Research and development scientist demographics and statistics in the US
Research and development scientist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates research and development scientist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our research and development 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 research and development scientists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 42,971 research and development scientists currently employed in the United States.
- 35.6% of all research and development scientists are women, while 64.4% are men.
- The average research and development scientist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of research and development scientists is White (53.3%), followed by Asian (26.3%), Hispanic or Latino (9.7%) and Black or African American (6.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 100% of what men earned.
- 8% of all research and development scientists are LGBT.
- Research and development scientists are 51% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
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Research and development scientist demographics by:
Research and development scientist gender statistics
35.6% of research and development scientists are women and 64.4% of research and development scientists are men.
- Male, 64.4%
- Female, 35.6%
Research and development scientist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 64.4% |
| Female | 35.6% |
Research and development scientist gender pay gap
Women earn $1.00 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$88,248
Female income
$88,599
Research and development scientist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in research and development scientist positions over time. Currently, 35.6% of research and development scientists are female.
Research and development scientist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.34% | 31.66% |
| 2011 | 65.08% | 34.92% |
| 2012 | 70.67% | 29.33% |
| 2013 | 66.51% | 33.49% |
| 2014 | 67.43% | 32.57% |
| 2015 | 68.22% | 31.78% |
| 2016 | 64.06% | 35.94% |
| 2017 | 66.24% | 33.76% |
| 2018 | 64.99% | 35.01% |
| 2019 | 63.36% | 36.64% |
| 2020 | 63.17% | 36.83% |
| 2021 | 64.35% | 35.65% |
Research and development scientist related jobs gender ratio
We compared research and development 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% |
| Research And Development Scientist | 64% | 36% |
| Forestry Consultant | 93% | 7% |
| Field Agronomist | 94% | 6% |
| Procurement Forester | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Research and development scientist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among research and development scientists is White, which makes up 53.3% of all research and development scientists. Comparatively, 26.3% of research and development scientists are Asian and 9.7% of research and development scientists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 53.3%
- Asian, 26.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.7%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Research and development scientist race
| Research and development scientist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.3% |
| Asian | 26.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Research and development scientist race and ethnicity over time
See how research and development scientist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Research and development scientist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 56.53% | 5.27% | 28.89% | 6.74% |
| 2011 | 55.29% | 5.70% | 29.36% | 7.38% |
| 2012 | 56.10% | 5.49% | 28.53% | 7.13% |
| 2013 | 56.69% | 5.59% | 27.14% | 7.87% |
| 2014 | 56.37% | 5.93% | 27.74% | 6.90% |
| 2015 | 56.49% | 5.37% | 28.53% | 6.84% |
| 2016 | 55.86% | 5.16% | 27.33% | 9.03% |
| 2017 | 55.99% | 6.03% | 26.83% | 7.96% |
| 2018 | 55.10% | 5.78% | 27.68% | 8.08% |
| 2019 | 56.49% | 5.43% | 26.89% | 8.46% |
| 2020 | 54.62% | 5.04% | 27.17% | 9.36% |
| 2021 | 53.30% | 6.43% | 26.33% | 9.68% |
Research and development scientist wage gap by race
According to our data, white research and development scientists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino research and development scientists have the lowest average salary at $86,117.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $87,933 |
| White | $89,666 |
| Black or African American | $88,265 |
| Asian | $89,303 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $86,117 |
Average research and development scientist age
See how the average age of research and development scientists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Research and development 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 |
Research and development scientist age breakdown
The average age of research and development scientists is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the research and development scientist population.
Research and development scientist age breakdown
| Research And Development Scientist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 39% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Research and development scientist educational attainment
The most common degree for research and development scientists is bachelor's degree, with 62% of research and development scientists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 17%
- Doctorate, 10%
- Associate, 7%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Research and development scientists by degree level
| Research and development scientist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 62% |
| Master's | 17% |
| Doctorate | 10% |
| Associate | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Research and development scientist jobs you might like
Research and development scientist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, research and development scientists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $91,840 annually. With a Master's degree, research and development scientists earn a median annual income of $87,756 compared to $86,163 for research and development scientists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $87,756 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $86,163 |
| Doctorate Degree | $91,840 |
Research and development scientist employment statistics
Most research and development scientists work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where research and development scientists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where research and development scientists work.
Research and development scientist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 30% |
Research and development scientist jobs by company type
Employees with the research and development scientist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most research and development scientists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Research and development scientist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 43% |
| Private | 51% |
| Government | 1% |
Research and development scientist jobs by industry
The most common industries for research and development scientists are manufacturing, pharmaceutical and health care.
Research and development scientist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20% |
| Pharmaceutical | 18% |
| Health Care | 15% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Education | 5% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Research and development scientist turnover and employment statistics
Research and development scientist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for research and development scientists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Research and development scientist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Research and development 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 research and development scientist tenure
The average research and development scientist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,583 research and development scientists resumes in Zippia's database.
Research and development scientist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Research and development scientist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of research and development 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Resource Conservation Specialist | 8.40% | 7,600 |
| Research And Development Scientist | 8.45% | - |
| Wildlife Ecologist | 9.74% | 257 |
| On-Site Soil Evaluator | 19.06% | 8,317 |
Similar research and development scientist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Resource Conservation Specialist | 8.40% | 7,600 |
| Wildlife Ecologist | 9.74% | 257 |
| On-Site Soil Evaluator | 19.06% | 8,317 |
Foreign languages spoken by research and development scientists
The most common foreign language among research and development scientists is Spanish at 30.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.6% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 8.3%.
- Spanish, 30.1%
- French, 16.6%
- Chinese, 8.3%
- Mandarin, 7.3%
- German, 5.7%
- Other, 32.0%
Research and development scientist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 30.1% |
| French | 16.6% |
| Chinese | 8.3% |
| Mandarin | 7.3% |
| German | 5.7% |
| Other | 32.0% |
