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Senior associate scientist salary
Average senior associate scientist salary
$90,208
Average Senior Associate Scientist Salary
The average salary for a Senior Associate Scientist in the United States is approximately $90,208 annually. Salaries for this role can vary significantly based on geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, those working in pharmaceutical companies may earn higher than those in academic research settings.
Salary by State
In states like California and Massachusetts, senior associate scientists often find the highest compensation, reflecting the demand for qualified professionals in these regions. Additionally, factors such as company size and individual skill sets can influence earnings.
Job Opportunities and Industry Insights
Senior Associate Scientists are essential in various fields, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and environmental science. Roles in these sectors not only offer competitive salaries but also opportunities for advancement, making them attractive for those looking to build a long-term career in science.
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Where can a Senior Associate Scientist earn more?
Senior associate scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average senior associate scientist salary by state
The average senior associate scientist salary in California, Rhode Island, and Delaware are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior associate scientist salary states are Nebraska, Texas, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior associate scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $114,487 | $55.04 |
| 2 | Delaware | $99,464 | $47.82 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $90,174 | $43.35 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $105,316 | $50.63 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $87,855 | $42.24 |
| 6 | Alaska | $97,327 | $46.79 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $94,151 | $45.26 |
| 8 | Maine | $99,044 | $47.62 |
| 9 | Maryland | $88,325 | $42.46 |
| 10 | Vermont | $80,504 | $38.70 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $89,367 | $42.96 |
| 12 | Oregon | $83,228 | $40.01 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $75,151 | $36.13 |
| 14 | Arizona | $89,667 | $43.11 |
| 15 | New York | $77,010 | $37.02 |
| 16 | Nevada | $84,688 | $40.72 |
| 17 | Indiana | $85,344 | $41.03 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $75,673 | $36.38 |
| 19 | Montana | $75,349 | $36.23 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $67,887 | $32.64 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $73,860 | $35.51 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $66,754 | $32.09 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $74,766 | $35.95 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $75,415 | $36.26 |
| 25 | Idaho | $70,034 | $33.67 |
| 26 | Washington | $66,618 | $32.03 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $71,381 | $34.32 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $60,880 | $29.27 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $62,352 | $29.98 |
| 30 | Illinois | $64,062 | $30.80 |
| 31 | Virginia | $60,067 | $28.88 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $60,263 | $28.97 |
| 33 | Michigan | $66,584 | $32.01 |
| 34 | Iowa | $63,074 | $30.32 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $61,757 | $29.69 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $60,845 | $29.25 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $61,939 | $29.78 |
| 38 | Kansas | $56,759 | $27.29 |
| 39 | Florida | $59,838 | $28.77 |
| 40 | Alabama | $59,454 | $28.58 |
| 41 | Ohio | $56,161 | $27.00 |
| 42 | Colorado | $55,794 | $26.82 |
| 43 | Utah | $52,502 | $25.24 |
| 44 | Missouri | $51,968 | $24.98 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $53,680 | $25.81 |
| 46 | Texas | $51,551 | $24.78 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $51,885 | $24.94 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $49,013 | $23.56 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $50,206 | $24.14 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $49,481 | $23.79 |
| 51 | Georgia | $49,239 | $23.67 |
Highest paying cities for senior associate scientists
The highest-paying cities for senior associate scientists are San Francisco, CA, Wilmington, DE, and New Haven, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $122,600 | $58.94 |
| 2 | Wilmington, DE | $100,156 | $48.15 |
| 3 | New Haven, CT | $94,264 | $45.32 |
| 4 | Bridgewater, NJ | $89,898 | $43.22 |
| 5 | Andover, MA | $88,273 | $42.44 |
| 6 | Rockville, MD | $87,780 | $42.20 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $82,995 | $39.90 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $76,863 | $36.95 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $75,606 | $36.35 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $75,478 | $36.29 |
| 11 | Madison, WI | $72,935 | $35.06 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $67,471 | $32.44 |
| 13 | Kalamazoo, MI | $64,681 | $31.10 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $64,446 | $30.98 |
| 15 | McLean, VA | $61,977 | $29.80 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $61,658 | $29.64 |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | $55,938 | $26.89 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $55,125 | $26.50 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $52,563 | $25.27 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $52,133 | $25.06 |
Senior associate scientist salary details
A senior associate scientist's salary ranges from $57,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $141,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior associate scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $55 |
| Average | $90,208 | $7,517 | $43 |
| 25th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
Highest paying senior associate scientist jobs
The highest paying types of senior associate scientists are medical science liaison, senior scientist, and scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Quality Control Chemist | $58,892 | $4,908 | $28.31 | 90,467 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Research Chemist | $75,843 | $6,320 | $36.46 | 53,769 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior associate 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 senior associate scientists now:
Which companies pay senior associate scientists the most?
Senior associate scientist salaries at Workday and LendingClub are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior associate scientist salary at companies like JPMorgan Chase & Co. and EOG Resources are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Workday | $131,054 | $63.01 |
| 2 | LendingClub | $122,344 | $58.82 |
| 3 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $115,682 | $55.62 |
| 4 | EOG Resources | $115,575 | $55.56 |
| 5 | SAS Institute | $115,375 | $55.47 |
| 6 | Amgen | $108,786 | $52.30 |
| 7 | Exact Sciences | $106,903 | $51.40 |
| 8 | McKesson | $106,082 | $51.00 |
| 9 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $105,907 | $50.92 |
| 10 | Staples | $103,650 | $49.83 |
| 11 | Cytokinetics | $103,448 | $49.73 |
| 12 | 23andMe | $102,623 | $49.34 |
| 13 | Visa | $101,974 | $49.03 |
| 14 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $101,654 | $48.87 |
| 15 | Bain & Company | $101,206 | $48.66 |
| 16 | New York Life Insurance | $100,674 | $48.40 |
| 17 | Zoetis | $100,576 | $48.35 |
| 18 | Kelly Services | $99,726 | $47.95 |
| 19 | Biogen | $99,724 | $47.94 |
| 20 | Merck | $99,226 | $47.70 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Associate Scientist salary by industry
The average senior associate scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average senior associate scientist salary in the health care industry is $97,496, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior associate scientist salary in the finance industry is $85,691.
- Senior associate scientists in the professional industry earn an average salary of $55,147, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior associate scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $97,496 | $46.87 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $85,691 | $41.20 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $81,334 | $39.10 |
| 4 | Professional | $55,147 | $26.51 |
High paying senior associate scientist jobs
Senior associate scientist salary trends
The average senior associate scientist salary has risen by $15,161 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior associate scientist earned $75,047 annually, but today, they earn $90,208 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for senior associate scientists over the last decade.
Compare senior associate scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior associate scientist salary over time
Compare senior associate scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior associate scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,200 | $43.37 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $87,500 | $42.08 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $83,600 | $40.19 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $80,900 | $38.90 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $79,400 | $38.17 | -2.1% |
Recently added senior associate scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pfizer | SR. Associate Scientist-Bioanalytical | Sanford, NC | 06/28/2025 | $66,500 |
| Erm | Consulting Senior Associate, Engineering/Geologist/Scientist | Denver, CO | 06/28/2025 | $62,315 |
| Pfizer | Senior Associate Scientist | Andover, MA | 06/26/2025 | $66,500 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Senior Associate Scientist-Manual ION Channel Testing | Cleveland, OH | 06/25/2025 | $75,000 |
| Pfizer | Senior Associate Scientist | Pearl River, NY | 06/25/2025 | $66,500 |
| Stantec Inc. | Senior Associate Geologist or Scientist | Walnut Creek, CA | 06/25/2025 | $104,300 |
| Evotec Se | Senior Associate Scientist, Analytical Development and Support | Redmond, WA | 06/24/2025 | $83,000 |
| Environmental Resources Management, Inc. | Consulting Senior Associate, Engineering/Geologist/Scientist | Denver, CO | 06/20/2025 | $62,315 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Senior Associate Scientist, Discovery Bioanalytical 1 | Mattawan, MI | 06/19/2025 | $75,000 |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals | Senior Associate Scientist-Bioassay | Tarrytown, NY | 06/16/2025 | $79,100 |
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