Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Research and development scientist salary
Average research and development scientist salary
$90,278
Comprehensive Salary Insights for Research and Development Scientists
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Research and Development Scientist in the United States stands at $90,278 annually, translating to approximately $43 per hour. Salary expectations can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, positions in the pharmaceutical industry often offer higher salaries compared to those in academia.
When exploring opportunities, consider states like California, Massachusetts, and New York, which are known for higher compensation rates. Moreover, industries such as biotechnology and healthcare frequently provide competitive salaries to attract top talent.
Research and Development Scientists play a crucial role in driving innovation, making their skills highly sought after. Understanding the salary range for this profession can empower you to negotiate effectively and make informed career decisions. Explore various job listings to find the best fit for your skills and career goals.
Let Zippia find your next research and development scientist job
Let Zippia find your next research and development scientist job
Where can a Research And Development Scientist earn more?
Research and development scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average research and development scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for research and development scientists are Tennessee, California, and Delaware. The lowest average research and development scientist salary states are Georgia, Iowa, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research and development scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee | $116,118 | $55.83 |
| 2 | Delaware | $102,889 | $49.47 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $91,677 | $44.08 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $98,848 | $47.52 |
| 5 | California | $110,346 | $53.05 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $99,004 | $47.60 |
| 7 | Indiana | $95,454 | $45.89 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $95,179 | $45.76 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $95,180 | $45.76 |
| 10 | Alaska | $89,462 | $43.01 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $87,410 | $42.02 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $80,046 | $38.48 |
| 13 | Arizona | $96,752 | $46.52 |
| 14 | Maine | $94,862 | $45.61 |
| 15 | Montana | $94,127 | $45.25 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $79,663 | $38.30 |
| 17 | Nevada | $87,063 | $41.86 |
| 18 | Washington | $92,924 | $44.67 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $84,561 | $40.65 |
| 20 | Virginia | $88,377 | $42.49 |
| 21 | Maryland | $82,233 | $39.54 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $100,825 | $48.47 |
| 23 | Michigan | $77,991 | $37.50 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $75,998 | $36.54 |
| 25 | New York | $82,511 | $39.67 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $76,955 | $37.00 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $72,780 | $34.99 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $77,090 | $37.06 |
| 29 | Oregon | $79,533 | $38.24 |
| 30 | Ohio | $76,807 | $36.93 |
| 31 | Illinois | $83,637 | $40.21 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $70,844 | $34.06 |
| 33 | Colorado | $75,825 | $36.45 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $68,469 | $32.92 |
| 35 | Florida | $69,120 | $33.23 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $67,452 | $32.43 |
| 37 | Idaho | $75,906 | $36.49 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $64,678 | $31.10 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $71,032 | $34.15 |
| 40 | Vermont | $68,874 | $33.11 |
| 41 | Kansas | $67,797 | $32.59 |
| 42 | Texas | $73,059 | $35.12 |
| 43 | Missouri | $64,812 | $31.16 |
| 44 | Alabama | $67,202 | $32.31 |
| 45 | Georgia | $63,974 | $30.76 |
| 46 | Iowa | $63,773 | $30.66 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $64,816 | $31.16 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $61,506 | $29.57 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $62,545 | $30.07 |
| 50 | Utah | $57,957 | $27.86 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $56,972 | $27.39 |
Highest paying cities for research and development scientists
The highest-paying cities for research and development scientists are South San Francisco, CA, Oak Ridge, TN, and Newark, DE.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South San Francisco, CA | $120,052 | $57.72 |
| 2 | Oak Ridge, TN | $117,621 | $56.55 |
| 3 | Newark, DE | $102,845 | $49.44 |
| 4 | Chandler, AZ | $96,717 | $46.50 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $95,293 | $45.81 |
| 6 | Newark, NJ | $95,155 | $45.75 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $91,695 | $44.08 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $87,436 | $42.04 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $83,829 | $40.30 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $82,674 | $39.75 |
| 11 | Germantown, MD | $82,091 | $39.47 |
| 12 | Greenville, NC | $80,885 | $38.89 |
| 13 | Bend, OR | $78,203 | $37.60 |
| 14 | Madison, WI | $76,710 | $36.88 |
| 15 | Mason, OH | $76,167 | $36.62 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $75,811 | $36.45 |
| 17 | Twin Falls, ID | $74,344 | $35.74 |
| 18 | Austin, TX | $73,754 | $35.46 |
| 19 | Albuquerque, NM | $70,880 | $34.08 |
| 20 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $70,025 | $33.67 |
Research and development scientist salary details
A research and development scientist's salary ranges from $64,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $125,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research and development scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| 75th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| Average | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43 |
| 25th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
Highest paying research and development scientist jobs
The highest paying types of research and development scientists are senior scientist, scientist, and staff scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Chemical Technician | $42,584 | $3,549 | $20.47 | 40,191 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Quality Control Chemist | $58,892 | $4,908 | $28.31 | 90,467 |
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for research and development scientists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Howard Whiteman
Professor of Biological Sciences, Director of the Watershed Studies Institute, Murray State University
Top companies hiring research and development scientists now:
Which companies pay research and development scientists the most?
Research and development scientist salaries at Apple and Battelle are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research and development scientist salary at companies like Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $143,630 | $69.05 |
| 2 | Battelle | $121,046 | $58.20 |
| 3 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $119,331 | $57.37 |
| 4 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $118,822 | $57.13 |
| 5 | Amazon | $117,320 | $56.40 |
| 6 | Sandia National Labs | $117,098 | $56.30 |
| 7 | Gillette | $115,872 | $55.71 |
| 8 | AbbVie | $114,837 | $55.21 |
| 9 | Eli Lilly and Company | $113,605 | $54.62 |
| 10 | SAP | $112,111 | $53.90 |
| 11 | Bayer | $110,895 | $53.31 |
| 12 | SAS Institute | $110,750 | $53.25 |
| 13 | GCP Applied Technologies | $108,204 | $52.02 |
| 14 | Synaptics | $106,195 | $51.06 |
| 15 | Precigen | $106,081 | $51.00 |
| 16 | Kraton | $105,413 | $50.68 |
| 17 | Natera | $104,779 | $50.37 |
| 18 | VMware | $104,682 | $50.33 |
| 19 | AstraZeneca | $104,530 | $50.25 |
| 20 | Entegris | $104,095 | $50.05 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research And Development Scientist salary by industry
The average research and development scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average research and development scientist salary in the health care industry is $91,180, the highest of any industry.
- The average research and development scientist salary in the finance industry is $89,501.
- Research and development scientists in the professional industry earn an average salary of $87,512, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research and development scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $91,180 | $43.84 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $89,501 | $43.03 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $88,067 | $42.34 |
| 4 | Professional | $87,512 | $42.07 |
High paying research and development scientist jobs
Research and development scientist salary trends
The average research and development scientist salary has risen by $15,173 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research and development scientist earned $75,105 annually, but today, they earn $90,278 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for research and development scientists over the last decade.
Compare research and development scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research and development scientist salary over time
Compare research and development scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research and development scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,300 | $43.40 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $87,600 | $42.11 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $83,700 | $40.23 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $81,000 | $38.94 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $79,400 | $38.20 | -2.1% |
Recently added research and development scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clorox | Research and Development Scientist, Food Product/Process Developer | Pleasanton, CA | 06/30/2025 | $88,700 |
| Clorox | Research and Development Senior Scientist, Product and Process | Willowbrook, IL | 06/30/2025 | $106,700 |
| American Regent | R&D Formulation Scientist I | Shirley, NY | 06/30/2025 | $95,000 |
| Actalent | Cosmetic R&D Scientist (Skincare) | Miami, FL | 06/29/2025 | $62,610 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Research Scientist I-Method Development, Bioanalytical Chemistry | Cleveland, OH | 06/27/2025 | $85,000 |
| The Kraft Heinz Company | Scientist, R&D-Consumer Experience | Glenview, IL | 06/27/2025 | $77,800 |
| Labcorp | R&D Analytical Scientist | Saint Paul, MN | 06/26/2025 | $110,000 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Research Scientist II-Scientific Software Development-School of Physics LC | Atlanta, GA | 06/26/2025 | $80,000 |
| Biocoat | Research & Development Scientist | Horsham, PA | 06/25/2025 | $60,000 |
| Rose International | R&D Coordinator Scientist Opening #484547 | Valhalla, NY | 06/24/2025 | $83,480 |
Research and development scientist salary FAQs
Search for research and development scientist jobs