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Staff scientist salary
Average staff scientist salary
$93,941
The average salary for a Staff Scientist in the United States is approximately $93,941 per year, translating to about $45 per hour. Salaries vary significantly based on experience, education, and industry. For instance, those with advanced degrees or extensive experience often command higher compensation.
Location also plays a critical role in determining salary. States like California and New York frequently offer the highest salaries for Staff Scientists, driven by demand in tech and research sectors.
Moreover, the industry impacts earnings. Staff Scientists in fields such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and environmental science tend to earn more than those in academia or government positions. With a solid understanding of salary dynamics, aspiring Staff Scientists can make informed career choices that align with their goals.
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Where can a Staff Scientist earn more?
Staff scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average staff scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for staff scientists are California, Connecticut, and Maryland. The lowest average staff scientist salary states are Oklahoma, Missouri, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for staff scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $110,167 | $52.96 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $99,361 | $47.77 |
| 3 | Maryland | $100,714 | $48.42 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $108,599 | $52.21 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $95,517 | $45.92 |
| 6 | Delaware | $98,828 | $47.51 |
| 7 | Maine | $92,166 | $44.31 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $89,647 | $43.10 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $81,460 | $39.16 |
| 10 | New York | $85,731 | $41.22 |
| 11 | Nevada | $86,004 | $41.35 |
| 12 | Virginia | $83,609 | $40.20 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $81,988 | $39.42 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $85,004 | $40.87 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $84,027 | $40.40 |
| 16 | Indiana | $85,605 | $41.16 |
| 17 | Montana | $79,571 | $38.26 |
| 18 | Arizona | $84,579 | $40.66 |
| 19 | Washington | $75,571 | $36.33 |
| 20 | Oregon | $75,674 | $36.38 |
| 21 | Ohio | $78,365 | $37.68 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $84,224 | $40.49 |
| 23 | Illinois | $75,233 | $36.17 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $78,235 | $37.61 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $78,748 | $37.86 |
| 26 | Michigan | $79,277 | $38.11 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $75,074 | $36.09 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $72,387 | $34.80 |
| 29 | Vermont | $66,241 | $31.85 |
| 30 | Utah | $65,893 | $31.68 |
| 31 | Idaho | $66,517 | $31.98 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $66,208 | $31.83 |
| 33 | Georgia | $65,638 | $31.56 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $67,122 | $32.27 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $65,361 | $31.42 |
| 36 | Colorado | $61,489 | $29.56 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $61,763 | $29.69 |
| 38 | Kansas | $59,857 | $28.78 |
| 39 | Texas | $54,057 | $25.99 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $57,913 | $27.84 |
| 41 | Florida | $56,046 | $26.95 |
| 42 | Missouri | $52,325 | $25.16 |
| 43 | Iowa | $59,108 | $28.42 |
| 44 | Alabama | $56,212 | $27.02 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $49,503 | $23.80 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $55,417 | $26.64 |
| 47 | Alaska | $51,686 | $24.85 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $53,004 | $25.48 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $52,774 | $25.37 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $43,833 | $21.07 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $51,772 | $24.89 |
Highest paying cities for staff scientists
The highest-paying cities for staff scientists are Redwood City, CA, Baltimore, MD, and Framingham, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $119,251 | $57.33 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $101,059 | $48.59 |
| 3 | Framingham, MA | $89,687 | $43.12 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $86,040 | $41.37 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $85,252 | $40.99 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $84,932 | $40.83 |
| 7 | Newport News, VA | $83,645 | $40.21 |
| 8 | Madison, WI | $83,318 | $40.06 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $81,969 | $39.41 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $78,773 | $37.87 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $76,293 | $36.68 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $75,670 | $36.38 |
| 13 | Memphis, TN | $74,833 | $35.98 |
| 14 | Beaverton, OR | $74,814 | $35.97 |
| 15 | Charleston, WV | $65,267 | $31.38 |
| 16 | Sioux Falls, SD | $59,019 | $28.37 |
| 17 | San Antonio, TX | $55,704 | $26.78 |
| 18 | Jupiter, FL | $55,427 | $26.65 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $53,742 | $25.84 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $52,624 | $25.30 |
Staff scientist salary details
A staff scientist's salary ranges from $63,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $137,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a staff scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $137,000 | $11,417 | $66 |
| 75th Percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $55 |
| Average | $93,941 | $7,828 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 10th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
Highest paying staff scientist jobs
The highest paying types of staff scientists are senior scientist, 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 |
| Research Technician | $43,034 | $3,586 | $20.69 | 64,786 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for staff 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 staff scientists now:
Which companies pay staff scientists the most?
Staff scientist salaries at Etsy and Luxim are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average staff scientist salary at companies like Rubrik and Apple are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Etsy | $152,064 | $73.11 |
| 2 | Luxim | $148,782 | $71.53 |
| 3 | Rubrik | $147,602 | $70.96 |
| 4 | Apple | $145,089 | $69.75 |
| 5 | Walmart | $144,722 | $69.58 |
| 6 | venn | $144,315 | $69.38 |
| 7 | $142,591 | $68.55 | |
| 8 | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | $136,543 | $65.65 |
| 9 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $136,282 | $65.52 |
| 10 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $135,435 | $65.11 |
| 11 | Jefferson Lab | $135,232 | $65.02 |
| 12 | 10x Genomics | $134,666 | $64.74 |
| 13 | Broadcom | $131,953 | $63.44 |
| 14 | Indeed | $131,940 | $63.43 |
| 15 | Kopin | $131,879 | $63.40 |
| 16 | BP America Inc | $131,447 | $63.20 |
| 17 | Lumileds | $129,250 | $62.14 |
| 18 | SAS Institute | $128,346 | $61.70 |
| 19 | ConocoPhillips | $127,311 | $61.21 |
| 20 | Earthjustice | $123,507 | $59.38 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Staff Scientist salary by industry
The average staff scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average staff scientist salary in the technology industry is $102,260, the highest of any industry.
- The average staff scientist salary in the finance industry is $98,820.
- Staff scientists in the education industry earn an average salary of $77,508, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for staff scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $102,260 | $49.16 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $98,820 | $47.51 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $97,998 | $47.11 |
| 4 | Health Care | $91,048 | $43.77 |
| 5 | Professional | $87,783 | $42.20 |
| 6 | Education | $77,508 | $37.26 |
High paying staff scientist jobs
Staff scientist salary trends
The average staff scientist salary has risen by $15,788 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average staff scientist earned $78,153 annually, but today, they earn $93,941 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for staff scientists over the last decade.
Compare staff scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average staff scientist salary over time
Compare staff scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Staff scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $93,900 | $45.16 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $91,100 | $43.82 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $87,100 | $41.86 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $84,300 | $40.51 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $82,700 | $39.75 | -2.1% |
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