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Scientific database curator salary

Average scientific database curator salary

$58,335

$28.05 hourly rate

Entry-level scientific database curator salary
$35,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding the Salary of a Scientific Database Curator

The average salary for a Scientific Database Curator in the United States is $58,335 annually. This figure is influenced by factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specialized skills. For instance, curators in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living adjustments.

Salary by Experience Level

Entry-level curators can expect to earn around $40,000, while those with significant experience may reach upwards of $80,000 annually. This progression underscores the value of experience and specialized expertise in this field.

State-by-State Salary Variations

States like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to their robust research industries. Conversely, states with fewer research institutions may have lower salary averages. It's essential for job seekers to consider both location and industry when evaluating potential earnings.

Career Opportunities

With the increasing reliance on data in scientific research, the demand for skilled database curators is on the rise. Opportunities exist in academia, government agencies, and private sector companies, each offering unique challenges and rewards. This dynamic field not only provides competitive salaries but also the chance to contribute significantly to scientific advancements.

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Where can a Scientific Database Curator earn more?

Compare salary by location
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93k
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Columbus, OH$78,468
Washington, DC$62,585
Compare salary by company
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Axio Research$87,457
United Way of Greater Lafayette$45,158

Scientific database curator salaries by experience level

Experience levelAvg. salaryHourly rate
Entry-level scientific database curator$52,700$25.35
Mid-level scientific database curator$60,300$29.00
Senior-level scientific database curator$67,900$32.65

Average scientific database curator salary by state

The average scientific database curator salary in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average scientific database curator salary states are Idaho, Montana, and Oklahoma.

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Average salary:

Highest paying states for scientific database curators

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Maryland$78,244$37.62
2Massachusetts$76,616$36.83
3Vermont$71,312$34.28
4New Hampshire$72,960$35.08
5New Jersey$74,187$35.67
6Rhode Island$65,985$31.72
7Connecticut$75,032$36.07
8Virginia$65,906$31.69
9New York$70,954$34.11
10California$68,861$33.11
11Alaska$73,485$35.33
12Nevada$61,950$29.78
13Texas$65,289$31.39
14Michigan$64,929$31.22
15District of Columbia$62,616$30.10
16Arizona$58,869$28.30
17Pennsylvania$56,242$27.04
18North Carolina$56,078$26.96
19West Virginia$62,536$30.07
20Illinois$58,112$27.94
21Maine$60,298$28.99
22North Dakota$57,263$27.53
23Utah$52,151$25.07
24New Mexico$54,099$26.01
25Washington$54,637$26.27
26Delaware$57,315$27.56
27Ohio$52,385$25.19
28Minnesota$53,978$25.95
29Louisiana$54,197$26.06
30Kansas$50,220$24.14
31Georgia$52,787$25.38
32Oregon$49,799$23.94
33Wyoming$48,338$23.24
34Iowa$51,707$24.86
35South Carolina$49,974$24.03
36Missouri$50,565$24.31
37Mississippi$51,296$24.66
38South Dakota$49,673$23.88
39Colorado$50,128$24.10
40Montana$46,681$22.44
41Tennessee$49,285$23.69
42Idaho$47,365$22.77
43Kentucky$49,200$23.65
44Arkansas$47,918$23.04
45Wisconsin$47,936$23.05
46Indiana$47,770$22.97
47Hawaii$48,930$23.52
48Florida$41,732$20.06
49Nebraska$42,812$20.58
50Oklahoma$45,584$21.92
51Alabama$45,567$21.91

Highest paying cities for scientific database curators

The highest-paying cities for scientific database curators are Annapolis, MD, Boston, MA, and Hartford, CT.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Annapolis, MD$78,468$37.73
2Boston, MA$76,597$36.83
3Hartford, CT$75,095$36.10
4Trenton, NJ$73,920$35.54
5Concord, NH$72,568$34.89
6Menlo Park, CA$71,114$34.19
7Stanford, CA$71,109$34.19
8Palo Alto, CA$71,092$34.18
9Mountain View, CA$71,063$34.16
10Montpelier, VT$70,986$34.13
11Albany, NY$70,789$34.03
12Sacramento, CA$70,289$33.79
13Juneau, AK$68,802$33.08
14Rancho Cucamonga, CA$68,026$32.70
15Austin, TX$67,145$32.28
16Providence, RI$65,884$31.68
17Richmond, VA$65,704$31.59
18Lansing, MI$63,515$30.54
19Carson City, NV$62,888$30.23
20Washington, DC$62,585$30.09

Scientific database curator salary details

A scientific database curator's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average scientific database curator salary graph
Average scientific database curator salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a scientific database curator's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$96,000$8,000$46
75th Percentile$75,000$6,250$36
Average$58,335$4,861$28
25th Percentile$44,000$3,667$21
10th Percentile$35,000$2,917$17

Highest paying scientific database curator jobs

The highest paying types of scientific database curators are genomics scientist, principal bioinformatics specialist, and bioinformatics specialist.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Genomics Scientist$90,194$7,516$43.3651,033
Curator$47,923$3,994$23.04432

Top companies hiring scientific database curators now:

  1. Incyte jobs (1)
  2. California Institute of Technology jobs (1)
  3. Stanford University jobs (15)
  4. Johns Hopkins University jobs (1)
  5. Georgetown University jobs (2)

Which companies pay scientific database curators the most?

Scientific database curator salaries at Axio Research and Stanford University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average scientific database curator salary at companies like ICF and Georgetown University are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Axio Research$87,457$42.05
2Stanford University$82,271$39.55
3ICF$80,737$38.82
4Georgetown University$62,688$30.14
5United Way of Greater Lafayette$45,158$21.71

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$65,000$64,400$63,800$63,200$62,600$62,000
MaleFemale

Scientific database curator salary trends

The average scientific database curator salary has risen by $9,917 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average scientific database curator earned $48,418 annually, but today, they earn $58,335 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for scientific database curators over the last decade.

Compare scientific database curator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average scientific database curator salary over time

Compare scientific database curator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Scientific database curator salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$58,300$28.05+3.6%
2024$56,200$27.04+3.2%
2023$54,400$26.17+3.6%
2022$52,500$25.22+2.5%
2021$51,200$24.59-0.5%

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