The Salaries of Scientists by Discipline

      This page presents information of the pay scales of US scientists. The data, which is collected from salary.com, is summarized and tabulated here. Comparisons with some other selected employment sectors are provided at the bottom of this webpage.

The information is current as of December, 2005. Notably changes since our November, 2003 report are summarized below.

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Top-Ranking Science Salaries

Employee Type
Median Salary
Experienced Senior Physicist
$106,716
Experienced Senior Geologist
$94,201
Experienced Senior Chemist
$90,354
Experienced Astronomer
$87,534
Experienced Senior Biologist
$83,205
Experienced Clinical Researcher
$78,035
Experienced Academic Researcher
$67,356


Comments: Physicists are the best paid scientists by a significant margin. The salary figure for geologists benefits from the petroleum industry.


Comprensive Salary Table

Employee Type
25th Percentile Salary
Median Salary
75th Percentile Salary
Astronomer
$86,143
$87,534
$101,004
Biologist I
$36,188
$40,943
$47,858
Biologist II
$47,383
$52,002
$56,923
Biologist III
$52,563
$60,910
$70,256
Biologist IV
$64,033
$72,984
$79,560
Biologist V
$65,907
$83,205
$94,668
Biochemist I
$36,188
$40,943
$47,858
Biochemist II
$47,383
$52,002
$56,923
Biochemist III
$52,033
$56,317
$63,737
Biophysicist
$47,264
$51,903
$60,125
Chemist I
$38,860
$42,462
$47,768
Chemist II
$47,016
$51,336
$57,330
Chemist III
$56,852
$63,482
$73,367
Chemist IV
$69,231
$76,106
$85,015
Chemist V
$79,227
$90,354
$101,330
Clinical Researcher I
$39,634
$52,409
$54,813
Clinical Researcher II
$56,634
$66,278
$71,594
Clinical Researcher III
$70,714
$78,035
$85,699
Geologist I
$38,317
$41,058
$44,066
Geologist II
$45,144
$47,728
$52,412
Geologist III
$53,276
$59,778
$65,273
Geologist IV
$62,830
$71,337
$81,171
Geologist V
$80,038
$94,201
$102,156
Physicist I
$44,725
$47,200
$51,443
Physicist II
$53,104
$59,369
$68,544
Physicist III
$66,475
$72,592
$84,161
Physicist IV
$78,513
$87,694
$97,810
Physicist V
$100,605
$106,716
$115,372
Academic Researcher I
$43,066
$49,534
$51,402
Academic Researcher II
$52,948
$59,270
$65,717
Academic Researcher III
$57,699
$67,356
$77,999
Zoologist
$47,589
$58,104
$71,656

Notes: Tier I scientists have 0-2 years of experience; Tier II scientists have 2-4 years; Tier III have 4-6 or more years of experience; Tier IV have 6-8 years of experience; Tier V have 8 or more years of experience.


Pay Scales for Educators

Employee Type
25th Percentile Salary
Median Salary
75th Percentile Salary
High School Teacher
$38,261
$48,289
$56,720
Assistant Professor in Science
$38,009
$49,934
$78,603
Associate Professor in Science
$48,671
$59,467
$94,860
Full Professor in Science
$63,757
$84,999
$129,818



Pay Scales for Mathematicians

Employee Type
25th Percentile Salary
Median Salary
75th Percentile Salary
Mathematician
$42,944
$47,905
$54,101
Senior Mathematician
$72,771
$81,285
$85,922



Salaries of Engineers in Scientifically Related Fields

Employee Type
25th Percentile Salary
Median Salary
75th Percentile Salary
Chemical Engineer I
$48,489
$54,298
$59,342
Chemical Engineer II
$54,991
$59,695
$66,203
Chemical Engineer III
$66,570
$72,675
$83,359
Chemical Engineer IV
$75,558
$83,620
$91,407
Chemical Engineer V
$87,751
$96,970
$103,831
Electrical Engineer I
$49,596
$54,823
$60,005
Electrical Engineer II
$55,471
$62,306
$69,229
Electrical Engineer III
$68,465
$76,827
$85,504
Electrical Engineer IV
$77,665
$84,185
$91,186
Electrical Engineer V
$87,679
$95,464
$103,040
Materials Engineer I
$51,503
$55,423
$58,487
Materials Engineer II
$57,971
$64,348
$70,309
Materials Engineer III
$64,185
$69,603
$77,593
Materials Engineer IV
$73,267
$79,894
$86,926
Materials Engineer V
$85,465
$94,811
$107,424
Mechanical Engineer I
$49,085
$53,188
$57,604
Mechanical Engineer II
$58,126
$63,578
$70,145
Mechanical Engineer III
$67,371
$74,007
$82,129
Mechanical Engineer IV
$75,773
$82,602
$89,816
Mechanical Engineer V
$87,363
$94,879
$101,658
Nuclear Engineer I
$55,515
$60,916
$65,332
Nuclear Engineer II
$60,922
$67,820
$75,251
Nuclear Engineer III
$74,637
$79,400
$86,416
Nuclear Engineer IV
$83,419
$90,920
$98,774
Nuclear Engineer V
$95,180
$99,873
$109,732



Selected Salaries of Other Sectors for Comparative Purposes

Employee Type
25th Percentile Salary
Median Salary
75th Percentile Salary
Orthopedic Surgeon
$224,635
$303,811
$382,630
Physician (generalist)
$127,297
$146,017
$168,317
Attorney I
$68,624
$80,447
$94,830
Attorney II
$89,890
$105,595
$124,058
Attorney III
$121,976
$139,756
$160,910
Computer Web Designer
$52,130
$59,894
$70,880
Senior Systems Administrator
$70,385
$79,414
$88,828
Clinical Pharmacist
$83,205
$88,058
$94,002
Corporate Economist
$77,342
$92,992
$106,660
Stock Broker
$43,138
$49,619
$53,715


Notable Changes:

There are not really any. Compared to November, 2003 (see the previous report), scientist's salaries across the board grew at approximately the same rate as inflation, that is, about 4% per year for each of the past two years.


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