Best cities for a chief scientist
The best cities for chief scientists are San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, and Jersey City, NJ, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for chief scientists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for chief scientists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a chief scientist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for chief scientists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for chief scientists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a chief scientist. While the absolute best city for chief scientists is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for chief scientists in 2024.
If you're looking for a chief scientist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for chief scientists in 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
Total chief scientist jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $131,652 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $224,000 Location quotient: 12.30 2. San Jose, CA
Total chief scientist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $130,804 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $222,000 Location quotient: 6.20 3. Jersey City, NJ
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $124,418 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $205,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Newark, NJ
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $124,280 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $205,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Sacramento, CA
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $131,432 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $225,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Reno, NV
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $106,949 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $185,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Oakland, CA
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $131,488 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $224,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Fremont, CA
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $131,087 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $223,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Stockton, CA
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $130,917 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $224,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Nashville, TN
Total chief scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $97,586 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $176,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Choose from 10+ customizable chief scientist resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use chief scientist resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your chief scientist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for chief scientists
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Newark, NJ
- Sacramento, CA
- Reno, NV
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Stockton, CA
- Nashville, TN
- (14 chief scientist jobs)
- (5 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
- (0 chief scientist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a chief scientist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,652 | $77,000 | 870,887 | 14 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $130,804 | $76,000 | 1,025,350 | 5 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $124,418 | $75,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 4 | Newark, NJ | $124,280 | $75,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $131,432 | $76,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $106,949 | $61,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 7 | Oakland, CA | $131,488 | $77,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 8 | Fremont, CA | $131,087 | $76,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 9 | Stockton, CA | $130,917 | $76,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 10 | Nashville, TN | $97,586 | $53,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $96,696 | $54,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 12 | Fresno, CA | $128,687 | $74,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 13 | Fort Wayne, IN | $98,766 | $57,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 14 | Memphis, TN | $95,274 | $52,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 15 | Pittsburgh, PA | $92,431 | $54,000 | 303,625 | 2 |
| 16 | Las Vegas, NV | $101,543 | $58,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 17 | Bakersfield, CA | $126,088 | $73,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 18 | North Las Vegas, NV | $101,408 | $58,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 19 | Long Beach, CA | $121,340 | $70,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 20 | Henderson, NV | $101,176 | $57,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA | $97,739 | $58,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 22 | Anaheim, CA | $121,326 | $70,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 23 | Riverside, CA | $121,265 | $70,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 24 | Los Angeles, CA | $122,245 | $71,000 | 3,976,322 | - |
| 25 | Santa Ana, CA | $121,040 | $70,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 26 | Irvine, CA | $120,803 | $70,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 27 | Scottsdale, AZ | $95,830 | $54,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 28 | Glendale, AZ | $95,770 | $54,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 29 | Phoenix, AZ | $95,770 | $54,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 30 | San Diego, CA | $118,173 | $69,000 | 1,406,630 | 1 |
| 31 | Mesa, AZ | $95,173 | $54,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 32 | Tucson, AZ | $92,856 | $53,000 | 530,706 | 1 |
| 33 | Chandler, AZ | $95,070 | $54,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 34 | Detroit, MI | $89,872 | $53,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 35 | Gilbert, AZ | $95,014 | $54,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 36 | Chula Vista, CA | $117,679 | $68,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 37 | Toledo, OH | $84,714 | $49,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 38 | Cleveland, OH | $86,108 | $50,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 39 | Raleigh, NC | $88,123 | $49,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 40 | Greensboro, NC | $87,714 | $49,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 41 | Durham, NC | $88,234 | $50,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 42 | Winston-Salem, NC | $87,399 | $49,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 43 | Columbus, OH | $84,224 | $48,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 44 | Portland, OR | $96,529 | $53,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 45 | Boston, MA | $97,283 | $59,000 | 673,184 | 4 |
| 46 | Cincinnati, OH | $82,474 | $46,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 47 | Lexington, KY | $75,909 | $42,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 48 | Saint Paul, MN | $86,124 | $49,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 49 | Minneapolis, MN | $86,007 | $49,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 50 | Albuquerque, NM | $82,804 | $46,000 | 559,277 | - |
Highest paying cities for chief scientists
| Rank | City | Avg. chief scientist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,652 |
| 2 | Oak Ridge, TN | $99,231 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $97,283 |
| 4 | Jeffersonville, IN | $97,094 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $93,205 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh, PA | $92,431 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $92,326 |
| 8 | Olympia, WA | $91,694 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $89,576 |
| 10 | Dayton, OH | $82,972 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs, CO | $81,368 |
| 12 | Arlington Heights, IL | $79,995 |
| 13 | Morgantown, WV | $77,975 |
| 14 | San Antonio, TX | $77,662 |
| 15 | Clearwater, FL | $68,775 |
| 16 | Pleasant Grove, UT | $65,676 |
| 17 | Columbia, SC | $63,880 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $60,040 |
Chief scientist best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
Search for chief scientist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025