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Principal investigator salary
Average principal investigator salary
$84,635
Principal Investigator Salary Overview
The average salary for a Principal Investigator is $84,635 per year. This position plays a critical role in research and development across various sectors, including healthcare, academia, and government. Salaries for Principal Investigators can fluctuate based on geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Factors Influencing Salary
For instance, Principal Investigators in states such as California and New York often earn higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for expertise. Additionally, those with advanced degrees and extensive experience can command higher salaries, reflecting their specialized skills and the complexity of their work.
Job Opportunities
Principal Investigators typically lead research teams, manage funding, and ensure compliance with regulations. Opportunities exist in both public and private sectors, providing a range of environments for career growth. Exploring the highest-paying industries, such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, can further enhance your earning potential.
Conclusion
Overall, understanding the salary landscape for Principal Investigators is essential for making informed career decisions. Whether you are entering the field or seeking advancement, being aware of salary trends and opportunities can guide your professional journey.
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Where can a Principal Investigator earn more?
Principal investigator salary estimates from across the web
Average principal investigator salary by state
The highest-paying states for principal investigators are California, Oregon, and Delaware. The lowest average principal investigator salary states are South Carolina, Alabama, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for principal investigators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $107,718 | $51.79 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $100,724 | $48.42 |
| 3 | Washington | $94,884 | $45.62 |
| 4 | Vermont | $89,939 | $43.24 |
| 5 | New York | $101,460 | $48.78 |
| 6 | Delaware | $101,511 | $48.80 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $93,575 | $44.99 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $90,283 | $43.41 |
| 9 | Maryland | $91,771 | $44.12 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $85,596 | $41.15 |
| 11 | California | $111,232 | $53.48 |
| 12 | Alaska | $94,900 | $45.63 |
| 13 | Indiana | $88,355 | $42.48 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $81,857 | $39.35 |
| 15 | Ohio | $85,695 | $41.20 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $82,477 | $39.65 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $78,840 | $37.90 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $86,224 | $41.45 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $82,327 | $39.58 |
| 20 | Virginia | $79,866 | $38.40 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $80,133 | $38.53 |
| 22 | Nevada | $79,034 | $38.00 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $79,534 | $38.24 |
| 24 | Arizona | $75,847 | $36.46 |
| 25 | Michigan | $81,211 | $39.04 |
| 26 | Idaho | $75,216 | $36.16 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $88,153 | $42.38 |
| 28 | Illinois | $76,867 | $36.96 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $77,227 | $37.13 |
| 30 | Texas | $74,922 | $36.02 |
| 31 | Colorado | $75,919 | $36.50 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $74,284 | $35.71 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $75,077 | $36.09 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $83,604 | $40.19 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $74,642 | $35.89 |
| 36 | Montana | $70,538 | $33.91 |
| 37 | Georgia | $72,371 | $34.79 |
| 38 | Missouri | $72,333 | $34.78 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $72,433 | $34.82 |
| 40 | Florida | $68,538 | $32.95 |
| 41 | Utah | $73,421 | $35.30 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $67,903 | $32.65 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $71,185 | $34.22 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $68,296 | $32.83 |
| 45 | Alabama | $65,850 | $31.66 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $64,127 | $30.83 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $64,456 | $30.99 |
| 48 | Maine | $68,498 | $32.93 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $67,160 | $32.29 |
| 50 | Kansas | $64,085 | $30.81 |
| 51 | Iowa | $65,248 | $31.37 |
Highest paying cities for principal investigators
The highest-paying cities for principal investigators are San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $124,349 | $59.78 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $106,777 | $51.34 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $101,880 | $48.98 |
| 4 | Wilmington, DE | $101,714 | $48.90 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $95,839 | $46.08 |
| 6 | Silver Spring, MD | $91,698 | $44.09 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $88,208 | $42.41 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $85,637 | $41.17 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $82,402 | $39.62 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $82,341 | $39.59 |
| 11 | Jersey City, NJ | $82,305 | $39.57 |
| 12 | Arlington, VA | $81,039 | $38.96 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $80,582 | $38.74 |
| 14 | Albuquerque, NM | $80,036 | $38.48 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $77,143 | $37.09 |
| 16 | Pueblo, CO | $76,664 | $36.86 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $75,455 | $36.28 |
| 18 | Little Rock, AR | $74,704 | $35.92 |
| 19 | Madison, WI | $74,677 | $35.90 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $73,064 | $35.13 |
Principal investigator salary details
A principal investigator's salary ranges from $59,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $120,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a principal investigator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,000 | $8,417 | $49 |
| Average | $84,635 | $7,053 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
Highest paying principal investigator jobs
The highest paying types of principal investigators are principal associate, principal, and research leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Leader | $107,345 | $8,945 | $51.61 | 77,051 |
| School Business Manager | $62,224 | $5,185 | $29.92 | 87,493 |
| School Superintendent | $93,341 | $7,778 | $44.88 | 30,220 |
| After School Program Coordinator | $34,475 | $2,873 | $16.57 | 86,881 |
| Research Project Coordinator | $48,683 | $4,057 | $23.41 | 67,800 |
| Superintendent | $82,458 | $6,871 | $39.64 | 22,580 |
Top companies hiring principal investigators now:
Which companies pay principal investigators the most?
Principal investigator salaries at Incyte and Mayo Clinic are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average principal investigator salary at companies like Catalina and Northrop Grumman are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Incyte | $110,549 | $53.15 |
| 2 | Mayo Clinic | $107,556 | $51.71 |
| 3 | Catalina | $106,090 | $51.00 |
| 4 | Northrop Grumman | $101,135 | $48.62 |
| 5 | Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | $100,870 | $48.50 |
| 6 | DuPont | $100,856 | $48.49 |
| 7 | RTI International Metals | $98,216 | $47.22 |
| 8 | FMC | $97,012 | $46.64 |
| 9 | National Bureau of Economic Research | $96,564 | $46.42 |
| 10 | U.S. Pharmacopeia | $96,545 | $46.42 |
| 11 | Illumina | $96,498 | $46.39 |
| 12 | Grant Thornton | $95,878 | $46.10 |
| 13 | Accenture | $95,664 | $45.99 |
| 14 | Teva Pharmaceuticals | $95,663 | $45.99 |
| 15 | General Dynamics Mission Systems | $94,997 | $45.67 |
| 16 | Sanofi US | $94,061 | $45.22 |
| 17 | Boeing | $92,383 | $44.41 |
| 18 | STR Holdings | $91,451 | $43.97 |
| 19 | TrellisWare Technologies | $90,870 | $43.69 |
| 20 | Cano Health | $90,747 | $43.63 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Principal Investigator salary by industry
The average principal investigator salary varies across industries:
- The average principal investigator salary in the technology industry is $96,881, the highest of any industry.
- The average principal investigator salary in the finance industry is $92,160.
- Principal investigators in the education industry earn an average salary of $75,054, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for principal investigators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $96,881 | $46.58 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $92,160 | $44.31 |
| 3 | Professional | $88,482 | $42.54 |
| 4 | Health Care | $87,088 | $41.87 |
| 5 | Utilities | $80,908 | $38.90 |
| 6 | Finance | $77,278 | $37.15 |
| 7 | Education | $75,054 | $36.08 |
High paying principal investigator jobs
Principal investigator salary trends
The average principal investigator salary has risen by $9,470 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average principal investigator earned $75,165 annually, but today, they earn $84,635 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for principal investigators over the last decade.
Compare principal investigator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average principal investigator salary over time
Compare principal investigator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Principal investigator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,600 | $40.69 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $82,800 | $39.83 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $81,900 | $39.38 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $81,100 | $39.00 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $79,500 | $38.22 | +2.3% |
Recently added principal investigator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swca Inc. | Lead Archaeologist-Principal Investigator | Houston, TX | 06/28/2025 | $81,545 |
| Silvus Technologies | Principal Investigator-R&D Engineering | Los Angeles, CA | 06/22/2025 | $180,000 |
| Northrop Grumman | Staff GPS Receiver Principal Investigator | Los Angeles, CA | 06/18/2025 | $171,000 |
| Westwood Professional Services | Archaeological Principal Investigator | Minnetonka, MN | 06/10/2025 | $70,000 |
| Westwood Professional Services | Archaeological Principal Investigator | Plano, TX | 06/10/2025 | $70,000 |
| Terracon | Archaeologist Principal Investigator | Cudahy, WI | 06/05/2025 | $66,500 |
| TRC Companies, Inc. | Principal Archeologist/Principal Investigator | Albuquerque, NM | 05/26/2025 | $86,636 |
| TRC Companies, Inc. | Principal Investigator | Concord, CA | 05/26/2025 | $108,000 |
| Alturas Analytics | Principal Investigator/Senior Scientist | Moscow, ID | 05/25/2025 | $82,000 |
| Illinois Association of School | Complaint Investigator (Principal Consultant #1538) | Chicago, IL | 05/20/2025 | $60,047 |
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