Best cities for a senior scientist
The best cities for senior scientists are Oakland, CA, Fremont, CA, and North Las Vegas, NV, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for senior scientists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for senior scientists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a senior scientist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for senior scientists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for senior scientists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a senior scientist. While the absolute best city for senior scientists is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for senior scientists in 2024.
If you're looking for a senior scientist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for senior scientists in 2025
1. Oakland, CA
Senior scientist jobs in OaklandTotal senior scientist jobs: 28 Average annual salary: $149,494 Lowest 10 percent warn: $95,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $233,000 Location quotient: 3.93 2. Fremont, CA
Senior scientist jobs in FremontTotal senior scientist jobs: 38 Average annual salary: $149,349 Lowest 10 percent warn: $95,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $233,000 Location quotient: 2.53 3. North Las Vegas, NV
Senior scientist jobs in North Las VegasTotal senior scientist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $112,165 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location quotient: 3.68 4. San Francisco, CA
Senior scientist jobs in San FranciscoTotal senior scientist jobs: 176 Average annual salary: $149,897 Lowest 10 percent warn: $96,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $233,000 Location quotient: 2.36 5. San Diego, CA
Senior scientist jobs in San DiegoTotal senior scientist jobs: 108 Average annual salary: $132,592 Lowest 10 percent warn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $208,000 Location quotient: 8.04 6. Stockton, CA
Total senior scientist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $147,208 Lowest 10 percent warn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $230,000 Location quotient: 1.89 7. San Jose, CA
Senior scientist jobs in San JoseTotal senior scientist jobs: 82 Average annual salary: $149,467 Lowest 10 percent warn: $95,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $233,000 Location quotient: 1.55 8. Bakersfield, CA
Senior scientist jobs in BakersfieldTotal senior scientist jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $144,437 Lowest 10 percent warn: $91,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $226,000 Location quotient: 2.07 9. Indianapolis, IN
Senior scientist jobs in IndianapolisTotal senior scientist jobs: 74 Average annual salary: $105,421 Lowest 10 percent warn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000 Location quotient: 2.52 10. Saint Paul, MN
Senior scientist jobs in Saint PaulTotal senior scientist jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $104,080 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location quotient: 3.70
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Best cities for senior scientists
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- North Las Vegas, NV
- San Francisco, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Stockton, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- Indianapolis, IN
- Saint Paul, MN
Detailed list of the best cities for a senior scientist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $149,494 | $95,000 | 420,005 | 28 |
| 2 | Fremont, CA | $149,349 | $95,000 | 233,136 | 38 |
| 3 | North Las Vegas, NV | $112,165 | $70,000 | 238,702 | 3 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $149,897 | $96,000 | 870,887 | 176 |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | $132,592 | $84,000 | 1,406,630 | 108 |
| 6 | Stockton, CA | $147,208 | $94,000 | 307,072 | 5 |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $149,467 | $95,000 | 1,025,350 | 82 |
| 8 | Bakersfield, CA | $144,437 | $91,000 | 376,380 | 7 |
| 9 | Indianapolis, IN | $105,421 | $73,000 | 855,164 | 74 |
| 10 | Saint Paul, MN | $104,080 | $74,000 | 302,398 | 53 |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $137,483 | $87,000 | 266,122 | 46 |
| 12 | Tucson, AZ | $106,775 | $67,000 | 530,706 | 27 |
| 13 | Santa Ana, CA | $137,913 | $87,000 | 334,217 | 6 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $107,311 | $70,000 | 704,352 | 183 |
| 15 | Boston, MA | $101,732 | $75,000 | 673,184 | 70 |
| 16 | Anaheim, CA | $138,305 | $87,000 | 351,043 | 5 |
| 17 | Sacramento, CA | $145,778 | $93,000 | 495,234 | 16 |
| 18 | Durham, NC | $82,150 | $56,000 | 263,016 | 53 |
| 19 | Fresno, CA | $146,111 | $93,000 | 522,053 | 4 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | $104,068 | $74,000 | 413,651 | 61 |
| 21 | Madison, WI | $81,485 | $57,000 | 252,551 | 49 |
| 22 | Long Beach, CA | $138,650 | $88,000 | 470,130 | 5 |
| 23 | Pittsburgh, PA | $91,933 | $65,000 | 303,625 | 40 |
| 24 | Raleigh, NC | $82,111 | $56,000 | 458,880 | 52 |
| 25 | Winston-Salem, NC | $81,176 | $56,000 | 242,203 | 10 |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | $139,866 | $89,000 | 3,976,322 | 48 |
| 27 | Brookhaven, NY | $90,805 | $66,000 | 486,040 | 10 |
| 28 | Cincinnati, OH | $82,905 | $57,000 | 298,800 | 38 |
| 29 | El Paso, TX | $80,540 | $50,000 | 683,080 | 15 |
| 30 | Scottsdale, AZ | $109,333 | $68,000 | 246,645 | 7 |
| 31 | Buffalo, NY | $89,280 | $65,000 | 256,902 | 41 |
| 32 | Memphis, TN | $93,126 | $60,000 | 652,717 | 17 |
| 33 | Las Vegas, NV | $112,682 | $70,000 | 632,912 | 8 |
| 34 | Phoenix, AZ | $109,619 | $68,000 | 1,615,017 | 31 |
| 35 | Philadelphia, PA | $93,946 | $67,000 | 1,567,872 | 42 |
| 36 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $106,245 | $78,000 | 351,792 | 22 |
| 37 | Chicago, IL | $98,703 | $69,000 | 2,704,958 | 99 |
| 38 | Riverside, CA | $137,512 | $87,000 | 324,722 | 2 |
| 39 | Columbus, OH | $85,676 | $60,000 | 860,090 | 41 |
| 40 | Jersey City, NJ | $112,739 | $81,000 | 264,152 | 23 |
| 41 | Baltimore, MD | $104,799 | $74,000 | 614,664 | 28 |
| 42 | Fort Wayne, IN | $109,941 | $77,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 43 | Mesa, AZ | $108,807 | $68,000 | 484,587 | 2 |
| 44 | Reno, NV | $113,196 | $72,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 45 | Henderson, NV | $112,289 | $70,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 46 | Chandler, AZ | $108,917 | $68,000 | 247,477 | 3 |
| 47 | Nashville, TN | $94,919 | $63,000 | 660,388 | 13 |
| 48 | New York, NY | $90,290 | $65,000 | 8,537,673 | 28 |
| 49 | Cleveland, OH | $88,126 | $63,000 | 385,809 | 11 |
| 50 | Lexington, KY | $71,748 | $49,000 | 318,449 | 11 |
Highest paying cities for senior scientists
| Rank | City | Avg. senior scientist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $149,990 |
| 2 | Ridgefield, CT | $112,715 |
| 3 | Rahway, NJ | $112,538 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $107,311 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $105,421 |
| 6 | Gaithersburg, MD | $104,157 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $104,068 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $101,732 |
| 9 | North Chicago, IL | $99,406 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $93,946 |
| 11 | Albany, NY | $91,248 |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $83,628 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $82,150 |
| 14 | Madison, WI | $81,485 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $77,387 |
| 16 | Boulder, CO | $73,758 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $68,039 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $60,878 |
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Updated January 8, 2025