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Assay development scientist salary
Average assay development scientist salary
$75,782
Understanding Assay Development Scientist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for an Assay Development Scientist in the United States is approximately $75,782 per year, translating to about $36 per hour. Salaries in this field can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one works.
Salary by State
States like California and Massachusetts often report higher salaries for assay development scientists, reaching upwards of $90,000 annually. This can be attributed to the concentration of biotechnology firms and research institutions in these areas.
Industry Impact
Industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology tend to offer competitive salaries. For instance, assay development scientists working in research and development roles often see higher compensation due to the critical nature of their work.
Job Prospects
With a growing demand for advanced diagnostics and therapeutic developments, opportunities for assay development scientists are expanding. Professionals in this field can expect to find roles in laboratories, research institutions, and pharmaceutical companies, all of which play a pivotal role in advancing healthcare solutions.
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Where can an Assay Development Scientist earn more?
Assay development scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average assay development scientist salary by state
The average assay development scientist salary in Alaska, California, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average assay development scientist salary states are Nebraska, Missouri, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for assay development scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $101,469 | $48.78 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $81,498 | $39.18 |
| 3 | California | $92,466 | $44.45 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $77,915 | $37.46 |
| 5 | Nevada | $83,158 | $39.98 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $87,853 | $42.24 |
| 7 | Indiana | $78,065 | $37.53 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $89,996 | $43.27 |
| 9 | Delaware | $77,218 | $37.12 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $75,459 | $36.28 |
| 11 | Maine | $81,950 | $39.40 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $70,798 | $34.04 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $66,497 | $31.97 |
| 14 | Montana | $78,670 | $37.82 |
| 15 | New York | $77,775 | $37.39 |
| 16 | Oregon | $81,203 | $39.04 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $78,789 | $37.88 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $65,292 | $31.39 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $64,925 | $31.21 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $66,978 | $32.20 |
| 21 | Maryland | $70,963 | $34.12 |
| 22 | Michigan | $63,789 | $30.67 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $63,150 | $30.36 |
| 24 | Washington | $70,031 | $33.67 |
| 25 | Virginia | $71,593 | $34.42 |
| 26 | Ohio | $63,180 | $30.38 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $60,502 | $29.09 |
| 28 | Vermont | $68,162 | $32.77 |
| 29 | Arizona | $67,652 | $32.52 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $55,155 | $26.52 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $55,999 | $26.92 |
| 32 | Florida | $56,527 | $27.18 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $53,393 | $25.67 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $58,998 | $28.36 |
| 35 | Idaho | $63,076 | $30.32 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $63,620 | $30.59 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $60,757 | $29.21 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $59,585 | $28.65 |
| 39 | Kansas | $53,350 | $25.65 |
| 40 | Illinois | $61,468 | $29.55 |
| 41 | Colorado | $62,177 | $29.89 |
| 42 | Alabama | $53,768 | $25.85 |
| 43 | Iowa | $52,923 | $25.44 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $52,595 | $25.29 |
| 45 | Missouri | $52,586 | $25.28 |
| 46 | Georgia | $47,463 | $22.82 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $53,129 | $25.54 |
| 48 | Texas | $54,718 | $26.31 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $51,562 | $24.79 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $46,902 | $22.55 |
| 51 | Utah | $42,682 | $20.52 |
Highest paying cities for assay development scientists
The highest-paying cities for assay development scientists are San Francisco, CA, Hoboken, NJ, and Branford, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $103,809 | $49.91 |
| 2 | Hoboken, NJ | $87,987 | $42.30 |
| 3 | Branford, CT | $78,983 | $37.97 |
| 4 | Danvers, MA | $78,122 | $37.56 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $77,693 | $37.35 |
| 6 | Rockville, MD | $70,861 | $34.07 |
| 7 | Memphis, TN | $69,921 | $33.62 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $66,733 | $32.08 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $65,677 | $31.58 |
| 10 | Cleveland, OH | $64,005 | $30.77 |
| 11 | Kalamazoo, MI | $63,249 | $30.41 |
| 12 | Madison, WI | $62,689 | $30.14 |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $62,224 | $29.92 |
| 14 | Northbrook, IL | $61,976 | $29.80 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $55,250 | $26.56 |
Assay development scientist salary details
An assay development scientist's salary ranges from $50,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $113,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an assay development scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $113,000 | $9,417 | $54 |
| 75th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| Average | $75,782 | $6,315 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| 10th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
Highest paying assay development scientist jobs
The highest paying types of assay development scientists are medical science liaison, senior scientist, and scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Research Chemist | $75,843 | $6,320 | $36.46 | 53,769 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
Top companies hiring assay development scientists now:
Which companies pay assay development scientists the most?
Assay development scientist salaries at Genentech and Natera are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average assay development scientist salary at companies like AbbVie and Biogen are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genentech | $100,199 | $48.17 |
| 2 | Natera | $99,829 | $47.99 |
| 3 | AbbVie | $96,812 | $46.54 |
| 4 | Biogen | $92,519 | $44.48 |
| 5 | Abbott | $90,971 | $43.74 |
| 6 | Hyperion Materials & Technologies | $90,060 | $43.30 |
| 7 | BD | $87,997 | $42.31 |
| 8 | Polysciences | $86,340 | $41.51 |
| 9 | Invitae | $85,799 | $41.25 |
| 10 | PEAK Technical Staffing USA | $84,513 | $40.63 |
| 11 | Alere | $81,842 | $39.35 |
| 12 | Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc | $81,762 | $39.31 |
| 13 | Flagship Pioneering | $81,690 | $39.27 |
| 14 | Regeneron | $81,583 | $39.22 |
| 15 | Merck | $81,565 | $39.21 |
| 16 | SEER | $80,681 | $38.79 |
| 17 | Zoetis | $79,322 | $38.14 |
| 18 | Pfizer | $78,916 | $37.94 |
| 19 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $78,421 | $37.70 |
| 20 | Foundation Medicine | $77,647 | $37.33 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Assay Development Scientist salary by industry
The average assay development scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average assay development scientist salary in the manufacturing industry is $91,061, the highest of any industry.
- The average assay development scientist salary in the finance industry is $84,424.
- Assay development scientists in the health care industry earn an average salary of $80,795, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for assay development scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $91,061 | $43.78 |
| 2 | Professional | $84,424 | $40.59 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $81,254 | $39.06 |
| 4 | Health Care | $80,795 | $38.84 |
High paying assay development scientist jobs
Assay development scientist salary trends
The average assay development scientist salary has risen by $12,737 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average assay development scientist earned $63,045 annually, but today, they earn $75,782 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for assay development scientists over the last decade.
Compare assay development scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average assay development scientist salary over time
Compare assay development scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Assay development scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $75,800 | $36.43 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $73,500 | $35.35 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $70,200 | $33.77 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $68,000 | $32.68 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $66,700 | $32.06 | -2.1% |
Recently added assay development scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's University (New York | Clinical Assay Development Assistant Scientist | New York, NY | 06/12/2025 | $65,000 |
| Third Rock Ventures | Scientist II, Qpcr Assay | San Francisco, CA | 05/28/2025 | $130,000 |
| Insitro | Scientist II, Qpcr Assay | South San Francisco, CA | 05/28/2025 | $130,000 |
| Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom | Scientist, IVD Assay Development | San Jose, CA | 05/18/2025 | $104,350 |
| Kelly Services | Scientist, IVD Assay Development | Sunnyvale, CA | 05/13/2025 | $104,350 |
| Insitro | Scientist II, Qpcr Assay | South San Francisco, CA | 04/28/2025 | $130,000 |
| Third Rock Ventures | Scientist II, Qpcr Assay | San Francisco, CA | 04/21/2025 | $130,000 |
| Merck | Scientist, In Vitro Assays | South San Francisco, CA | 03/30/2025 | $105,900 |
| Bio-Rad Laboratories | Title: Scientist-Molecular Assay Development | Pleasanton, CA | 03/27/2025 | $94,100 |
| Astrazeneca PLC | Assay Scientist | Gaithersburg, MD | 03/26/2025 | $80,654 |
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