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Senior formulation scientist salary
Average senior formulation scientist salary
$102,574
Average Senior Formulation Scientist Salary
The average salary for a Senior Formulation Scientist in the United States is $102,574 per year. This figure represents a competitive wage for professionals in the field, reflecting their expertise in developing formulations for pharmaceuticals and other products. Salaries can vary widely across different states, with some regions offering significantly higher compensation due to demand and cost of living.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors can affect a Senior Formulation Scientist's salary:
- Experience: Those with more years in the field often earn higher salaries.
- Location: States such as California and Massachusetts frequently report higher average salaries due to their thriving biotech sectors.
- Industry: Working for large pharmaceutical companies may offer more competitive salaries compared to smaller firms.
Understanding these dynamics is crucial for career development. As you explore opportunities, consider how these elements may impact your earning potential in this role.
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Where can a Senior Formulation Scientist earn more?
Senior formulation scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average senior formulation scientist salary by state
The average senior formulation scientist salary in California, Nevada, and Montana are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior formulation scientist salary states are Alabama, West Virginia, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior formulation scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $143,165 | $68.83 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $112,134 | $53.91 |
| 3 | Montana | $117,609 | $56.54 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $107,150 | $51.51 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $117,269 | $56.38 |
| 6 | Nevada | $118,186 | $56.82 |
| 7 | Delaware | $101,479 | $48.79 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $114,026 | $54.82 |
| 9 | Maine | $105,664 | $50.80 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $103,453 | $49.74 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $96,344 | $46.32 |
| 12 | Indiana | $105,772 | $50.85 |
| 13 | Alaska | $102,385 | $49.22 |
| 14 | Illinois | $100,428 | $48.28 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $100,259 | $48.20 |
| 16 | New York | $94,173 | $45.28 |
| 17 | Arizona | $98,992 | $47.59 |
| 18 | Oregon | $97,719 | $46.98 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $90,427 | $43.47 |
| 20 | Ohio | $93,715 | $45.06 |
| 21 | Vermont | $89,181 | $42.88 |
| 22 | Maryland | $91,771 | $44.12 |
| 23 | Washington | $87,548 | $42.09 |
| 24 | Idaho | $89,083 | $42.83 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $80,437 | $38.67 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $82,142 | $39.49 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $83,742 | $40.26 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $86,270 | $41.48 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $84,843 | $40.79 |
| 30 | Michigan | $85,262 | $40.99 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $87,484 | $42.06 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $86,434 | $41.55 |
| 33 | Florida | $87,117 | $41.88 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $76,417 | $36.74 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $82,559 | $39.69 |
| 36 | Virginia | $77,137 | $37.09 |
| 37 | Colorado | $79,772 | $38.35 |
| 38 | Kansas | $76,783 | $36.91 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $80,052 | $38.49 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $83,292 | $40.04 |
| 41 | Texas | $77,336 | $37.18 |
| 42 | Missouri | $75,736 | $36.41 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $76,407 | $36.73 |
| 44 | Iowa | $75,323 | $36.21 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $72,721 | $34.96 |
| 46 | Alabama | $73,993 | $35.57 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $68,479 | $32.92 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $74,544 | $35.84 |
| 49 | Utah | $63,416 | $30.49 |
| 50 | Georgia | $64,343 | $30.93 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $65,011 | $31.26 |
Highest paying cities for senior formulation scientists
The highest-paying cities for senior formulation scientists are South San Francisco, CA, Elizabeth, NJ, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South San Francisco, CA | $151,156 | $72.67 |
| 2 | Elizabeth, NJ | $112,262 | $53.97 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $107,142 | $51.51 |
| 4 | Wilmington, DE | $101,579 | $48.84 |
| 5 | Vernon Hills, IL | $101,008 | $48.56 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $96,607 | $46.45 |
| 7 | Spring Valley, NY | $94,126 | $45.25 |
| 8 | Owings Mills, MD | $92,049 | $44.25 |
| 9 | Sunrise, FL | $85,010 | $40.87 |
| 10 | Morrisville, NC | $82,544 | $39.68 |
| 11 | Saint Louis, MO | $75,549 | $36.32 |
| 12 | Morgantown, WV | $73,546 | $35.36 |
| 13 | Opelika, AL | $73,135 | $35.16 |
| 14 | Charleston, SC | $68,000 | $32.69 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $62,836 | $30.21 |
Senior formulation scientist salary details
A senior formulation scientist's salary ranges from $74,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $141,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior formulation scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $121,000 | $10,083 | $58 |
| Average | $102,574 | $8,548 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| 10th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
Highest paying senior formulation scientist jobs
The highest paying types of senior formulation scientists are medical science liaison, principal scientist, and senior scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| PHD Researcher | $51,634 | $4,303 | $24.82 | 19,736 |
| Researcher | $67,145 | $5,595 | $32.28 | 30,498 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Doctoral Fellow | $53,366 | $4,447 | $25.66 | 22,661 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | $57,587 | $4,799 | $27.69 | 18,983 |
Top companies hiring senior formulation scientists now:
Which companies pay senior formulation scientists the most?
Senior formulation scientist salaries at Exelixis and Sagent Pharmaceuticals are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior formulation scientist salary at companies like AstraZeneca and Teva Pharmaceuticals are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exelixis | $119,450 | $57.43 |
| 2 | Sagent Pharmaceuticals | $112,318 | $54.00 |
| 3 | AstraZeneca | $109,284 | $52.54 |
| 4 | Teva Pharmaceuticals | $106,153 | $51.04 |
| 5 | Pharmavite | $105,987 | $50.96 |
| 6 | Revance Therapeutics | $105,743 | $50.84 |
| 7 | International Flavors & Fragrances | $104,823 | $50.40 |
| 8 | Medefil | $103,168 | $49.60 |
| 9 | Mars | $102,206 | $49.14 |
| 10 | Catalent Pharma Solutions | $100,372 | $48.26 |
| 11 | Merck | $100,324 | $48.23 |
| 12 | URL Pharma | $100,278 | $48.21 |
| 13 | Alcami | $99,560 | $47.87 |
| 14 | Sanofi US | $99,414 | $47.80 |
| 15 | Kelly Services | $99,366 | $47.77 |
| 16 | Mary Kay | $99,127 | $47.66 |
| 17 | Ferring Pharmaceuticals | $99,071 | $47.63 |
| 18 | Zoetis | $98,699 | $47.45 |
| 19 | Watson Pharmaceuticals | $97,716 | $46.98 |
| 20 | BioDuro-Sundia | $97,705 | $46.97 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior formulation scientist salary trends
The average senior formulation scientist salary has risen by $17,239 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior formulation scientist earned $85,335 annually, but today, they earn $102,574 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for senior formulation scientists over the last decade.
Compare senior formulation scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior formulation scientist salary over time
Compare senior formulation scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior formulation scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $103,000 | $49.31 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $99,500 | $47.85 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $95,100 | $45.70 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $92,000 | $44.24 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $90,300 | $43.40 | -2.1% |
Recently added senior formulation scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actalent | Senior Formulation Scientist | Fairfield, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $62,610 |
| Merck | Senior Scientist, Preclinical Development-Formulations | Rahway, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $111,400 |
| Nivagen Pharmaceuticals | Senior Scientist-Formulation Development | Sacramento, CA | 06/27/2025 | $70,000 |
| Sumitomo Chemical Group Companies of America | SR Formulations Scientist III-Valent USA L.L.C | San Ramon, CA | 06/24/2025 | $95,400 |
| H.B. Fuller | SR Formulation Scientist | Saint Paul, MN | 06/20/2025 | $95,000 |
| Kelly Services | Senior Formulation Scientist-Polyurea | Saint Louis, MO | 05/15/2025 | $90,000 |
| Nivagen Pharmaceuticals | Senior Scientist-Formulation Development | Sacramento, CA | 04/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| Poppi | SR. Manager-Beverage Formulation Scientist | Austin, TX | 04/28/2025 | $125,000 |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals | SR Scientist, Formulation Development (2 of 2) | Tarrytown, NY | 04/20/2025 | $108,300 |
| Apollo Professional Solutions | Senior Manufacturing Formulator | Oro Valley, AZ | 04/07/2025 | $57,393 |
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