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Scientist salary
Average scientist salary
$97,344
Average Salary for Scientists
The average salary for a scientist in the United States is currently $97,344 per year. This figure reflects a blend of various fields such as biology, chemistry, and environmental science. Salaries in this profession can vary significantly based on geographic location, with states like California and Massachusetts often offering the highest wages.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors affect a scientist's salary including:
- Years of experience: Entry-level scientists may earn less, while those with advanced degrees and significant experience command higher salaries.
- Industry of employment: Scientists in pharmaceuticals or tech industries generally earn more than those in academia or government roles.
- State and local demand: Regions with a high demand for scientific research and development often provide better compensation packages.
By understanding these variables, aspiring and current scientists can better navigate their career paths and salary expectations. Resources like Zippia provide valuable insights into salary structures, helping you to make informed career choices.
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Where can a Scientist earn more?
Scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average scientist salary by state
The average scientist salary in California, Nevada, and Montana are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average scientist salary states are Missouri, Nebraska, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $124,868 | $60.03 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $95,796 | $46.06 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $93,772 | $45.08 |
| 4 | Delaware | $88,740 | $42.66 |
| 5 | Montana | $96,680 | $46.48 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $88,798 | $42.69 |
| 7 | Washington | $87,000 | $41.83 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $86,057 | $41.37 |
| 9 | Maine | $91,232 | $43.86 |
| 10 | Nevada | $101,741 | $48.91 |
| 11 | Alaska | $94,138 | $45.26 |
| 12 | Arizona | $92,313 | $44.38 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $93,221 | $44.82 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $90,727 | $43.62 |
| 15 | Maryland | $84,073 | $40.42 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $84,420 | $40.59 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $81,786 | $39.32 |
| 18 | Indiana | $85,848 | $41.27 |
| 19 | New York | $80,639 | $38.77 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $76,416 | $36.74 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $76,395 | $36.73 |
| 22 | Illinois | $74,976 | $36.05 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $71,399 | $34.33 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $72,146 | $34.69 |
| 25 | Virginia | $72,417 | $34.82 |
| 26 | Vermont | $71,942 | $34.59 |
| 27 | Idaho | $72,017 | $34.62 |
| 28 | Oregon | $73,559 | $35.36 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $69,468 | $33.40 |
| 30 | Ohio | $72,223 | $34.72 |
| 31 | Michigan | $71,306 | $34.28 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $72,318 | $34.77 |
| 33 | Colorado | $67,928 | $32.66 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $66,511 | $31.98 |
| 35 | Texas | $68,872 | $33.11 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $60,338 | $29.01 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $67,275 | $32.34 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $62,212 | $29.91 |
| 39 | Utah | $58,454 | $28.10 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $63,412 | $30.49 |
| 41 | Florida | $61,485 | $29.56 |
| 42 | Kansas | $57,941 | $27.86 |
| 43 | Georgia | $61,591 | $29.61 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $61,485 | $29.56 |
| 45 | Iowa | $58,474 | $28.11 |
| 46 | Missouri | $55,994 | $26.92 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $55,792 | $26.82 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $49,917 | $24.00 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $54,094 | $26.01 |
| 50 | Alabama | $54,162 | $26.04 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $45,302 | $21.78 |
Highest paying cities for scientists
The highest-paying cities for scientists are Redwood City, CA, Piscataway, NJ, and Ridgefield, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $131,577 | $63.26 |
| 2 | Piscataway, NJ | $93,786 | $45.09 |
| 3 | Ridgefield, CT | $88,636 | $42.61 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $87,631 | $42.13 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $86,200 | $41.44 |
| 6 | College Park, MD | $83,971 | $40.37 |
| 7 | Brookhaven, NY | $81,263 | $39.07 |
| 8 | Austin, MN | $80,633 | $38.77 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $76,676 | $36.86 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $75,239 | $36.17 |
| 11 | Durham, NC | $73,071 | $35.13 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $69,744 | $33.53 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $65,964 | $31.71 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $61,677 | $29.65 |
| 15 | Birmingham, AL | $54,239 | $26.08 |
Scientists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Scientist salary details
A scientist's salary ranges from $67,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $140,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $140,000 | $11,667 | $67 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| Average | $97,344 | $8,112 | $47 |
| 25th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
Highest paying scientist jobs
The highest paying types of scientists are senior scientist, staff scientist, and senior chemist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
| Quality Control Chemist | $58,892 | $4,908 | $28.31 | 90,467 |
| Research Chemist | $75,843 | $6,320 | $36.46 | 53,769 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for scientists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Howard Whiteman
Professor of Biological Sciences, Director of the Watershed Studies Institute, Murray State University
Top companies hiring scientists now:
Which companies pay scientists the most?
Scientist salaries at Airbnb and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average scientist salary at companies like Yelp and The Walt Disney Company are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airbnb | $158,132 | $76.03 |
| 2 | Meta | $153,761 | $73.92 |
| 3 | Yelp | $151,276 | $72.73 |
| 4 | The Walt Disney Company | $150,225 | $72.22 |
| 5 | Lyft | $149,396 | $71.83 |
| 6 | NVIDIA | $147,994 | $71.15 |
| 7 | Flexport | $145,746 | $70.07 |
| 8 | $145,420 | $69.91 | |
| 9 | The Daily Muse | $144,463 | $69.45 |
| 10 | Apple | $143,725 | $69.10 |
| 11 | Microsoft | $143,457 | $68.97 |
| 12 | Walmart | $142,117 | $68.33 |
| 13 | PayPal | $141,678 | $68.11 |
| 14 | $141,427 | $67.99 | |
| 15 | $139,905 | $67.26 | |
| 16 | Amazon | $138,682 | $66.67 |
| 17 | DemandTec | $138,143 | $66.41 |
| 18 | Grubhub | $137,370 | $66.04 |
| 19 | Etsy | $136,718 | $65.73 |
| 20 | Uber Technologies | $134,953 | $64.88 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Scientist salary by industry
The average scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average scientist salary in the technology industry is $134,486, the highest of any industry.
- The average scientist salary in the finance industry is $98,125.
- Scientists in the pharmaceutical industry earn an average salary of $91,166, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $134,486 | $64.66 |
| 2 | Health Care | $98,125 | $47.18 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $96,768 | $46.52 |
| 4 | Pharmaceutical | $91,166 | $43.83 |
High paying scientist jobs
Scientist salary trends
The average scientist salary has risen by $16,361 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average scientist earned $80,983 annually, but today, they earn $97,344 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for scientists over the last decade.
Compare scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average scientist salary over time
Compare scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $97,300 | $46.80 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $94,500 | $45.41 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $90,200 | $43.37 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $87,300 | $41.98 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $85,700 | $41.18 | -2.1% |
Recently added scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novavax | Scientist I | Gaithersburg, MD | 06/30/2025 | $98,150 |
| Wellington Management Company, LLP | Embedded Scientist | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $177,000 |
| BNL Technical Services | Cryo-Fib Scientist | Fine, NY | 06/30/2025 | $82,250 |
| Caredx, Inc. | Scientist I/II | Brisbane, CA | 06/29/2025 | $126,000 |
| Exponent | Regulatory Scientist (PH.D. or M.S.) | Washington, DC | 06/29/2025 | $105,000 |
| Astellas Pharma | Scientist I, Discovery Tumor Immunity | South San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $91,000 |
| ATCC | Scientist | Gaithersburg, MD | 06/29/2025 | $105,000 |
| KBI Biopharma Inc. | Scientist I | Durham, NC | 06/29/2025 | $84,000 |
| Legend Biotech | In Vivo Pharmacology Scientist II | Philadelphia, PA | 06/29/2025 | $107,482 |
| Alveo Technologies | Scientist II | Alameda, CA | 06/29/2025 | $73,191 |
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