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A Manufacturing Scientist plays a pivotal role in the production process, focusing on improving manufacturing techniques and ensuring product quality. The average salary of $87,366 reflects the demand and value of this role in various industries. Factors influencing this salary include:
Additionally, salaries can vary by employer and the complexity of the projects undertaken. For those interested in pursuing a career as a Manufacturing Scientist, it’s essential to research potential employers and understand the specific requirements and expectations in your desired industry. Keeping abreast of industry trends can also help in negotiating better compensation packages.
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The average manufacturing scientist salary in California, Montana, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average manufacturing scientist salary states are Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $102,045 | $49.06 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $98,369 | $47.29 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $97,329 | $46.79 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $99,599 | $47.88 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $90,438 | $43.48 |
| 6 | Montana | $100,333 | $48.24 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $89,983 | $43.26 |
| 8 | Oregon | $87,160 | $41.90 |
| 9 | Delaware | $86,038 | $41.36 |
| 10 | Nevada | $96,502 | $46.40 |
| 11 | Maine | $88,204 | $42.41 |
| 12 | Indiana | $88,035 | $42.32 |
| 13 | New York | $86,230 | $41.46 |
| 14 | Michigan | $81,041 | $38.96 |
| 15 | Washington | $83,483 | $40.14 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $79,121 | $38.04 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $86,225 | $41.45 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $76,345 | $36.70 |
| 19 | Virginia | $80,561 | $38.73 |
| 20 | Arizona | $82,310 | $39.57 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $76,165 | $36.62 |
| 22 | Alaska | $86,842 | $41.75 |
| 23 | Maryland | $77,274 | $37.15 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $89,268 | $42.92 |
| 25 | Vermont | $74,676 | $35.90 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $71,137 | $34.20 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $73,850 | $35.50 |
| 28 | Idaho | $77,719 | $37.36 |
| 29 | Colorado | $76,698 | $36.87 |
| 30 | Illinois | $73,748 | $35.46 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $71,567 | $34.41 |
| 32 | Ohio | $72,711 | $34.96 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $67,892 | $32.64 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $69,641 | $33.48 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $73,521 | $35.35 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $69,306 | $33.32 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $74,392 | $35.77 |
| 38 | Texas | $70,195 | $33.75 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $64,779 | $31.14 |
| 40 | Alabama | $63,254 | $30.41 |
| 41 | Iowa | $64,668 | $31.09 |
| 42 | Utah | $64,270 | $30.90 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $71,225 | $34.24 |
| 44 | Kansas | $65,176 | $31.33 |
| 45 | Florida | $63,099 | $30.34 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $63,177 | $30.37 |
| 47 | Georgia | $64,365 | $30.94 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $64,877 | $31.19 |
| 49 | Missouri | $55,048 | $26.47 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $59,214 | $28.47 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $54,700 | $26.30 |
The highest-paying cities for manufacturing scientists are Novato, CA, Chaska, MN, and Worcester, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $108,924 | $52.37 |
| 2 | Chaska, MN | $97,225 | $46.74 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $90,672 | $43.59 |
| 4 | Elkhart, IN | $88,702 | $42.65 |
| 5 | Central Islip, NY | $86,438 | $41.56 |
| 6 | Clinton, MI | $81,103 | $38.99 |
| 7 | Lynchburg, VA | $80,223 | $38.57 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,269 | $38.11 |
| 9 | Frederick, MD | $77,316 | $37.17 |
| 10 | Round Lake Beach, IL | $74,046 | $35.60 |
| 11 | Madison, WI | $73,728 | $35.45 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $72,631 | $34.92 |
| 13 | Greenville, NC | $71,594 | $34.42 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $70,452 | $33.87 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $55,326 | $26.60 |
A manufacturing scientist's salary ranges from $62,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $122,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| 75th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| Average | $87,366 | $7,281 | $42 |
| 25th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
The highest paying types of manufacturing scientists are senior scientist, scientist, and staff scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Technician | $42,584 | $3,549 | $20.47 | 40,191 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Quality Control | $32,824 | $2,735 | $15.78 | 83,496 |
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
| Quality Control Chemist | $58,892 | $4,908 | $28.31 | 90,467 |
Top companies hiring manufacturing scientists now:
Manufacturing scientist salaries at Lumileds and BioMarin are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average manufacturing scientist salary at companies like Agilent Technologies and Eli Lilly and Company are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lumileds | $113,604 | $54.62 |
| 2 | BioMarin | $105,419 | $50.68 |
| 3 | Agilent Technologies | $100,814 | $48.47 |
| 4 | Eli Lilly and Company | $100,211 | $48.18 |
| 5 | Novartis | $99,979 | $48.07 |
| 6 | Bio-Rad Laboratories | $99,957 | $48.06 |
| 7 | Albemarle | $99,015 | $47.60 |
| 8 | Adaptimmune | $98,654 | $47.43 |
| 9 | DuPont | $95,916 | $46.11 |
| 10 | Promega | $95,299 | $45.82 |
| 11 | Mars | $95,093 | $45.72 |
| 12 | CTG | $94,689 | $45.52 |
| 13 | Nuclear Fuel Services | $93,050 | $44.74 |
| 14 | Elanco | $92,177 | $44.32 |
| 15 | Alpha Consulting | $91,322 | $43.90 |
| 16 | BWX Technologies | $88,279 | $42.44 |
| 17 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | $87,006 | $41.83 |
| 18 | Life Tech International | $78,677 | $37.83 |
| 19 | Ionis Pharmaceuticals | $77,609 | $37.31 |
| 20 | Lilly & Company | $74,856 | $35.99 |
The average manufacturing scientist salary has risen by $14,684 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average manufacturing scientist earned $72,682 annually, but today, they earn $87,366 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for manufacturing scientists over the last decade.
Compare manufacturing scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare manufacturing scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $87,400 | $42.00 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $84,800 | $40.75 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $81,000 | $38.93 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $78,400 | $37.68 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $76,900 | $36.96 | -2.1% |
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