U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsThis major group comprises the following occupations: Animal Scientists ; Food Scientists and Technologists ; Soil and Plant Scientists ; Biochemists and Biophysicists ; Microbiologists ; Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists ; Biological Scientists, All Other ; Conservation Scientists ; Foresters ; Epidemiologists ; Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists ; Life Scientists, All Other ; Astronomers ; Physicists ; Atmospheric and Space Scientists ; Chemists ; Materials Scientists ; Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health ; Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ; Hydrologists ; Physical Scientists, All Other ; Economists ; Survey Researchers ; Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists ; Industrial-Organizational Psychologists ; Psychologists, All Other ; Sociologists ; Urban and Regional Planners ; Anthropologists and Archeologists ; Geographers ; Historians ; Political Scientists ; Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other ; Agricultural and Food Science Technicians ; Biological Technicians ; Chemical Technicians ; Geological and Petroleum Technicians ; Nuclear Technicians ; Social Science Research Assistants ; Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health ; Forensic Science Technicians ; Forest and Conservation Technicians ; Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this major group:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,064,510 | 0.8 % | $31.92 | $66,390 | 0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this major group:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $14.89 | $19.94 | $28.14 | $39.78 | $53.92 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $30,980 | $41,470 | $58,530 | $82,740 | $112,150 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 159,440 | 25.98 | $36.02 | $74,920 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 145,200 | 7.13 | $35.23 | $73,270 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 117,070 | 4.13 | $25.19 | $52,400 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 82,300 | 3.58 | $26.78 | $55,710 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 78,940 | 1.41 | $28.12 | $58,500 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 159,440 | 25.98 | $36.02 | $74,920 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 54,960 | 19.47 | $35.88 | $74,620 |
| Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing | 4,610 | 8.16 | $29.29 | $60,920 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 145,200 | 7.13 | $35.23 | $73,270 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 10,880 | 7.02 | $51.30 | $106,700 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank | 430 | 2.20 | $58.42 | $121,520 |
| Depository Credit Intermediation | 70 | (7) | $55.58 | $115,600 |
| Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage | 150 | 0.03 | $51.59 | $107,310 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 40 | 0.01 | $51.43 | $106,980 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 10,880 | 7.02 | $51.30 | $106,700 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 158,450 | 11.32 | 1.35 | $35.37 | $73,570 |
| Texas | 75,380 | 7.47 | 0.89 | $31.83 | $66,200 |
| New York | 65,400 | 7.84 | 0.94 | $31.28 | $65,070 |
| Massachusetts | 43,590 | 13.98 | 1.67 | $35.43 | $73,700 |
| Pennsylvania | 41,430 | 7.56 | 0.90 | $32.02 | $66,610 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 18,770 | 29.36 | 3.51 | $47.33 | $98,440 |
| Alaska | 6,250 | 20.29 | 2.42 | $29.91 | $62,210 |
| Montana | 7,880 | 18.58 | 2.22 | $22.72 | $47,250 |
| New Mexico | 12,880 | 16.56 | 1.98 | $34.58 | $71,930 |
| Idaho | 9,480 | 15.94 | 1.90 | $24.34 | $50,630 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 18,770 | 29.36 | 3.51 | $47.33 | $98,440 |
| Maryland | 36,280 | 14.74 | 1.76 | $39.97 | $83,140 |
| New Jersey | 34,270 | 9.09 | 1.09 | $37.45 | $77,890 |
| Virginia | 27,210 | 7.71 | 0.92 | $37.08 | $77,130 |
| Illinois | 33,940 | 6.14 | 0.73 | $35.57 | $73,990 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 37,380 | 16.33 | 1.95 | $45.95 | $95,570 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 30,650 | 8.03 | 0.96 | $33.14 | $68,920 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 30,430 | 6.11 | 0.73 | $34.48 | $71,720 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 29,910 | 18.04 | 2.15 | $35.75 | $74,350 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA | 24,440 | 19.73 | 2.36 | $36.84 | $76,630 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 24,410 | 9.77 | 1.17 | $37.19 | $77,360 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 20,900 | 11.58 | 1.38 | $36.46 | $75,840 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 20,570 | 5.81 | 0.69 | $35.87 | $74,620 |
| Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 17,950 | 13.34 | 1.59 | $32.86 | $68,350 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division | 16,330 | 17.21 | 2.06 | $41.05 | $85,390 |