest service attendant and guest services. California Academy of Sciences guest service attendant average salary is $32,382 per year. So while the average California Academy of Sciences salary is $47,864 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at California Academy of Sciences

RankJob titleAverage California Academy of Sciences salaryHourly rate
1Senior Director Of Information & Technology$137,623$66.16
2Project Manager$98,543$47.38
3Director Of Retail Operations$96,451$46.37
4Research Scientist$91,266$43.88
5Data Scientist$88,678$42.63
6Researcher$74,115$35.63
7Business Analyst$72,241$34.73
8Strength And Conditioning Coach$69,340$33.34
9Operations Analyst$64,869$31.19
10Aircraft Mechanic$64,678$31.10
11Coach And Trainer$63,882$30.71
12Special Education Administrator$63,144$30.36
13Research Associate$62,717$30.15
14Security Supervisor$60,709$29.19
15Special Education Coordinator$60,623$29.15
16Docent$60,151$28.92
17Information Technology Technical Trainer$59,937$28.82
18Flight Instructor$59,696$28.70
19Speech Language Pathologist$59,516$28.61
20Photographer$55,860$26.86

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How much does California Academy of Sciences pay by location?

The average California Academy of Sciences salary varies by location. California Academy of Sciences salaries are the highest in San Francisco, CA, at $57,235 per year. California Academy of Sciences pays the second highest average salary in Rowe, MA, at $55,115 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying California Academy of Sciences locations

RankLocationAverage California Academy of Sciences salaryHourly rate
1San Francisco, CA$57,235$27.52
2Rowe, MA$55,115$26.50
3Enon, VA$50,812$24.43
4Boone, CO$49,405$23.75
5Troy, MI$47,368$22.77
6Homeworth, OH$47,346$22.76
7Nunez, GA$47,336$22.76
8Springfield, MO$45,408$21.83
9Cope, SC$45,131$21.70
10Bono, AR$44,554$21.42

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California Academy of Sciences salaries by department

Salaries at California Academy of Sciences vary depending on the department you work in. California Academy of Sciences salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $75,185. Employees in the it department at California Academy of Sciences receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $75,135 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at California Academy of Sciences include the customer service and the administrative organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $37,228 and $39,405, respectively.

Average California Academy of Sciences salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage California Academy of Sciences salaryHourly rate
1Engineering$75,185$36.15
2IT$75,135$36.12
3Marketing$64,988$31.24
4Research & Development$61,902$29.76
5Finance$61,487$29.56
6Plant/Manufacturing$56,187$27.01
7Healthcare$55,505$26.69
8Art/Design$55,049$26.47
9Education$52,501$25.24
10Human Resources$51,134$24.58
11Retail$50,455$24.26
12Non Profit/Government$48,775$23.45
13Sales$48,596$23.36
14Hospitality/Service$42,146$20.26
15Facilities$42,115$20.25
16Administrative$39,406$18.95
17Customer Service$37,228$17.90

How much does California Academy of Sciences pay by department?

Best paying California Academy of Sciences education salaries

RankPositionAverage California Academy of Sciences salaryHourly rate
1Educational Manager$85,892$41.29
2After School Program Coordinator$70,948$34.11
3Associate Curator$69,773$33.54
4Strength And Conditioning Coach$69,340$33.34
5Adjunct Biology Professor$67,902$32.65
6Coach And Trainer$63,882$30.71
7Associate Director Of Admissions$60,975$29.31
8Special Education Coordinator$60,623$29.15
9Flight Instructor$59,696$28.70
10Curriculum Specialist$56,621$27.22
11Teacher$53,497$25.72
12Culinary Arts Instructor$53,283$25.62
13Educator$53,223$25.59
14Teaching Assistant$52,878$25.42
15Education Internship$52,231$25.11
16Student Services Advisor$47,978$23.07
17School Psychology Specialist$45,717$21.98
18ESL Tutor$36,576$17.58
19Educational Assistant$36,176$17.39

Best paying California Academy of Sciences administrative salaries

RankPositionAverage California Academy of Sciences salaryHourly rate
1Records Analyst$54,607$26.25
2Office Manager$54,371$26.14
3Trader JOE's$50,516$24.29
4Bookkeeper$45,406$21.83
5Student Internship$42,000$20.19
6Sales Administrative Coordinator$40,459$19.45
7Data Entry Specialist$39,694$19.08
8Administrative Assistant$38,447$18.48
9Office Clerk$37,377$17.97
10Records Clerk$37,282$17.92
11Guest Services Manager$37,259$17.91
12Admissions Coordinator$36,346$17.47
13Guest Service Supervisor$36,286$17.45
14Project Management Internship$36,198$17.40
15Admissions Specialist$35,785$17.20
16Service Secretary$35,716$17.17
17Receptionist$35,639$17.13
18Student Assistant$32,479$15.61

Best paying California Academy of Sciences hospitality/service salaries

RankPositionAverage California Academy of Sciences salaryHourly rate
1Docent$60,151$28.92
2Aircraft Dispatcher$57,093$27.45
3Chef Instructor$55,400$26.63
4Nanny$45,772$22.01
5Tour Guide$40,810$19.62
6Sous Chef$38,721$18.62
7Pastry Cook$36,864$17.72
8Fitness Instructor$35,528$17.08
9Child Care Worker$35,487$17.06
10Server$35,229$16.94
11Catering Assistant$34,838$16.75
12Guest Relations Representative$34,069$16.38
13Housekeeper$33,888$16.29
14Guest Services$32,679$15.71

Recently added California Academy of Sciences salaries

JobLocationDate addedSalary
Biologist I, Animal CareSan Francisco, CA06/27/2025$56,495
Biologist ISan Francisco, CA06/18/2025$56,495
Building Maintenance CoordinatorSan Francisco, CA06/09/2025$57,685
Program Coordinator-EducationSan Francisco, CA05/22/2025$63,925
Corporate Engagement OfficerIone, CA05/16/2025$86,757

What employees say about salary at California Academy of Sciences

Employee reviews
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3.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2024
Pros of working at California Academy of Sciences

I think the pros at working at the California Academy of Sciences are being able to work at the Academy. I get to go to any of the exhibits during my breaks, and learn new things every day. The discounts I get at the store are also nice. Most of the employees who work there are also very welcoming, kind, and always happy to share their knowledge with you.

Cons of working at California Academy of Sciences

In my experience, the cons of working at the California Academy of Sciences is that there is definitely a social and institutional divide between lower levels of staff and leadership. I did not feel it during my first year, but definitely felt it during my second year. There has been a lot of friction and finger pointing coming from both sides, and I'm not sure how it's going to get better. For me specifically, I've felt a huge amount of loss within my own team, because we got new leadership and since then almost our whole original team has left and half of the people that we've hired on to replace them have also left. Hopefully they're able to turn the team around soon.

California Academy of Sciences benefits

My favorite perk is the free family level membership and discounts at the local inner sunset stores.

What do you like best about California Academy of Sciences's CEO and the leadership team?

The CEO is able to recognize when he doesn't know something and other people can do the job better than him. The leadership team really tries to be thoughtful with all of their decision making.

How would you improve California Academy of Sciences's culture?

I would have people sit face-to-face with a mediator and talk. People are shouting too much and people really just need to talk, see each other's faces, and listen to one another.

How did you prepare for the California Academy of Sciences interview?

I looked up the mission, vision, and values of the company. The thing about the Academy is that it does such amazing work; they really want people working there that believe in the mission as much as they do. Everyone, even administrative staff believe and support the mission.

How does your compensation at California Academy of Sciences compare to the industry average?

The compensation is on-par with or above the industry average. That being said, the Academy is a non-profit and in the museum space, so the compensation will be lower than other companies in the area.

What's the diversity at California Academy of Sciences like?

I feel extremely good about the diverse demographics within the organization. We work very hard at representing as many people as we can at the Academy. We believe that the Academy is stronger when more voices are at the table.

What brings you the most joy at California Academy of Sciences?

I love being able to see all of the exhibits and work with amazing, mission driven people.

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4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros of working at California Academy of Sciences

Work-life balance; mission-oriented (the Academy's mission is to explore, explain, and sustain life on Earth)

Cons of working at California Academy of Sciences

Decision-by-committee

California Academy of Sciences benefits

health benefits

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of California Academy of Sciences, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about California Academy of Sciences. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at California Academy of Sciences. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by California Academy of Sciences. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of California Academy of Sciences and its employees or that of Zippia.

California Academy of Sciences may also be known as or be related to CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, California Academy Of Sciences, California Academy of Sciences and The California Academy of Sciences.