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Senior clinical scientist salary
Average senior clinical scientist salary
$124,181
Understanding Senior Clinical Scientist Salaries
A Senior Clinical Scientist plays a crucial role in the healthcare industry, often involved in clinical trials and regulatory submissions. The average salary for this position, as of October 2025, is $124,181 per year or about $60 per hour. Compensation can vary based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary Breakdown by State
Understanding where senior clinical scientists earn the most can guide job seekers in their career strategies. States like California and Massachusetts typically offer higher salaries due to the concentration of healthcare facilities and research organizations.
Industries with the Highest Salaries
Within the healthcare sector, pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology firms often provide the highest salaries for senior clinical scientists. This reflects the demand for expertise in developing innovative medical solutions.
Career Opportunities
With a variety of roles available, including positions in research management and regulatory affairs, professionals can advance their careers while contributing to impactful healthcare advancements.
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Where can a Senior Clinical Scientist earn more?
Senior clinical scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average senior clinical scientist salary by state
The average senior clinical scientist salary in Alaska, Indiana, and Montana are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior clinical scientist salary states are Colorado, Nebraska, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior clinical scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $137,783 | $66.24 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $137,682 | $66.19 |
| 3 | Montana | $150,538 | $72.37 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $136,511 | $65.63 |
| 5 | California | $143,289 | $68.89 |
| 6 | Indiana | $155,788 | $74.90 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $137,474 | $66.09 |
| 8 | Alaska | $158,727 | $76.31 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $131,652 | $63.29 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $123,884 | $59.56 |
| 11 | Oregon | $128,306 | $61.69 |
| 12 | Delaware | $128,958 | $62.00 |
| 13 | Maryland | $128,973 | $62.01 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $123,036 | $59.15 |
| 15 | Illinois | $126,710 | $60.92 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $130,121 | $62.56 |
| 17 | Washington | $119,717 | $57.56 |
| 18 | Nevada | $122,157 | $58.73 |
| 19 | Ohio | $121,143 | $58.24 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $122,670 | $58.98 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $124,990 | $60.09 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $117,298 | $56.39 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $113,319 | $54.48 |
| 24 | Virginia | $119,180 | $57.30 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $114,016 | $54.82 |
| 26 | Arizona | $117,441 | $56.46 |
| 27 | Vermont | $115,089 | $55.33 |
| 28 | New York | $114,103 | $54.86 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $109,541 | $52.66 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $114,035 | $54.82 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $113,782 | $54.70 |
| 32 | Iowa | $109,857 | $52.82 |
| 33 | Texas | $105,211 | $50.58 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $98,456 | $47.33 |
| 35 | Michigan | $107,131 | $51.51 |
| 36 | Kansas | $103,678 | $49.85 |
| 37 | Alabama | $107,714 | $51.79 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $102,378 | $49.22 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $100,681 | $48.40 |
| 40 | Florida | $101,572 | $48.83 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $102,863 | $49.45 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $106,486 | $51.20 |
| 43 | Missouri | $100,621 | $48.38 |
| 44 | Idaho | $101,264 | $48.68 |
| 45 | Colorado | $94,687 | $45.52 |
| 46 | Georgia | $101,370 | $48.74 |
| 47 | Utah | $85,605 | $41.16 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $90,715 | $43.61 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $93,094 | $44.76 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $88,511 | $42.55 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $88,650 | $42.62 |
Highest paying cities for senior clinical scientists
The highest-paying cities for senior clinical scientists are Indianapolis, IN, San Francisco, CA, and Rahway, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indianapolis, IN | $155,822 | $74.91 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $149,215 | $71.74 |
| 3 | Rahway, NJ | $137,748 | $66.22 |
| 4 | Memphis, TN | $137,695 | $66.20 |
| 5 | Ridgefield, CT | $136,427 | $65.59 |
| 6 | Madison, WI | $131,732 | $63.33 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $129,058 | $62.05 |
| 8 | North Chicago, IL | $126,777 | $60.95 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $123,990 | $59.61 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $122,732 | $59.01 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $121,387 | $58.36 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $120,485 | $57.93 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $114,195 | $54.90 |
| 14 | Little Rock, AR | $114,149 | $54.88 |
| 15 | Boston, MA | $114,124 | $54.87 |
| 16 | Des Moines, IA | $109,862 | $52.82 |
| 17 | Birmingham, AL | $107,678 | $51.77 |
| 18 | Detroit, MI | $107,197 | $51.54 |
| 19 | Fort Worth, TX | $105,275 | $50.61 |
| 20 | Wichita, KS | $104,092 | $50.04 |
Senior clinical scientist salary details
A senior clinical scientist's salary ranges from $97,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $158,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior clinical scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $158,000 | $13,167 | $76 |
| 75th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| Average | $124,181 | $10,348 | $60 |
| 25th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| 10th Percentile | $97,000 | $8,083 | $47 |
Highest paying senior clinical scientist jobs
The highest paying types of senior clinical scientists are medical science liaison, principal scientist, and senior scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| PHD Researcher | $51,634 | $4,303 | $24.82 | 19,736 |
| Laboratory Researcher | $27,760 | $2,313 | $13.35 | 57,359 |
| Researcher | $67,145 | $5,595 | $32.28 | 30,498 |
| Research Laboratory Manager | $64,333 | $5,361 | $30.93 | 89,981 |
Top companies hiring senior clinical scientists now:
Which companies pay senior clinical scientists the most?
Senior clinical scientist salaries at California Resources and Agenus are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior clinical scientist salary at companies like Hunt Oil and Neurocrine Biosciences are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Resources | $164,742 | $79.20 |
| 2 | Agenus | $145,401 | $69.90 |
| 3 | Hunt Oil | $142,479 | $68.50 |
| 4 | Neurocrine Biosciences | $141,131 | $67.85 |
| 5 | Genentech | $137,582 | $66.15 |
| 6 | EOG Resources | $136,306 | $65.53 |
| 7 | Lumina Geophysical | $135,293 | $65.04 |
| 8 | Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc | $135,133 | $64.97 |
| 9 | CNOOC Petroleum North America ULC | $134,561 | $64.69 |
| 10 | Seres Therapeutics | $133,248 | $64.06 |
| 11 | Biogen | $133,096 | $63.99 |
| 12 | Regeneron | $132,309 | $63.61 |
| 13 | EyePoint Pharmaceuticals | $131,912 | $63.42 |
| 14 | Planet Pharma | $130,249 | $62.62 |
| 15 | EQRx | $129,531 | $62.27 |
| 16 | BeiGene | $129,358 | $62.19 |
| 17 | Constellation Pharmaceuticals | $129,176 | $62.10 |
| 18 | Medical Science & Computing, LLC | $129,144 | $62.09 |
| 19 | Kallyope | $129,094 | $62.06 |
| 20 | Alexion Pharmaceuticals | $129,087 | $62.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Clinical Scientist salary by industry
The average senior clinical scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average senior clinical scientist salary in the energy industry is $141,546, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior clinical scientist salary in the finance industry is $130,932.
- Senior clinical scientists in the health care industry earn an average salary of $120,750, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior clinical scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $141,546 | $68.05 |
| 2 | Finance | $130,932 | $62.95 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $124,041 | $59.64 |
| 4 | Health Care | $120,750 | $58.05 |
High paying senior clinical scientist jobs
Senior clinical scientist salary trends
The average senior clinical scientist salary has risen by $20,871 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior clinical scientist earned $103,310 annually, but today, they earn $124,181 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for senior clinical scientists over the last decade.
Compare senior clinical scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior clinical scientist salary over time
Compare senior clinical scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior clinical scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $124,000 | $59.70 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $120,000 | $57.93 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $115,000 | $55.33 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $111,000 | $53.56 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $109,000 | $52.54 | -2.1% |
Recently added senior clinical scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fortrea | Senior Clinical Scientist (Pharmacologist)-Pharmacology, US Remote Based | Durham, NC | 06/28/2025 | $110,000 |
| Scientific Search | Clinical Scientist-Manager-SR. Manager | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $115,000 |
| Radionetics Oncology | Director/Senior Director, Clinical Scientist | San Diego, CA | 06/14/2025 | $250,000 |
| Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. | Scientist 3/Senior Scientist, Clinical Pharmacology | Boston, MA | 06/14/2025 | $135,000 |
| Denali | Senior Scientist, Clinical Pharmacology | South San Francisco, CA | 06/09/2025 | $142,000 |
| Abbott Laboratories | Senior Clinical Scientist | Santa Clara, CA | 05/29/2025 | $98,000 |
| Pfizer | Late Stage Oncology Clinical Scientist-Thoracic (Senior Manager) | New York, NY | 05/28/2025 | $135,100 |
| Pfizer | Late Stage Oncology Clinical Scientist-Thoracic (Senior Manager) | Groton, CT | 05/28/2025 | $135,100 |
| Pfizer | Late Stage Oncology Clinical Scientist-Thoracic (Senior Manager) | York, PA | 05/28/2025 | $135,100 |
| Third Rock Ventures | Senior Scientist I, Clinical Pharmacology and Quantitative Pharmacology | Redwood City, CA | 05/26/2025 | $144,000 |
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