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Laboratory scientist salary
Average laboratory scientist salary
$66,249
Average Laboratory Scientist Salary
The average salary for a laboratory scientist is approximately $66,249 annually, with an hourly rate of about $32. Salary can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry of employment. For instance, states like California and Massachusetts tend to offer higher salaries due to their cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Job Opportunities
Laboratory scientists find opportunities in various sectors, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and research institutions. The highest-paying positions are often found in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, where advanced research and development are crucial. Positions in clinical laboratories or hospitals may offer competitive salaries coupled with benefits.
Factors Affecting Salary
Experience significantly impacts salary levels; more experienced laboratory scientists typically earn higher wages. Additionally, obtaining specialized certifications can further enhance earning potential. As the demand for laboratory scientists continues to grow, staying informed about salary trends and industry demands is essential for career advancement.
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Where can a Laboratory Scientist earn more?
Laboratory scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average laboratory scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for laboratory scientists are Connecticut, California, and Delaware. The lowest average laboratory scientist salary states are South Carolina, Nebraska, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for laboratory scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $84,643 | $40.69 |
| 2 | California | $88,738 | $42.66 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $81,362 | $39.12 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $99,998 | $48.08 |
| 5 | Delaware | $84,895 | $40.81 |
| 6 | New York | $75,022 | $36.07 |
| 7 | Maine | $77,525 | $37.27 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $79,404 | $38.17 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $64,913 | $31.21 |
| 10 | Maryland | $68,469 | $32.92 |
| 11 | Illinois | $71,112 | $34.19 |
| 12 | Vermont | $64,255 | $30.89 |
| 13 | Indiana | $75,109 | $36.11 |
| 14 | Alaska | $65,148 | $31.32 |
| 15 | Arizona | $69,334 | $33.33 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $61,171 | $29.41 |
| 17 | Michigan | $66,055 | $31.76 |
| 18 | Washington | $63,302 | $30.43 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $61,933 | $29.78 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $64,309 | $30.92 |
| 21 | Oregon | $63,962 | $30.75 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $60,897 | $29.28 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $56,445 | $27.14 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $59,283 | $28.50 |
| 25 | Virginia | $60,824 | $29.24 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $68,395 | $32.88 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $70,453 | $33.87 |
| 28 | Nevada | $63,659 | $30.61 |
| 29 | Montana | $59,211 | $28.47 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $55,809 | $26.83 |
| 31 | Missouri | $55,189 | $26.53 |
| 32 | Ohio | $54,735 | $26.31 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $55,496 | $26.68 |
| 34 | Idaho | $55,410 | $26.64 |
| 35 | Iowa | $54,146 | $26.03 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $55,192 | $26.53 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $54,509 | $26.21 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $50,902 | $24.47 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $47,322 | $22.75 |
| 40 | Colorado | $54,547 | $26.22 |
| 41 | Texas | $52,233 | $25.11 |
| 42 | Alabama | $52,269 | $25.13 |
| 43 | Kansas | $50,368 | $24.22 |
| 44 | Utah | $43,043 | $20.69 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $47,727 | $22.95 |
| 46 | Florida | $50,473 | $24.27 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $47,079 | $22.63 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $45,170 | $21.72 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $41,872 | $20.13 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $43,137 | $20.74 |
| 51 | Georgia | $41,217 | $19.82 |
Highest paying cities for laboratory scientists
The highest-paying cities for laboratory scientists are San Francisco, CA, Union, NJ, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $97,170 | $46.72 |
| 2 | Union, NJ | $84,777 | $40.76 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $81,441 | $39.15 |
| 4 | Fort Wayne, IN | $76,564 | $36.81 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $75,123 | $36.12 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $68,825 | $33.09 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $68,373 | $32.87 |
| 8 | Novi, MI | $66,074 | $31.77 |
| 9 | Easton, PA | $65,782 | $31.63 |
| 10 | Jackson, TN | $64,179 | $30.86 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $62,420 | $30.01 |
| 12 | Madison, WI | $61,485 | $29.56 |
| 13 | Concord, NH | $61,008 | $29.33 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $60,029 | $28.86 |
| 15 | Laramie, WY | $55,735 | $26.80 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $55,524 | $26.69 |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | $54,497 | $26.20 |
| 18 | Waterloo, IA | $54,461 | $26.18 |
| 19 | Reynoldsburg, OH | $54,333 | $26.12 |
| 20 | Edinburg, TX | $52,808 | $25.39 |
Laboratory scientist salary details
A laboratory scientist's salary ranges from $47,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $93,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a laboratory scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 75th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| Average | $66,249 | $5,521 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
Highest paying laboratory scientist jobs
The highest paying types of laboratory scientists are senior scientist, scientist, and staff scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for laboratory scientists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Professor Susan Bergeson
Top companies hiring laboratory scientists now:
Which companies pay laboratory scientists the most?
Laboratory scientist salaries at Microsoft and Aramco Services Company are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average laboratory scientist salary at companies like Amazon and Adobe are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $131,602 | $63.27 |
| 2 | Aramco Services Company | $119,064 | $57.24 |
| 3 | Amazon | $111,987 | $53.84 |
| 4 | Adobe | $106,935 | $51.41 |
| 5 | Eli Lilly and Company | $97,405 | $46.83 |
| 6 | Micron Technology | $95,665 | $45.99 |
| 7 | U.S. Pharmacopeia | $95,477 | $45.90 |
| 8 | Hologic | $94,734 | $45.55 |
| 9 | Sandia National Labs | $89,709 | $43.13 |
| 10 | Ridgecrest Regional Hospital | $85,035 | $40.88 |
| 11 | Gilead Sciences | $83,087 | $39.95 |
| 12 | ABB | $79,285 | $38.12 |
| 13 | Palomar Health | $76,281 | $36.67 |
| 14 | HRL Laboratories | $75,300 | $36.20 |
| 15 | Messiah College | $74,589 | $35.86 |
| 16 | Buck Institute for Research on Aging | $71,456 | $34.35 |
| 17 | US MED | $71,137 | $34.20 |
| 18 | Tenet Healthcare | $70,710 | $34.00 |
| 19 | Quest Diagnostics | $70,227 | $33.76 |
| 20 | Amphastar Pharmaceuticals | $69,677 | $33.50 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Laboratory Scientist salary by industry
The average laboratory scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average laboratory scientist salary in the manufacturing industry is $78,424, the highest of any industry.
- The average laboratory scientist salary in the finance industry is $75,593.
- Laboratory scientists in the government industry earn an average salary of $45,891, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for laboratory scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $78,424 | $37.70 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $75,593 | $36.34 |
| 3 | Health Care | $65,316 | $31.40 |
| 4 | Government | $45,891 | $22.06 |
High paying laboratory scientist jobs
Laboratory scientist salary trends
The average laboratory scientist salary has risen by $11,135 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average laboratory scientist earned $55,114 annually, but today, they earn $66,249 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for laboratory scientists over the last decade.
Compare laboratory scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average laboratory scientist salary over time
Compare laboratory scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Laboratory scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $66,200 | $31.85 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $64,300 | $30.90 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $61,400 | $29.52 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $59,400 | $28.57 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $58,300 | $28.03 | -2.1% |
Recently added laboratory scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | Scientist-Steve Varga's Lab | Memphis, TN | 06/29/2025 | $86,320 |
| Essentia Health | Laboratory Scientist-Anatomic Pathology | Fargo, ND | 06/28/2025 | $39,820 |
| Northwestern Medicine | Cellular Therapy Scientist-Cell Therapy LAB, Days | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $72,315 |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | Postdoctoral Scientist-Mendoza Lab | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| Us Quintiles Laboratories | Scientist, Lab Operations | Ithaca, NY | 06/27/2025 | $46,200 |
| Dasstateoh | Laboratory Scientist 3-Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing | Reynoldsburg, OH | 06/27/2025 | $63,544 |
| Agriculture | Laboratory Scientist 3-Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing | Reynoldsburg, OH | 06/24/2025 | $63,544 |
| Hesperos Inc. | PH.D. Laboratory Scientist I-Multiple Positions | Orlando, FL | 06/24/2025 | $64,000 |
| Iqvia | Scientist, Lab Operations | Ithaca, NY | 06/23/2025 | $46,200 |
| Cedars-Sinai | Postdoctoral Scientist-Guerin Children's-Klein Lab | Los Angeles, CA | 06/22/2025 | $62,400 |
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