Principal scientist demographics and statistics in the US
Principal scientist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates principal scientist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our principal scientist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about principal scientists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 19,278 principal scientists currently employed in the United States.
- 23.2% of all principal scientists are women, while 76.8% are men.
- The average principal scientist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of principal scientists is White (53.4%), followed by Asian (26.4%), Hispanic or Latino (9.6%) and Black or African American (6.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 100% of what men earned.
- 8% of all principal scientists are LGBT.
- Principal scientists are 49% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Principal scientist demographics by:
Principal scientist gender statistics
23.2% of principal scientists are women and 76.8% of principal scientists are men.
- Male, 76.8%
- Female, 23.2%
Principal scientist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 76.8% |
| Female | 23.2% |
Principal scientist gender pay gap
Women earn $1.00 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$117,147
Female income
$117,637
Principal scientist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in principal scientist positions over time. Currently, 23.2% of principal scientists are female.
Principal scientist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 79.79% | 20.21% |
| 2011 | 77.33% | 22.67% |
| 2012 | 81.51% | 18.49% |
| 2013 | 78.42% | 21.58% |
| 2014 | 79.12% | 20.88% |
| 2015 | 79.71% | 20.29% |
| 2016 | 76.54% | 23.46% |
| 2017 | 78.21% | 21.79% |
| 2018 | 77.26% | 22.74% |
| 2019 | 75.99% | 24.01% |
| 2020 | 75.84% | 24.16% |
| 2021 | 76.76% | 23.24% |
Principal scientist related jobs gender ratio
We compared principal scientists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, procurement forester and field agronomist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Behaviorist | 18% | 82% |
| Chronic Disease Epidemiologist | 25% | 75% |
| Collector Of Aquarium Specimens | 27% | 73% |
| Principal Scientist | 77% | 23% |
| Forestry Consultant | 93% | 7% |
| Field Agronomist | 94% | 6% |
| Procurement Forester | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Principal scientist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among principal scientists is White, which makes up 53.4% of all principal scientists. Comparatively, 26.4% of principal scientists are Asian and 9.6% of principal scientists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 53.4%
- Asian, 26.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.6%
- Black or African American, 6.3%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Principal scientist race
| Principal scientist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.4% |
| Asian | 26.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.6% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Principal scientist race and ethnicity over time
See how principal scientist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Principal scientist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 56.67% | 5.19% | 28.96% | 6.64% |
| 2011 | 55.42% | 5.62% | 29.43% | 7.29% |
| 2012 | 56.23% | 5.41% | 28.60% | 7.04% |
| 2013 | 56.82% | 5.51% | 27.20% | 7.78% |
| 2014 | 56.50% | 5.85% | 27.81% | 6.80% |
| 2015 | 56.63% | 5.29% | 28.60% | 6.75% |
| 2016 | 55.99% | 5.09% | 27.40% | 8.94% |
| 2017 | 56.12% | 5.95% | 26.89% | 7.86% |
| 2018 | 55.23% | 5.70% | 27.75% | 7.98% |
| 2019 | 56.62% | 5.35% | 26.96% | 8.36% |
| 2020 | 54.75% | 4.97% | 27.24% | 9.27% |
| 2021 | 53.43% | 6.35% | 26.40% | 9.58% |
Principal scientist wage gap by race
According to our data, white principal scientists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino principal scientists have the lowest average salary at $114,176.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $116,708 |
| White | $119,127 |
| Black or African American | $117,171 |
| Asian | $118,619 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $114,176 |
Average principal scientist age
See how the average age of principal scientists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Principal scientist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40 | 34 |
| White | 39 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 40 |
| Asian | 40 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 36 |
Principal scientist age breakdown
The average age of principal scientists is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the principal scientist population.
Principal scientist age breakdown
| Principal Scientist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 39% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Principal scientist educational attainment
The most common degree for principal scientists is bachelor's degree, with 51% of principal scientists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 33% and doctoral degree degree at 14%.
- Bachelor's, 51%
- Doctorate, 33%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Principal scientists by degree level
| Principal scientist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 51% |
| Doctorate | 33% |
| Master's | 14% |
| Associate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Principal scientist jobs you might like
Principal scientist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, principal scientists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $122,164 annually. With a Master's degree, principal scientists earn a median annual income of $116,462 compared to $114,241 for principal scientists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $116,462 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $114,241 |
| Doctorate Degree | $122,164 |
Principal scientist employment statistics
Most principal scientists work for a public in the health care industry.
Company size where principal scientists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where principal scientists work.
Principal scientist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 33% |
Principal scientist jobs by company type
Employees with the principal scientist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most principal scientists prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Principal scientist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 49% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 3% |
Principal scientist jobs by industry
The most common industries for principal scientists are health care, pharmaceutical and manufacturing.
Principal scientist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 18% |
| Pharmaceutical | 17% |
| Manufacturing | 15% |
| Fortune 500 | 12% |
| Technology | 12% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Principal scientist turnover and employment statistics
Principal scientist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for principal scientists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Principal scientist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Principal scientist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.36% |
| 2011 | 2.60% |
| 2012 | 3.20% |
| 2013 | 2.82% |
| 2014 | 2.34% |
| 2015 | 2.18% |
| 2016 | 2.71% |
| 2017 | 2.30% |
| 2018 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | 1.58% |
| 2020 | 2.14% |
| 2021 | 1.42% |
Average principal scientist tenure
The average principal scientist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,865 principal scientists resumes in Zippia's database.
Principal scientist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 5% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 21% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 18% |
Principal scientist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of principal scientists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Engineer | 8.40% | 2,932 |
| Principal Scientist | 8.45% | - |
| Resource Biologist | 9.74% | 8,041 |
| Molecular Research Technologist | 19.06% | 94,466 |
Similar principal scientist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Engineer | 8.40% | 2,932 |
| Resource Biologist | 9.74% | 8,041 |
| Molecular Research Technologist | 19.06% | 94,466 |
Foreign languages spoken by principal scientists
The most common foreign language among principal scientists is Russian at 20.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 17.4% and Spanish is the third-most popular at 7.2%.
- Russian, 20.3%
- Chinese, 17.4%
- Spanish, 7.2%
- German, 7.2%
- Mandarin, 5.8%
- Other, 42.1%
Principal scientist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Russian | 20.3% |
| Chinese | 17.4% |
| Spanish | 7.2% |
| German | 7.2% |
| Mandarin | 5.8% |
| Other | 42.1% |
