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Job outlook for medical researchers in the United States
Are medical researcher jobs in demand?
Medical researcher job and salary trends over time
Medical researcher jobs over time
Medical researcher job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 204 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 238 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 240 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 227 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 210 | 0.00% |
Average medical researcher salary over time
Medical researcher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $61,177 | $29.41 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $59,358 | $28.54 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $56,698 | $27.26 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $54,879 | $26.38 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $53,836 | $25.88 | --2.1% |
Medical researcher jobs by state
Most common states for medical researchers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 186 | 27% |
| 2 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,098 | 20% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 159 | 17% |
| 4 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 481 | 16% |
| 5 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 252 | 15% |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,740 | 14% |
| 7 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,488 | 14% |
| 8 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 811 | 13% |
| 9 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 265 | 13% |
| 10 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 220 | 12% |
| 11 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 529 | 11% |
| 12 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 505 | 11% |
| 13 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,897 | 10% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 852 | 10% |
| 15 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 482 | 10% |
| 16 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 311 | 10% |
| 17 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 283 | 9% |
| 18 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 576 | 8% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 230 | 8% |
| 20 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 241 | 3% |
Medical Researcher job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of medical researcher experts
Ohio State University
Vanderbilt University
Duquesne University
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of St Andrews
DePauw University
Kent State University
University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Christian Brothers University
Penn State Altoona
West Virginia State University
Mercyhurst University
Western Illinois University
University of Maryland
Chestnut Hill College
La Sierra University
Dr. Judson Jeffries
ProfessorOhio State University
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, And Group Studies
What will help Medical Researchers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Judson Jeffries: Grant writing ability. Scholars will become increasingly reliant on securing grants as universities and colleges continue to tighten their belts. This is especially true for state schools where some state legislatures are not as generous with funding as they once were. The state supported The Ohio State University is one such example. There are many more.
Phillis Sheppard Ph.D.
E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Chair Professor of Religion, Psychology, and Culture and Womanist ThoughtVanderbilt University
Theological And Ministerial Studies
What general advice would you give to a Medical Researcher?
Phillis Sheppard Ph.D.: I tell recent graduates to read the contract and the faculty manual. Make sure you understand the long term implications of your early salary. Second, plan for retirement now; do not wait until you are making the salary of your fantasies. Take advantage of opportunities to learn about financial health and management. Third, position yourself. Write and publish directly and clearly in your field of study and adjacent areas. Fourth, create a plan with vision for the career you think you want. Finally, one way or the other, you will carve out a career or job, but a vocation is nurtured by paying attention to where you experience passion and a deep sense of belonging. A vocation is where your heart and intellect find a meaningful place in responding to the world's needs. Your salary best positions you when it supports your whole life and commitments.
Jan Levine
Professor of Law and Director, Legal Research & Writing ProgramDuquesne University
School of Law
What skills will help Medical Researchers earn the most?
Jan Levine: Efficiency in research, clarity in explanation of the use of researched materials, and having a conscious plan of how to conduct research.
Mario Jimenez Chacon
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Humanities Department
What hard/technical skills are most important for Medical Researchers?
Mario Jimenez Chacon: Of course, a researcher needs to have the ability to perform high-level, intense research; therefore, a qualified researcher needs to have the hard skills associated with their field, for example, the appropriate certification/ degrees or the ability to use technology effectively. Moreover, nowadays, a researcher needs to dominate more than one language; being multilingual is a skill that makes the candidate really stand out.
What skills will help Medical Researchers earn the most?
Mario Jimenez Chacon: The skills that will make you earn the most depend very much on their field of research. However, doing the best research possible all the time, having great interpersonal skills, and understanding that one must never stop learning will make you an outstanding candidate in any field.
Dr. Sharon Locke Ph.D.
Director, Center for STEM Research, Education, and Outreach, Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, ISSP Sustainability Excellence AssociateSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville
Department of Environmental Sciences
What soft skills should all Medical Researchers possess?
Dr. Sharon Locke Ph.D.: -Strong written and oral communication are most important. If you cannot write well, you cannot be a successful scientist. Period.
-Evidence of skills in working as part of a team of diverse people and ability to understand the culture and language across scientific/technical disciplines--for example, an environmental chemist who understands something about policy or an environmental health specialist that would be able to collect and interpret data collected from community members.
-Willingness to be a lifelong learner.
-Something that helps an applicant stand out, such as experience with project management software or a foreign language.
What skills will help Medical Researchers earn the most?
Dr. Sharon Locke Ph.D.: Quantitative skills such as statistics, computer programming, and GIS.
Dr. Jeffrey Hughes
Deputy DirectorUniversity of St Andrews
Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies
What skills will help Medical Researchers earn the most?
Dr. Jeffrey Hughes: I would suggest that cultivating the above skills would result in increased earning potential.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Medical Researcher job market given the pandemic?
Pedar Foss Ph.D.: The short term is uncertain and depends on the pandemic. Long term, I'm betting on clean energy tech, health tech, and innovative delivery technology.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Dr. Jason Schenker Ph.D.: On the positive side, I think the enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates will be more flexibility in work schedules and locations. Graduates will be able to apply for jobs all over the country, or perhaps outside the country, without necessarily having to move to a new location. On the negative side, perhaps less commitment from employers to employees, and vice versa.
Derek Catsam
Professor of History and Kathlyn Cosper Dunagan Professor in the HumanitiesUniversity of Texas of the Permian Basin
History Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Derek Catsam: Undoubtedly there will be, and probably already is, some impact that will endure for a while. I would imagine that the data on employment for recent graduates will be a reasonable example of a lagging indicator-as it is, it sometimes takes a little bit of time for recent college graduates to find jobs, so my guess is that we will really be learning about the impact of all of this in the years and months to come. Most institutions are actually not great at tracking graduate job outcomes, so a lot of what you get may well be anecdotal.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Medical Researchers to find work opportunities?
Derek Catsam: Obviously, the harder a place was hit, the more constricted the job market. There are places that truly did lockdown, and the economic impact (and the lag in recovery) have been hard hit but may well see a better recovery down the road. Some of the places that shut down late and less intensely have found that the virus has hit in waves and may last longer. The entire country was hit hard, but some a lot less hard than others. I think the real insecurity will come when COVID-19 continues to hit intermittently. A good number of our students want to be teachers, and that sector always seems to be hiring because, in many places, there are shortfalls, though what a rough time it is to be a first-time teacher, trying to figure out a new career and figuring out how to do so in whole or in part remotely!
How do you envision technology impacting Medical Researchers in the next 5 years?
Derek Catsam: So my discipline is History, which means students take a whole wide range of jobs that may or may not be in "History" per se, but that utilize the skills we try to impart-critical thinking, analytical ability, the ability to read closely and to write effectively, the ability to communicate verbally, and so forth-and so how technology impacts that field will be wildly variable. My guess is that remote meeting apps/websites like Zoom and Teams will become a greater part of our lives, and there may well be more fluidity for people with regard to being able to work remotely (which also may be especially valuable for folks who have long sought ADA accommodations to work remotely full- or part-time). Meanwhile, even before COVID, technology was constantly evolving, and alongside that evolution, our use of and need for and adaptability to technology.
Dr. Neal Palmer Ph.D.
Chair, Associate ProfessorChristian Brothers University
Department of History and Political Science
What general advice would you give to a Medical Researcher?
Dr. Neal Palmer Ph.D.: I think the pandemic will affect history graduates in many of the same ways it will affect graduates in any major. I hope they will be struck, hopefully, humbled by the power of the natural environment to dictate the terms on which humanity can function. I also hope that it teaches the importance of group cohesion and cooperation in confronting problems. If this happens, I think it could have long-range effects on the personal and political behavior of these graduates as they confront future environmental and social challenges. If you are asking about the more mundane question of jobs, I think history majors should fair well in the post-pandemic world. History majors leave college with communication and thinking skills that will help them adapt and succeed in a fast-changing and unpredictable world.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Dr. Neal Palmer Ph.D.: I think the pandemic will affect history graduates in many of the same ways it will affect graduates in any major. I hope they will be struck, hopefully, humbled by the power of the natural environment to dictate the terms on which humanity can function. I also hope that it teaches the importance of group cohesion and cooperation in confronting problems. If this happens, I think it could have long-range effects on the personal and political behavior of these graduates as they confront future environmental and social challenges. If you are asking about the more mundane question of jobs, I think history majors should fair well in the post-pandemic world. History majors leave college with communication and thinking skills that will help them adapt and succeed in a fast-changing and unpredictable world.
What Medical Researcher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Neal Palmer Ph.D.: The answer to that question likely won't change from pre- to post-pandemic. Southern cities such as Nashville and Memphis were booming before the pandemic, and that will likely continue. These are good places to find jobs because the cost of living is relatively low, there are vibrant culture and entertainment, and there is not as much college-educated competition for jobs as in larger cities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Medical Researchers to find work opportunities?
Doug Page Ph.D.: As I indicated, there is a broad range of occupations that a History graduate can pursue. These opportunities tend to present themselves more apparently in metro areas, where the skill sets of graduates can be best used. However, if some of the fields, in which History majors flourish, retain some virtual presence, that pushes into bigger cities could lessen.
How do you envision technology impacting Medical Researchers in the next 5 years?
Doug Page Ph.D.: Our technology is changing and becoming more sophisticated at such a rapid pace; it is challenging to imagine what it will bring to the field of History. I can imagine improvements in the delivery of historical materials in places like the classroom, but also in museums, archives, and libraries. Archival preservation and retrieval are bound to improve, benefitting the public world of libraries and museums, but also corporate and governmental offices as well. If we are extremely lucky, such growing access could create a more informed citizenry, dedicated to using all that History can teach us about ourselves and how to best work together for progress.
Dr. Michael Workman
Associate ProfessorWest Virginia State University
Department of History & Political Science
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Dr. Michael Workman: I'm afraid that the Covid-19 pandemic already has affected our History graduates here at WVSU in a big way. Some have delayed plans for grad school; others are hunkering-down and delaying job searches. Those who have taken teaching positions face hurdles reaching students remotely. And those who are engaged in research and writing find themselves unable to travel to perform research at various archives. But I seriously doubt that these impacts will be enduring. This storm cloud may have a silver lining of sorts because many have further developed their computer skills and learned how to access information remotely.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Benjamin Scharff Ph.D.: It is impossible to gauge at this time what enduring impact the pandemic might have. Obviously, the immediate impact of high unemployment on recent graduates who are unlikely to have much professional experience is profound. As society and the economy rebuild and reinvent themselves during whatever recovery is to come, I would place my bets on History and other liberal arts majors being ideally suited to thrive. Their broad and flexible skill sets will allow them to fulfill a variety of needs that may be more difficult for graduates trained to do specific jobs in pre-professional programs to do.
Dr. Timothy Roberts
Professor and Director of Graduate StudiesWestern Illinois University
Department of History
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Dr. Timothy Roberts: The coronavirus, of course, has affected education profoundly by accelerating, at least at the moment, the trend away from face-to-face learning and toward distance learning. That transition will hurt students' learning experience, in my opinion, although, besides allowing classes to occur with safe social distancing, distance learning allows nearly anyone with a computer and internet service to take (or, though it's a different kind of hazard, offer) courses.
I think it's easy to imagine that high school and college students who navigate education substantially through online courses will become more independent or self-reliant and tech-savvy. Those are the benefits. The risks are that they may not have the chance to interact with and learn from other students in the class, and not ever experience or be rewarded for learning in any formal setting - a campus, a library, a classroom, a professor's office, a graduation ceremony.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Medical Researchers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Timothy Roberts: Job-rich areas in history traditionally have been in cities, like other jobs. But again, as distance learning and jobs-from-home become more common, cities may not be as attractive. Some American cities are already seeing a "brain drain." In the last few decades, high school teaching jobs have ebbed and flowed; currently, there is a shortage of qualified teachers, not only in STEM but also in history, in some parts of the country, believe it or not. Reforms are being discussed in some states that that raise high school teachers' salaries, which will create opportunities for qualified new graduates.
Crystal Sehlke
Program Director,University of Maryland
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
How do you envision technology impacting Medical Researchers in the next 5 years?
Crystal Sehlke: As we've found with our own immediate conversion to remote operations, some of the programs, resources, and services that were previously provided in person have had to evolve into different mediums quickly. Post-pandemic, many of these new resources-e.g., self-help online modules, automated training, AI-driven chatbots-will permanently complement in-person resources, which will become more specialized. Professionals in fields that provide information, consultation, or other in-person services will need to become fluent using these technology-based tools.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Crystal Sehlke: Almost certainly, but the impact will endure longer in some interest fields than others; for example, the hospitality and travel industries, where the impact has been so devastating, will probably not recover quickly once the pandemic has subsided. However, many fields still need the skills our social science students possess, including their quantitative skills/tools, scientific inquiry, and critical thinking skills, and thus will still have options. The biggest problem will be graduates of 2020 competing head-to-head with graduates of 2021-much like traffic backing up on an overcrowded interstate. Graduates that pivot effectively to other fields will fare better than those who wait for conditions in the primary interest field to improve.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Medical Researchers to find work opportunities?
Lorraine Coons Ph.D.: I'm happy to see that three of our five seniors have found employment since graduation. Two are teachers working in a high school in North Jersey and a middle school in suburban Philadelphia. Another is working as a paralegal in a law firm in New York as she contemplates applying to grad school next year for museum studies. I have not heard back from the other two. Students generally choose to remain in the general vicinity of where they were raised or went to college. However, one of my former majors is interested in pursuing a graduate degree in museum studies in the UK and would like to live abroad.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Researchers?
Friedbert Ninow Ph.D.: The pandemic will force us to recognize our vulnerabilities - issues like mental health, coping with physical distancing, acknowledging our fears and worries.
Maintaining social closeness in physical distancing will require us to focus on skill sets we have not emphasized that much before.