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Senior principal scientist salary
Average senior principal scientist salary
$119,042
Average Senior Principal Scientist Salary
The average salary for a Senior Principal Scientist in the United States is approximately $119,042 per year, translating to about $57 per hour. This role requires extensive experience and often commands higher salaries in specialized sectors.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several factors impact a Senior Principal Scientist's earnings:
- Location: Salaries vary significantly by state. For instance, positions in California and Massachusetts tend to offer the highest compensation.
- Experience: More experienced professionals typically earn more, with significant salary increases observed with each year of experience.
- Industry: Industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology generally provide higher salaries compared to academia or government roles.
As you consider your career trajectory, it's essential to evaluate these elements. Understanding the salary landscape can aid in making informed decisions, whether you are exploring new opportunities or negotiating your current position.
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Where can a Senior Principal Scientist earn more?
Senior principal scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average senior principal scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior principal scientists are California, Tennessee, and Nevada. The lowest average senior principal scientist salary states are Wisconsin, Kansas, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior principal scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $127,253 | $61.18 |
| 2 | Montana | $126,299 | $60.72 |
| 3 | Nevada | $130,576 | $62.78 |
| 4 | Arizona | $124,340 | $59.78 |
| 5 | Illinois | $120,701 | $58.03 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $120,770 | $58.06 |
| 7 | California | $141,024 | $67.80 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $115,408 | $55.48 |
| 9 | Alaska | $127,494 | $61.30 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $140,653 | $67.62 |
| 11 | Washington | $108,887 | $52.35 |
| 12 | Oregon | $112,032 | $53.86 |
| 13 | Maine | $120,359 | $57.86 |
| 14 | Indiana | $121,701 | $58.51 |
| 15 | Delaware | $110,190 | $52.98 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $102,224 | $49.15 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $103,794 | $49.90 |
| 18 | Vermont | $100,431 | $48.28 |
| 19 | New York | $103,251 | $49.64 |
| 20 | Maryland | $101,684 | $48.89 |
| 21 | Florida | $100,034 | $48.09 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $94,212 | $45.29 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $93,134 | $44.78 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $95,017 | $45.68 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $92,837 | $44.63 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $95,563 | $45.94 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $104,544 | $50.26 |
| 28 | Virginia | $93,574 | $44.99 |
| 29 | Colorado | $94,193 | $45.29 |
| 30 | Ohio | $93,935 | $45.16 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $89,493 | $43.03 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $99,020 | $47.61 |
| 33 | Texas | $93,267 | $44.84 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $107,247 | $51.56 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $90,968 | $43.73 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $94,257 | $45.32 |
| 37 | Idaho | $86,052 | $41.37 |
| 38 | Utah | $92,693 | $44.56 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $92,068 | $44.26 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $86,365 | $41.52 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $82,996 | $39.90 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $82,875 | $39.84 |
| 43 | Missouri | $86,544 | $41.61 |
| 44 | Alabama | $87,505 | $42.07 |
| 45 | Michigan | $85,281 | $41.00 |
| 46 | Kansas | $82,267 | $39.55 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $83,864 | $40.32 |
| 48 | Georgia | $77,877 | $37.44 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $81,444 | $39.16 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $74,891 | $36.01 |
| 51 | Iowa | $66,910 | $32.17 |
Highest paying cities for senior principal scientists
The highest-paying cities for senior principal scientists are San Francisco, CA, Rahway, NJ, and Indianapolis, IN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $149,653 | $71.95 |
| 2 | Rahway, NJ | $127,346 | $61.22 |
| 3 | Indianapolis, IN | $121,398 | $58.36 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $121,037 | $58.19 |
| 5 | Ridgefield, CT | $120,464 | $57.92 |
| 6 | Andover, MA | $115,660 | $55.61 |
| 7 | Dover, DE | $110,000 | $52.88 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $109,769 | $52.77 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $107,314 | $51.59 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $103,267 | $49.65 |
| 11 | Morrisville, NC | $102,705 | $49.38 |
| 12 | Annapolis, MD | $101,803 | $48.94 |
| 13 | Providence, RI | $99,058 | $47.62 |
| 14 | Saint Paul, MN | $95,052 | $45.70 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge, LA | $94,536 | $45.45 |
| 16 | Boulder, CO | $94,135 | $45.26 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $93,914 | $45.15 |
| 18 | Concord, NH | $93,198 | $44.81 |
| 19 | Little Rock, AR | $91,073 | $43.79 |
| 20 | Columbia, MO | $86,575 | $41.62 |
Senior Principal Scientists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Senior principal scientist salary details
A senior principal scientist's salary ranges from $83,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $169,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior principal scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $169,000 | $14,083 | $81 |
| 75th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
| Average | $119,042 | $9,920 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| 10th Percentile | $83,000 | $6,917 | $40 |
Highest paying senior principal scientist jobs
The highest paying types of senior principal 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 |
| Research Chemist | $75,843 | $6,320 | $36.46 | 53,769 |
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior principal 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 principal scientists now:
Which companies pay senior principal scientists the most?
Senior principal scientist salaries at Amazon and Exelixis are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior principal scientist salary at companies like Riot Games and Genentech are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | $156,827 | $75.40 |
| 2 | Exelixis | $150,343 | $72.28 |
| 3 | Riot Games | $146,190 | $70.28 |
| 4 | Genentech | $145,711 | $70.05 |
| 5 | Edwards Lifesciences | $139,380 | $67.01 |
| 6 | Invitae | $135,593 | $65.19 |
| 7 | Schrödinger Inc | $134,669 | $64.74 |
| 8 | BNY Mellon | $134,026 | $64.44 |
| 9 | Mars | $133,768 | $64.31 |
| 10 | Nokia | $131,142 | $63.05 |
| 11 | Amgen | $127,507 | $61.30 |
| 12 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $124,892 | $60.04 |
| 13 | Novartis | $124,871 | $60.03 |
| 14 | Xerox | $124,655 | $59.93 |
| 15 | BlackBerry | $124,437 | $59.83 |
| 16 | Eli Lilly and Company | $124,213 | $59.72 |
| 17 | Rakuten Medical | $122,405 | $58.85 |
| 18 | International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) | $122,165 | $58.73 |
| 19 | Black Enterprise | $122,082 | $58.69 |
| 20 | Arcus Biosciences | $121,293 | $58.31 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Principal Scientist salary by industry
The average senior principal scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average senior principal scientist salary in the technology industry is $122,831, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior principal scientist salary in the finance industry is $114,703.
- Senior principal scientists in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $102,516, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior principal scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $122,831 | $59.05 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $114,703 | $55.15 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $106,461 | $51.18 |
| 4 | Health Care | $106,179 | $51.05 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $102,516 | $49.29 |
High paying senior principal scientist jobs
Senior principal scientist salary trends
The average senior principal scientist salary has risen by $20,008 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior principal scientist earned $99,034 annually, but today, they earn $119,042 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for senior principal scientists over the last decade.
Compare senior principal scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior principal scientist salary over time
Compare senior principal scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior principal scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $119,000 | $57.23 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $116,000 | $55.53 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $110,000 | $53.04 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $107,000 | $51.34 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $105,000 | $50.36 | -2.1% |
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