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Postdoctoral Research Associate Salary
Updated April 6, 2023
Postdoctoral Research Associate Salary Estimate
$52,785
$25.38 hourly
Entry level Salary
$38,000 yearlyHow much does a Postdoctoral Research Associate make?
The average salary for a postdoctoral research associate in the United States is $52,785. Postdoctoral research associate salaries typically range between $38,000 and $72,000 a year. The average hourly rate for postdoctoral research associates is $25.38 per hour.
Location, education, and experience impacts how much a postdoctoral research associate can expect to make. Postdoctoral research associates make the most in Hawaii, California, Tennessee, Maine, and Arizona.
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The average salary for a postdoctoral research associate is $52,785 in the US. -
The average postdoctoral research associate salary ranges between $38,000 and $72,000 in the US. -
Hourly rates for postdoctoral research associates in the US typically range between $18 and $34 an hour. -
The average postdoctoral research associate salary is $76,271 in Hawaii, $67,490 in California, and $67,413 in Tennessee. These are the three highest-paying states for postdoctoral research associates in the US. -
Argonne National Laboratory has the highest average salary for postdoctoral research associates. -
Professional is the highest-paying industry for postdoctoral research associates in the US.
Highest Paying States For Postdoctoral Research Associates
- State View
- County View
Average Salary:
Postdoctoral Research Associate average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $67,490 | $32.45 | 5,491 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $67,413 | $32.41 | 585 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $57,744 | $27.76 | 141 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $58,193 | $27.98 | 1,245 |
| 5 | Maine | $60,758 | $29.21 | 130 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $56,746 | $27.28 | 788 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $76,271 | $36.67 | 67 |
| 8 | Arizona | $59,239 | $28.48 | 547 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $57,226 | $27.51 | 369 |
| 10 | Maryland | $56,680 | $27.25 | 727 |
| 11 | Washington | $53,066 | $25.51 | 909 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $51,290 | $24.66 | 1,371 |
| 13 | Oregon | $51,478 | $24.75 | 696 |
| 14 | Indiana | $54,732 | $26.31 | 541 |
| 15 | Delaware | $52,580 | $25.28 | 131 |
| 16 | Nevada | $57,029 | $27.42 | 110 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $51,402 | $24.71 | 57 |
| 18 | Colorado | $51,160 | $24.60 | 846 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $50,815 | $24.43 | 182 |
| 20 | Montana | $52,466 | $25.22 | 107 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $50,165 | $24.12 | 2,598 |
| 22 | Alaska | $52,731 | $25.35 | 72 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $50,344 | $24.20 | 475 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $51,685 | $24.85 | 207 |
| 25 | Illinois | $48,760 | $23.44 | 1,289 |
| 26 | New York | $48,247 | $23.20 | 1,698 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $46,076 | $22.15 | 968 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $48,923 | $23.52 | 124 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $46,931 | $22.56 | 229 |
| 30 | Michigan | $44,324 | $21.31 | 813 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $45,192 | $21.73 | 221 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $44,096 | $21.20 | 230 |
| 33 | Idaho | $46,797 | $22.50 | 130 |
| 34 | Utah | $45,198 | $21.73 | 302 |
| 35 | Ohio | $44,457 | $21.37 | 805 |
| 36 | Florida | $45,972 | $22.10 | 1,459 |
| 37 | Kansas | $45,281 | $21.77 | 213 |
| 38 | Vermont | $42,784 | $20.57 | 97 |
| 39 | Virginia | $45,571 | $21.91 | 918 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $43,995 | $21.15 | 87 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $43,857 | $21.09 | 235 |
| 42 | Missouri | $39,928 | $19.20 | 627 |
| 43 | Iowa | $42,890 | $20.62 | 280 |
| 44 | Texas | $41,607 | $20.00 | 1,735 |
| 45 | Alabama | $43,422 | $20.88 | 181 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $39,613 | $19.04 | 138 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $40,358 | $19.40 | 70 |
| 48 | Georgia | $41,286 | $19.85 | 815 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $39,699 | $19.09 | 137 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $39,026 | $18.76 | 222 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $38,016 | $18.28 | 171 |
Highest Paying Cities For Postdoctoral Research Associates
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis, TN | $67,878 | $32.63 | 11 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $67,345 | $32.38 | 50 |
| 3 | Tempe, AZ | $59,282 | $28.50 | |
| 4 | Providence, RI | $57,860 | $27.82 | 1 |
| 5 | Rochester, MN | $56,830 | $27.32 | |
| 6 | West Lafayette, IN | $54,891 | $26.39 | 3 |
| 7 | Richland, WA | $52,662 | $25.32 | 2 |
| 8 | Eugene, OR | $51,879 | $24.94 | 1 |
| 9 | Norman, OK | $51,724 | $24.87 | 2 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,404 | $24.71 | |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $50,329 | $24.20 | 3 |
| 12 | Troy, NY | $49,100 | $23.61 | |
| 13 | Urbana, IL | $48,972 | $23.54 | |
| 14 | Tallahassee, FL | $46,261 | $22.24 | |
| 15 | Idaho Falls, ID | $46,041 | $22.14 | 7 |
Postdoctoral Research Associates Salary Details
What is a Postdoctoral Research Associate's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $52,785 | $4,399 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest Paying Types of Postdoctoral Research Associates
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff Scientist | $93,941 | $7,828 | $45.16 | 121,054 |
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Research Laboratory Technician | $38,308 | $3,192 | $18.42 | 86,476 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Postdoctoral Research Associates The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argonne National Laboratory | $75,671 | $36.38 | 56 |
| 2 | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | $75,435 | $36.27 | 299 |
| 3 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $75,101 | $36.11 | 26 |
| 4 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $74,838 | $35.98 | |
| 5 | Los Alamos National Security LLC | $74,594 | $35.86 | |
| 6 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $74,484 | $35.81 | 151 |
| 7 | Battelle | $74,266 | $35.70 | 6 |
| 8 | TRI-AD | $69,890 | $33.60 | |
| 9 | St. John's University | $68,313 | $32.84 | |
| 10 | MassBay Community College | $67,546 | $32.47 | |
| 11 | The University of Tulsa | $66,783 | $32.11 | |
| 12 | University of Tennessee | $66,472 | $31.96 | 40 |
| 13 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $63,641 | $30.60 | 50 |
| 14 | Tennessee Technological University | $61,604 | $29.62 | 1 |
| 15 | Arizona State University | $61,230 | $29.44 | 16 |
| 16 | University of Memphis | $61,060 | $29.36 | 8 |
| 17 | American Chemical Society | $61,017 | $29.34 | 11 |
| 18 | Michigan State University | $60,610 | $29.14 | 201 |
| 19 | Morgridge Institute for Research | $60,535 | $29.10 | |
| 20 | University of Southern California | $60,170 | $28.93 | 164 |
Postdoctoral Research Associate Pay Trends
Average Postdoctoral Research Associate Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Postdoctoral Research Associate Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $52,800 | $25.38 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $51,200 | $24.62 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | $48,900 | $23.52 | +3.2% |
| 2020 | $47,400 | $22.77 | +1.9% |
| 2019 | $46,500 | $22.33 | -2.1% |
Recently Added Postdoctoral Research Associate Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington University In St. Louis | Postdoctoral Research Associate-Neuroscience | Saint Louis, MO | 05/01/2023 | $54,840 |
| Merck & Co., Inc. | Postdoctoral Research Associate | Rahway, NJ | 04/30/2023 | $75,000 |
| The University of Oklahoma Human Resources | Postdoctoral Research Associate In Fire Weather | Norman, OK | 04/30/2023 | $58,000 |
| Benaroya Research | Postdoctoral Research Associate | Seattle, WA | 04/30/2023 | $65,479 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Postdoctoral Research Associate-Process Chemist, Medicines for All Institute | Richmond, VA | 04/28/2023 | $58,500 |
| Idaho National Laboratory | Electrochemistry Postdoctoral Research Associate | Idaho Falls, ID | 04/26/2023 | $95,004 |
| Texas A&M University | Postdoctoral Research Associate | College Station, TX | 04/26/2023 | $50,000 |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Post Doctoral Research Associate (S04110P) | Arlington, TX | 04/26/2023 | $50,000 |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | Postdoctoral Associate-Janelia Research Campus | Campus, IL | 04/21/2023 | $68,672 |
| University of Connecticut | Postdoctoral Research Associate, Marine Sciences | Storrs, CT | 04/20/2023 | $56,000 |
Postdoctoral Research Associate Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Postdoctoral Research Associates The Most?
Hawaii pays Postdoctoral Research Associates the most in the United States, with an average salary of $76,271 per year, or $36.67 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Postdoctoral Research Associate?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Postdoctoral Research Associate if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in California you should be paid close to $67,490 per year.
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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