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Phd researcher salary
Average phd researcher salary
$51,634
Understanding the PhD Researcher Salary
The average salary for a PhD Researcher stands at approximately $51,634 per year, or about $25 per hour. Salaries in this field can vary significantly depending on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry. For instance, researchers in high-demand areas or specialized sectors often earn more.
Salary by State
Different states offer varying compensation packages. States like California and Massachusetts are known for higher salaries due to the concentration of research institutions and funding opportunities. In contrast, other regions may reflect lower average salaries but can provide a lower cost of living.
Career Opportunities
PhD Researchers can find roles in academia, government, and private sectors, with industries such as healthcare and technology typically offering the most lucrative positions. Understanding where these opportunities lie can help researchers strategically navigate their careers, leading to roles that not only fulfill their passion for research but also offer competitive salaries.
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Where can an PHD Researcher earn more?
Phd researcher salary estimates from across the web
Average phd researcher salary by state
The average phd researcher salary in California, Hawaii, and Tennessee are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average phd researcher salary states are Georgia, North Dakota, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for phd researchers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $74,323 | $35.73 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $66,216 | $31.83 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $59,828 | $28.76 |
| 4 | Maine | $60,187 | $28.94 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $57,417 | $27.60 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $56,841 | $27.33 |
| 7 | Oregon | $55,079 | $26.48 |
| 8 | Washington | $54,947 | $26.42 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $54,178 | $26.05 |
| 10 | Maryland | $56,691 | $27.26 |
| 11 | Montana | $55,944 | $26.90 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $73,129 | $35.16 |
| 13 | Arizona | $57,506 | $27.65 |
| 14 | New York | $54,014 | $25.97 |
| 15 | Colorado | $52,573 | $25.28 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $57,145 | $27.47 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $51,259 | $24.64 |
| 18 | Delaware | $51,571 | $24.79 |
| 19 | Alaska | $52,094 | $25.05 |
| 20 | Illinois | $50,686 | $24.37 |
| 21 | Indiana | $53,888 | $25.91 |
| 22 | Nevada | $56,140 | $26.99 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $51,358 | $24.69 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $51,212 | $24.62 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $47,876 | $23.02 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $45,757 | $22.00 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $48,466 | $23.30 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $43,218 | $20.78 |
| 29 | Idaho | $47,451 | $22.81 |
| 30 | Virginia | $45,713 | $21.98 |
| 31 | Michigan | $43,917 | $21.11 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $46,118 | $22.17 |
| 33 | Missouri | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| 34 | Iowa | $42,406 | $20.39 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $43,229 | $20.78 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $43,660 | $20.99 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $44,554 | $21.42 |
| 38 | Ohio | $42,304 | $20.34 |
| 39 | Vermont | $43,329 | $20.83 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $42,599 | $20.48 |
| 41 | Texas | $41,586 | $19.99 |
| 42 | Utah | $42,895 | $20.62 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $37,389 | $17.98 |
| 44 | Kansas | $42,865 | $20.61 |
| 45 | Florida | $41,683 | $20.04 |
| 46 | Georgia | $38,798 | $18.65 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $38,572 | $18.54 |
| 48 | Alabama | $39,830 | $19.15 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $36,753 | $17.67 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,757 | $17.67 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $33,936 | $16.32 |
Highest paying cities for phd researchers
The highest-paying cities for phd researchers are Novato, CA, Urban Honolulu, HI, and Oak Ridge, TN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $78,617 | $37.80 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $73,118 | $35.15 |
| 3 | Oak Ridge, TN | $65,348 | $31.42 |
| 4 | Newark, NJ | $57,824 | $27.80 |
| 5 | Tempe, AZ | $57,536 | $27.66 |
| 6 | Falmouth, MA | $57,165 | $27.48 |
| 7 | Gaithersburg, MD | $56,452 | $27.14 |
| 8 | Bozeman, MT | $56,178 | $27.01 |
| 9 | Eugene, OR | $55,876 | $26.86 |
| 10 | Syracuse, NY | $54,239 | $26.08 |
| 11 | Boulder, CO | $52,669 | $25.32 |
| 12 | Newark, DE | $51,685 | $24.85 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,535 | $24.78 |
| 14 | Laramie, WY | $51,212 | $24.62 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $50,728 | $24.39 |
| 16 | Idaho Falls, ID | $45,780 | $22.01 |
| 17 | Washington, DC | $45,723 | $21.98 |
| 18 | Richmond, VA | $45,541 | $21.89 |
| 19 | Raleigh, NC | $43,270 | $20.80 |
| 20 | Kent, OH | $42,999 | $20.67 |
Phd researcher salary details
An phd researcher's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $76,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an phd researcher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $51,634 | $4,303 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying phd researcher jobs
The highest paying types of phd researchers are senior scientist, scientist, and staff scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Doctoral Fellow | $53,366 | $4,447 | $25.66 | 22,661 |
| Staff Scientist | $93,941 | $7,828 | $45.16 | 121,054 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | $57,587 | $4,799 | $27.69 | 18,983 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
Which companies pay phd researchers the most?
Phd researcher salaries at Meta and IBM are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average phd researcher salary at companies like Amd and Los Alamos National Security LLC are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $144,606 | $69.52 |
| 2 | IBM | $121,793 | $58.55 |
| 3 | Amd | $101,577 | $48.84 |
| 4 | Los Alamos National Security LLC | $78,108 | $37.55 |
| 5 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $78,010 | $37.50 |
| 6 | Argonne National Laboratory | $77,972 | $37.49 |
| 7 | Sandia National Labs | $77,861 | $37.43 |
| 8 | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | $77,324 | $37.17 |
| 9 | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | $77,314 | $37.17 |
| 10 | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | $77,005 | $37.02 |
| 11 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $76,634 | $36.84 |
| 12 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $76,563 | $36.81 |
| 13 | Genentech | $72,284 | $34.75 |
| 14 | Novartis | $72,183 | $34.70 |
| 15 | American Society for Engineering Education | $70,858 | $34.07 |
| 16 | Bradley University | $67,765 | $32.58 |
| 17 | Stanford University | $65,712 | $31.59 |
| 18 | San Francisco University High School | $65,347 | $31.42 |
| 19 | New York University | $65,162 | $31.33 |
| 20 | Arizona State University | $64,021 | $30.78 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
PHD Researcher salary by industry
The average phd researcher salary varies across industries:
- The average phd researcher salary in the technology industry is $79,949, the highest of any industry.
- The average phd researcher salary in the finance industry is $52,586.
- Phd researchers in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $47,904, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for phd researchers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $79,949 | $38.44 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $52,586 | $25.28 |
| 3 | Education | $52,376 | $25.18 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $47,904 | $23.03 |
High paying phd researcher jobs
Phd researcher salary trends
The average phd researcher salary has risen by $8,678 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average phd researcher earned $42,956 annually, but today, they earn $51,634 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for phd researchers over the last decade.
Compare phd researcher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average phd researcher salary over time
Compare phd researcher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Phd researcher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,600 | $24.82 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $50,100 | $24.09 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $47,900 | $23.01 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $46,300 | $22.27 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $45,400 | $21.85 | -2.1% |
Recently added phd researcher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota Board of Regents | Postdoctoral Researcher | Rapid City, SD | 06/30/2025 | $53,340 |
| Nrel | Postdoctoral Researcher-Geothermal-Alaska Campus | Fairbanks, AK | 06/30/2025 | $73,200 |
| Nrel | Postdoctoral Researcher-Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering | Golden, CO | 06/30/2025 | $74,900 |
| Simons Foundation | Pre-Doctoral Researcher | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Loyola University of Chicago Inc. | Postdoctoral Research Scholar | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $56,484 |
| Wichita State University | Postdoctoral Researcher | Wichita, KS | 06/27/2025 | $55,000 |
| SDSU Research Foundation | Postdoctoral Research Scholar YRS Experience | San Diego, CA | 06/27/2025 | $77,220 |
| The University of Chicago | Postdoctoral Researcher In Art and Religion, Appointed at The Rank of Instructor (Three Years, Term | Chicago, IL | 06/22/2025 | $75,000 |
| Idaho National Lab | Spectrum Interference Analysis and Field Testing Postdoctoral Researcher | Idaho Falls, ID | 06/21/2025 | $101,196 |
| Argonne National Laboratory | Postdoctoral Researcher-Macroeconomist | Lemont, IL | 06/20/2025 | $70,758 |
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