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Research professor salary
Average research professor salary
$119,503
Average Research Professor Salary Overview
The average salary of $119,503 for a Research Professor reflects the critical role these professionals play in academia and research institutions. Factors influencing salary include geographical location, years of experience, and specific research focus. For instance, professors in states like California and New York often enjoy higher salaries compared to those in other regions. Additionally, experience significantly impacts earning potential, with seasoned professionals earning substantially more than their entry-level counterparts.
Salary Variances Across States
Research Professors in states such as Massachusetts and Washington report some of the highest salaries, often exceeding $130,000. Conversely, states with lower costs of living may offer salaries below the national average. Understanding these geographical salary differences is essential for prospective Research Professors to make informed career decisions.
Long-Term Salary Trends
Salary trends for Research Professors have shown a gradual increase over the years, reflecting the growing demand for research expertise across various disciplines. By analyzing these trends, potential candidates can identify promising opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations.
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Where can a Research Professor earn more?
Research professor salary estimates from across the web
Average research professor salary by state
The average research professor salary in Connecticut, California, and Delaware are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research professor salary states are South Carolina, Mississippi, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research professors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $155,981 | $74.99 |
| 2 | California | $161,114 | $77.46 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $153,916 | $74.00 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $150,454 | $72.33 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $176,447 | $84.83 |
| 6 | Maine | $149,517 | $71.88 |
| 7 | Delaware | $156,766 | $75.37 |
| 8 | Michigan | $135,769 | $65.27 |
| 9 | Indiana | $153,331 | $73.72 |
| 10 | New York | $143,212 | $68.85 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $137,349 | $66.03 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $130,662 | $62.82 |
| 13 | Vermont | $128,446 | $61.75 |
| 14 | Colorado | $132,421 | $63.66 |
| 15 | Ohio | $133,731 | $64.29 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $131,385 | $63.17 |
| 17 | Arizona | $134,531 | $64.68 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $123,797 | $59.52 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $124,164 | $59.69 |
| 20 | Maryland | $149,629 | $71.94 |
| 21 | Montana | $126,890 | $61.00 |
| 22 | Oregon | $125,007 | $60.10 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $132,097 | $63.51 |
| 24 | Illinois | $126,920 | $61.02 |
| 25 | Washington | $127,207 | $61.16 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $122,543 | $58.91 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $122,143 | $58.72 |
| 28 | Florida | $126,322 | $60.73 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $122,390 | $58.84 |
| 30 | Missouri | $121,950 | $58.63 |
| 31 | Virginia | $121,344 | $58.34 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $120,901 | $58.13 |
| 33 | Alaska | $131,373 | $63.16 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $118,426 | $56.94 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $119,915 | $57.65 |
| 36 | Iowa | $119,323 | $57.37 |
| 37 | Nevada | $122,903 | $59.09 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $100,636 | $48.38 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $102,171 | $49.12 |
| 40 | Texas | $108,062 | $51.95 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $105,007 | $50.48 |
| 42 | Kansas | $112,273 | $53.98 |
| 43 | Alabama | $113,163 | $54.41 |
| 44 | Idaho | $114,062 | $54.84 |
| 45 | Utah | $88,417 | $42.51 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $93,528 | $44.97 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $88,304 | $42.45 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $103,156 | $49.59 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $92,681 | $44.56 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $94,230 | $45.30 |
| 51 | Georgia | $90,612 | $43.56 |
Highest paying cities for research professors
The highest-paying cities for research professors are Pasadena, CA, Piscataway, NJ, and Amherst, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pasadena, CA | $167,607 | $80.58 |
| 2 | Piscataway, NJ | $165,835 | $79.73 |
| 3 | Amherst, MA | $163,269 | $78.49 |
| 4 | Gaithersburg, MD | $157,341 | $75.64 |
| 5 | Albany, NY | $152,467 | $73.30 |
| 6 | Ann Arbor, MI | $140,184 | $67.40 |
| 7 | Toledo, OH | $138,806 | $66.73 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $137,572 | $66.14 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $135,449 | $65.12 |
| 10 | Boulder, CO | $135,361 | $65.08 |
| 11 | Tampa, FL | $131,962 | $63.44 |
| 12 | Evanston, IL | $130,390 | $62.69 |
| 13 | Missoula, MT | $128,865 | $61.95 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $128,582 | $61.82 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $126,094 | $60.62 |
| 16 | Durham, NC | $125,220 | $60.20 |
| 17 | Columbia, MO | $124,439 | $59.83 |
| 18 | Laramie, WY | $123,675 | $59.46 |
| 19 | Blacksburg, VA | $122,795 | $59.04 |
| 20 | Richardson, TX | $110,828 | $53.28 |
Research professor salary details
A research professor's salary ranges from $67,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $212,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research professor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $212,000 | $17,667 | $102 |
| 75th Percentile | $161,000 | $13,417 | $77 |
| Average | $119,503 | $9,959 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
Highest paying research professor jobs
The highest paying types of research professors are professor, senior scientist, and associate professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| Doctoral Fellow | $53,366 | $4,447 | $25.66 | 22,661 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
| Laboratory Researcher | $27,760 | $2,313 | $13.35 | 57,359 |
| PHD Researcher | $51,634 | $4,303 | $24.82 | 19,736 |
Top companies hiring research professors now:
Which companies pay research professors the most?
Research professor salaries at New York University and Columbia University in the City of New York are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research professor salary at companies like University of California and University of Washington are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | $189,774 | $91.24 |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $185,092 | $88.99 |
| 3 | University of California | $184,833 | $88.86 |
| 4 | University of Washington | $184,611 | $88.76 |
| 5 | UT Health East Texas | $181,600 | $87.31 |
| 6 | Duke University Health System | $178,522 | $85.83 |
| 7 | Arizona State University | $178,088 | $85.62 |
| 8 | Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center | $176,866 | $85.03 |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology | $173,039 | $83.19 |
| 10 | University of Kentucky | $170,846 | $82.14 |
| 11 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $169,206 | $81.35 |
| 12 | UMiami Health System | $163,675 | $78.69 |
| 13 | Georgetown University | $159,252 | $76.56 |
| 14 | American Bar Foundation | $158,875 | $76.38 |
| 15 | Lankenau Institute for Medical Research | $158,176 | $76.05 |
| 16 | Emory University | $156,022 | $75.01 |
| 17 | The George Washington University | $148,174 | $71.24 |
| 18 | Dignity Health | $144,026 | $69.24 |
| 19 | UT Health San Antonio | $143,003 | $68.75 |
| 20 | Carnegie Mellon University | $140,791 | $67.69 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research professor salary trends
The average research professor salary has risen by $20,085 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research professor earned $99,418 annually, but today, they earn $119,503 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for research professors over the last decade.
Compare research professor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research professor salary over time
Compare research professor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research professor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $120,000 | $57.45 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $116,000 | $55.75 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $111,000 | $53.25 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $107,000 | $51.54 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $105,000 | $50.56 | -2.1% |
Recently added research professor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langston University | Assisant Professor/Faculty Researcher | Langston, OK | 06/18/2025 | $80,000 |
| American University | Research Professor | Washington, DC | 05/24/2025 | $110,000 |
| University of Texas at Austin | Starr PI-Research Professor | Austin, TX | 05/15/2025 | $170,000 |
| University of Houston | Research Professor | Houston, TX | 03/06/2025 | $149,333 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Research Professor | Baltimore, MD | 03/03/2025 | $180,000 |
| Umass Amherst Stroke Support Group | Visiting (Open Rank) Research Professor | Union, NJ | 02/18/2025 | $77,259 |
| American Autonomic Society | Professor of Research Physiology and Neuroscience | San Diego, CA | 02/17/2025 | $135,000 |
| The University of Iowa | Research Professor | Iowa City, IA | 02/07/2025 | $130,000 |
| Tulane University | Faculty Fellow/Visiting Research Professor | New Orleans, LA | 01/24/2025 | $70,000 |
| University of Arkansas | Research Professor | Holiday, FL | 12/16/2024 | $50,000 |
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