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Drug safety scientist salary
Average drug safety scientist salary
$101,897
Understanding the Drug Safety Scientist Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Drug Safety Scientist in the United States is approximately $101,897 per year, equating to about $49 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry. Drug Safety Scientists typically work in pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and research institutions.
Top Paying States
Some of the highest-paying states for Drug Safety Scientists include:
- California
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Washington
In these regions, the demand for skilled professionals in drug safety is particularly high, leading to increased compensation packages. Moreover, professionals with advanced degrees or certifications in pharmacovigilance and regulatory affairs may command higher salaries and have better job prospects.
Conclusion
With the growing emphasis on drug safety and regulatory compliance, pursuing a career as a Drug Safety Scientist can be both rewarding and lucrative. Job seekers should consider honing their skills and seeking opportunities in top-paying states to maximize their earning potential.
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Where can a Drug Safety Scientist earn more?
Drug safety scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average drug safety scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for drug safety scientists are California, Alaska, and Rhode Island. The lowest average drug safety scientist salary states are Alabama, Nebraska, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for drug safety scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $131,970 | $63.45 |
| 2 | Alaska | $117,901 | $56.68 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $109,745 | $52.76 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $105,123 | $50.54 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $117,858 | $56.66 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $104,563 | $50.27 |
| 7 | Delaware | $94,748 | $45.55 |
| 8 | Maine | $108,538 | $52.18 |
| 9 | Maryland | $99,283 | $47.73 |
| 10 | Nevada | $104,231 | $50.11 |
| 11 | Montana | $94,197 | $45.29 |
| 12 | Vermont | $89,829 | $43.19 |
| 13 | Washington | $86,903 | $41.78 |
| 14 | Oregon | $93,082 | $44.75 |
| 15 | New York | $86,750 | $41.71 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $85,966 | $41.33 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $92,990 | $44.71 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $82,821 | $39.82 |
| 19 | Virginia | $82,826 | $39.82 |
| 20 | Arizona | $86,904 | $41.78 |
| 21 | Indiana | $83,869 | $40.32 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $84,324 | $40.54 |
| 23 | Michigan | $83,666 | $40.22 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $72,117 | $34.67 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $80,358 | $38.63 |
| 26 | Idaho | $77,007 | $37.02 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $71,563 | $34.41 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $68,810 | $33.08 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $75,667 | $36.38 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $72,369 | $34.79 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $76,065 | $36.57 |
| 32 | Illinois | $70,675 | $33.98 |
| 33 | Ohio | $72,928 | $35.06 |
| 34 | Colorado | $69,970 | $33.64 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $61,986 | $29.80 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $61,585 | $29.61 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $68,566 | $32.96 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $69,756 | $33.54 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $65,271 | $31.38 |
| 40 | Florida | $65,374 | $31.43 |
| 41 | Utah | $61,759 | $29.69 |
| 42 | Alabama | $60,640 | $29.15 |
| 43 | Texas | $61,100 | $29.38 |
| 44 | Kansas | $60,963 | $29.31 |
| 45 | Georgia | $61,577 | $29.60 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $61,250 | $29.45 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $57,144 | $27.47 |
| 48 | Missouri | $50,996 | $24.52 |
| 49 | Iowa | $59,316 | $28.52 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $59,539 | $28.62 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $55,182 | $26.53 |
Highest paying cities for drug safety scientists
The highest-paying cities for drug safety scientists are San Francisco, CA, Edison, NJ, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $144,228 | $69.34 |
| 2 | Edison, NJ | $109,657 | $52.72 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $105,401 | $50.67 |
| 4 | Ridgefield, CT | $104,040 | $50.02 |
| 5 | Gaithersburg, MD | $98,511 | $47.36 |
| 6 | Vancouver, WA | $89,622 | $43.09 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $83,717 | $40.25 |
| 8 | Buffalo, NY | $83,254 | $40.03 |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | $72,534 | $34.87 |
| 10 | North Chicago, IL | $71,774 | $34.51 |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | $69,928 | $33.62 |
| 12 | Boulder, CO | $69,921 | $33.62 |
| 13 | Melbourne, FL | $65,547 | $31.51 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $61,829 | $29.73 |
| 15 | Saint Charles, MO | $50,959 | $24.50 |
Drug safety scientist salary details
A drug safety scientist's salary ranges from $68,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $151,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a drug safety scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $151,000 | $12,583 | $73 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| Average | $101,897 | $8,491 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
Highest paying drug safety scientist jobs
The highest paying types of drug safety scientists are medical science liaison, principal scientist, and senior scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| Researcher | $67,145 | $5,595 | $32.28 | 30,498 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| PHD Researcher | $51,634 | $4,303 | $24.82 | 19,736 |
| Doctoral Fellow | $53,366 | $4,447 | $25.66 | 22,661 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | $57,587 | $4,799 | $27.69 | 18,983 |
Top companies hiring drug safety scientists now:
Which companies pay drug safety scientists the most?
Drug safety scientist salaries at NVIDIA and Genentech are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average drug safety scientist salary at companies like Amgen and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVIDIA | $136,756 | $65.75 |
| 2 | Genentech | $127,840 | $61.46 |
| 3 | Amgen | $121,595 | $58.46 |
| 4 | Amazon | $118,859 | $57.14 |
| 5 | Vertex Pharmaceuticals | $113,898 | $54.76 |
| 6 | Pharmacyclics | $110,666 | $53.20 |
| 7 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $110,428 | $53.09 |
| 8 | Novartis | $110,223 | $52.99 |
| 9 | AstraZeneca | $109,567 | $52.68 |
| 10 | Boehringer Ingelheim | $107,964 | $51.91 |
| 11 | Pharmaceutical Research Associates, Inc. | $105,198 | $50.58 |
| 12 | The Fountain Group | $101,689 | $48.89 |
| 13 | Johnson & Johnson | $100,373 | $48.26 |
| 14 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $100,314 | $48.23 |
| 15 | UNICON International | $99,981 | $48.07 |
| 16 | Grifols | $98,378 | $47.30 |
| 17 | AbSci | $96,880 | $46.58 |
| 18 | Edgewise Therapeutics | $96,312 | $46.30 |
| 19 | Akebia Therapeutics | $96,075 | $46.19 |
| 20 | Syngenta | $95,401 | $45.87 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Drug Safety Scientist salary by industry
The average drug safety scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average drug safety scientist salary in the pharmaceutical industry is $106,328, the highest of any industry.
- The average drug safety scientist salary in the finance industry is $99,042.
- Drug safety scientists in the professional industry earn an average salary of $92,088, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for drug safety scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmaceutical | $106,328 | $51.12 |
| 2 | Technology | $99,042 | $47.62 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $97,078 | $46.67 |
| 4 | Health Care | $96,046 | $46.18 |
| 5 | Professional | $92,088 | $44.27 |
High paying drug safety scientist jobs
Drug safety scientist salary trends
The average drug safety scientist salary has risen by $17,126 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average drug safety scientist earned $84,771 annually, but today, they earn $101,897 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for drug safety scientists over the last decade.
Compare drug safety scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average drug safety scientist salary over time
Compare drug safety scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Drug safety scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $102,000 | $48.99 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $98,900 | $47.53 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $94,400 | $45.40 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $91,400 | $43.95 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $89,700 | $43.11 | -2.1% |
Recently added drug safety scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson & Johnson | Postdoctoral Scientist, Human Omics of Preclinical Safety Prediction, Ai/Ml | Spring House, PA | 06/27/2025 | $89,000 |
| Amazon | Applied Scientist, Workplace Health & Safety | Nashville, TN | 06/24/2025 | $136,000 |
| Genentech | Distinguished Scientist, Metabolism Drug Discovery | South San Francisco, CA | 06/20/2025 | $198,000 |
| UL, LLC | AI Safety Scientist | Bentonville, AR | 06/17/2025 | $125,800 |
| Amazon | Applied Scientist, Safety & DAT | Bellevue, WA | 05/28/2025 | $136,000 |
| Genentech | Distinguished Scientist, Metabolism Drug Discovery | South San Francisco, CA | 05/09/2025 | $198,000 |
| Astrazeneca PLC | Scientist, Oncology Targeted Discovery-Drug Conjugates | Gaithersburg, MD | 04/19/2025 | $87,200 |
| Fresenius Kabi Us | SR. Drug Safety Scientist | Lake Zurich, IL | 04/07/2025 | $110,000 |
| Bayside Solutions | Safety Scientist | Fremont, CA | 04/05/2025 | $145,600 |
| Third Rock Ventures | Safety Scientist | Redwood City, CA | 02/25/2025 | $116,000 |
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