Research scientist demographics and statistics in the US
Research scientist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates research scientist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our research 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 scientists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 69,135 research scientists currently employed in the United States.
- 37.5% of all research scientists are women, while 62.5% are men.
- The average research scientist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of research scientists is White (50.7%), followed by Asian (29.6%), Hispanic or Latino (9.4%) and Black or African American (6.2%).
- In 2022, women earned 101% of what men earned.
- 8% of all research scientists are LGBT.
- Research scientists are 34% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to public companies.
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Research scientist demographics by:
Research scientist gender statistics
37.5% of research scientists are women and 62.5% of research scientists are men.
- Male, 62.5%
- Female, 37.5%
Research scientist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 62.5% |
| Female | 37.5% |
Research scientist gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$87,406
Female income
$87,853
Research scientist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in research scientist positions over time. Currently, 37.5% of research scientists are female.
Research scientist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.54% | 33.46% |
| 2011 | 63.20% | 36.80% |
| 2012 | 68.94% | 31.06% |
| 2013 | 64.66% | 35.34% |
| 2014 | 65.61% | 34.39% |
| 2015 | 66.41% | 33.59% |
| 2016 | 62.15% | 37.85% |
| 2017 | 64.38% | 35.62% |
| 2018 | 63.10% | 36.90% |
| 2019 | 61.44% | 38.56% |
| 2020 | 61.25% | 38.75% |
| 2021 | 62.45% | 37.55% |
Research scientist related jobs gender ratio
We compared research 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 Scientist | 62% | 38% |
| 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 scientist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among research scientists is White, which makes up 50.7% of all research scientists. Comparatively, 29.6% of research scientists are Asian and 9.4% of research scientists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 50.7%
- Asian, 29.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.4%
- Black or African American, 6.2%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Research scientist race
| Research scientist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 50.7% |
| Asian | 29.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.4% |
| Black or African American | 6.2% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Research scientist race and ethnicity over time
See how research scientist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Research scientist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 53.91% | 5.02% | 32.17% | 6.42% |
| 2011 | 52.67% | 5.44% | 32.64% | 7.06% |
| 2012 | 53.48% | 5.24% | 31.80% | 6.81% |
| 2013 | 54.07% | 5.33% | 30.41% | 7.55% |
| 2014 | 53.75% | 5.67% | 31.02% | 6.57% |
| 2015 | 53.87% | 5.12% | 31.80% | 6.52% |
| 2016 | 53.24% | 4.91% | 30.61% | 8.71% |
| 2017 | 53.37% | 5.77% | 30.10% | 7.64% |
| 2018 | 52.48% | 5.53% | 30.96% | 7.76% |
| 2019 | 53.87% | 5.18% | 30.17% | 8.14% |
| 2020 | 52.00% | 4.79% | 30.45% | 9.04% |
| 2021 | 50.67% | 6.17% | 29.61% | 9.36% |
Research scientist wage gap by race
According to our data, white research scientists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino research scientists have the lowest average salary at $84,703.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $87,005 |
| White | $89,215 |
| Black or African American | $87,428 |
| Asian | $88,750 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $84,703 |
Average research scientist age
See how the average age of research scientists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Research 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 scientist age breakdown
The average age of research scientists is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the research scientist population.
Research scientist age breakdown
| Research Scientist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 39% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Research scientist educational attainment
The most common degree for research scientists is bachelor's degree, with 52% of research scientists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 25% and doctoral degree degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Doctorate, 25%
- Master's, 20%
- Associate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Research scientists by degree level
| Research scientist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 52% |
| Doctorate | 25% |
| Master's | 20% |
| Associate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Research scientist jobs you might like
Research scientist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, research scientists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $92,004 annually. With a Master's degree, research scientists earn a median annual income of $86,781 compared to $84,762 for research scientists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $86,781 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $84,762 |
| Doctorate Degree | $92,004 |
Research scientist employment statistics
Most research scientists work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where research scientists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where research scientists work.
Research scientist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 2% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 36% |
| > 10,000 employees | 34% |
Research scientist jobs by company type
Employees with the research scientist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most research scientists prefer to work at education companies over public companies.
Research scientist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 34% |
| Public | 32% |
| Private | 31% |
| Government | 3% |
Research scientist jobs by industry
The most common industries for research scientists are education, health care and technology.
Research scientist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 26% |
| Health Care | 12% |
| Technology | 11% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Pharmaceutical | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Research scientist turnover and employment statistics
Research scientist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for research scientists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Research scientist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Research 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 scientist tenure
The average research scientist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 13,685 research scientists resumes in Zippia's database.
Research scientist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Research scientist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of research 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Park Warden | 8.40% | 824 |
| Research Scientist | 8.45% | - |
| Medical Genetics Director | 9.74% | 51,409 |
| Food Safety Scientist | 19.06% | 106,128 |
Similar research scientist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Park Warden | 8.40% | 824 |
| Medical Genetics Director | 9.74% | 51,409 |
| Food Safety Scientist | 19.06% | 106,128 |
Foreign languages spoken by research scientists
The most common foreign language among research scientists is Spanish at 21.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 13.7% and French is the third-most popular at 12.5%.
- Spanish, 21.7%
- Chinese, 13.7%
- French, 12.5%
- German, 8.1%
- Mandarin, 8.1%
- Other, 35.9%
Research scientist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 21.7% |
| Chinese | 13.7% |
| French | 12.5% |
| German | 8.1% |
| Mandarin | 8.1% |
| Other | 35.9% |
