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The salary of a Visiting Researcher averages around $68,912 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on various elements, including geographic location, years of experience, and the type of research institution. For instance, those working in urban areas or prestigious universities may command higher salaries.
To maximize your earning potential as a Visiting Researcher, consider roles in high-paying industries such as healthcare, technology, and academia. Additionally, continuously improving your skills and expanding your professional network can open doors to lucrative opportunities in this field.
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The highest-paying states for visiting researchers are California, Hawaii, and Nevada. The lowest average visiting researcher salary states are Florida, South Carolina, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $95,108 | $45.73 |
| 2 | Washington | $78,943 | $37.95 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $81,375 | $39.12 |
| 4 | Oregon | $78,690 | $37.83 |
| 5 | Tennessee | $79,646 | $38.29 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $66,429 | $31.94 |
| 7 | Arizona | $83,327 | $40.06 |
| 8 | Alaska | $79,953 | $38.44 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $68,954 | $33.15 |
| 10 | Nevada | $83,448 | $40.12 |
| 11 | Indiana | $72,413 | $34.81 |
| 12 | Maine | $62,549 | $30.07 |
| 13 | Colorado | $61,767 | $29.70 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $84,528 | $40.64 |
| 15 | Montana | $64,691 | $31.10 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $58,701 | $28.22 |
| 17 | Idaho | $66,175 | $31.81 |
| 18 | Delaware | $60,042 | $28.87 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $65,792 | $31.63 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $57,262 | $27.53 |
| 21 | New York | $57,609 | $27.70 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $55,924 | $26.89 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $55,956 | $26.90 |
| 24 | Maryland | $58,713 | $28.23 |
| 25 | Illinois | $58,722 | $28.23 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $56,714 | $27.27 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $58,147 | $27.96 |
| 28 | Michigan | $56,357 | $27.09 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $54,378 | $26.14 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $55,819 | $26.84 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $57,262 | $27.53 |
| 32 | Texas | $54,576 | $26.24 |
| 33 | Vermont | $53,580 | $25.76 |
| 34 | Virginia | $53,602 | $25.77 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $55,695 | $26.78 |
| 36 | Missouri | $50,595 | $24.32 |
| 37 | Iowa | $51,359 | $24.69 |
| 38 | Ohio | $51,159 | $24.60 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $49,767 | $23.93 |
| 40 | Utah | $49,605 | $23.85 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $52,351 | $25.17 |
| 42 | Kansas | $51,593 | $24.80 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $50,152 | $24.11 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $40,941 | $19.68 |
| 45 | Alabama | $49,850 | $23.97 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $46,089 | $22.16 |
| 47 | Georgia | $41,180 | $19.80 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $41,524 | $19.96 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $42,131 | $20.26 |
| 50 | Florida | $43,370 | $20.85 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $42,267 | $20.32 |
The highest-paying cities for visiting researchers are Berkeley, CA, Urban Honolulu, HI, and Memphis, TN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $102,284 | $49.17 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $84,682 | $40.71 |
| 3 | Memphis, TN | $81,757 | $39.31 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $80,152 | $38.53 |
| 5 | Bloomington, IN | $72,778 | $34.99 |
| 6 | New Brunswick, NJ | $66,144 | $31.80 |
| 7 | Bozeman, MT | $65,480 | $31.48 |
| 8 | Boulder, CO | $61,813 | $29.72 |
| 9 | Troy, NY | $59,309 | $28.51 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $58,517 | $28.13 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $56,837 | $27.33 |
| 12 | East Lansing, MI | $56,345 | $27.09 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $55,973 | $26.91 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $53,360 | $25.65 |
| 15 | Durham, NC | $49,617 | $23.85 |
| 16 | Tallahassee, FL | $45,656 | $21.95 |
| 17 | Baton Rouge, LA | $41,580 | $19.99 |
A visiting researcher's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $115,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55 |
| 75th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| Average | $68,912 | $5,743 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
The highest paying types of visiting researchers 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 |
| Medical Science Liaison | $145,718 | $12,143 | $70.06 | 57,208 |
| Principal Scientist | $119,982 | $9,998 | $57.68 | 80,899 |
| Doctoral Fellow | $53,366 | $4,447 | $25.66 | 22,661 |
| Staff Scientist | $93,941 | $7,828 | $45.16 | 121,054 |
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
Top companies hiring visiting researchers now:
Visiting researcher salaries at Microsoft and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average visiting researcher salary at companies like Qualcomm and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $140,746 | $67.67 |
| 2 | Meta | $139,912 | $67.27 |
| 3 | Qualcomm | $81,914 | $39.38 |
| 4 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $77,999 | $37.50 |
| 5 | New York University | $76,456 | $36.76 |
| 6 | Princeton University | $72,361 | $34.79 |
| 7 | UMiami Health System | $71,009 | $34.14 |
| 8 | Steadman Philippon Research Institute - Orthopaedic Research | $69,279 | $33.31 |
| 9 | University of Hawaii Foundation | $67,434 | $32.42 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley | $67,209 | $32.31 |
| 11 | Michigan State University | $64,818 | $31.16 |
| 12 | UC Santa Barbara | $63,418 | $30.49 |
| 13 | University of California | $63,384 | $30.47 |
| 14 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $63,380 | $30.47 |
| 15 | University of Memphis | $59,464 | $28.59 |
| 16 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $59,367 | $28.54 |
| 17 | Massachusetts Eye and Ear | $59,233 | $28.48 |
| 18 | University of Illinois Springfield | $57,838 | $27.81 |
| 19 | University of Colorado Boulder | $57,147 | $27.47 |
| 20 | Rutgers University | $56,498 | $27.16 |
The average visiting researcher salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $80,381 | $38.64 |
| 2 | Internet | $70,228 | $33.76 |
| 3 | Professional | $67,838 | $32.61 |
| 4 | Education | $61,057 | $29.35 |
The average visiting researcher salary has risen by $11,582 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average visiting researcher earned $57,330 annually, but today, they earn $68,912 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for visiting researchers over the last decade.
Compare visiting researcher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare visiting researcher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $68,900 | $33.13 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $66,900 | $32.15 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $63,900 | $30.71 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $61,800 | $29.72 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $60,600 | $29.16 | -2.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Boulder | Visiting Researcher | Boulder, CO | 06/21/2025 | $72,000 |
| Princeton University | Visiting Research Scholar | Princeton, NJ | 06/20/2025 | $60,000 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Il | Visiting Scientific Specialist, Environmental Assessments Researcher-Illinois State Geological SUR | Urbana, IL | 06/20/2025 | $60,000 |
| University of Colorado | Vascular Visiting Researcher | Aurora, CO | 06/09/2025 | $40,000 |
| Rutgers University | Visiting Researcher, Multiple Vacancies | New Brunswick, NJ | 06/02/2025 | $41,000 |
| University of Colorado | Vascular Visiting Researcher | Aurora, CO | 05/26/2025 | $40,000 |
| U0001 | Vascular Visiting Researcher | Aurora, CO | 05/21/2025 | $40,000 |
| Wright State University | Visiting Research Scholar | Dayton, OH | 05/11/2025 | $47,000 |
| Rutgers University | Visiting Researcher, Multiple Vacancies | New Brunswick, NJ | 04/15/2025 | $41,000 |
| Meta | Visiting Researcher, Fundamental AI Research-Robotics | New York, NY | 03/06/2025 | $177,000 |
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