Average Life Scientists, All Other Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Life Scientists, All Other is $87,800 per year. The middle 50% earn between $66,340 and $123,720, with 7,320 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 30 states and 31 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Life Scientists, All Other pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $52,360
- 25th
- $66,340
- Median
- $87,800
- 75th
- $123,720
- 90th
- $168,860
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two life scientists, all other at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for life scientists, all other from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.7%
- 300 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 400
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for life scientists, all other.
Where Life Scientists, All Other earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where life scientists, all other work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is District of Columbia at $164,260, about 87.1% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $175,330.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $164,260 | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $129,210 | 130 |
| California | $128,750 | 880 |
| North Carolina | $123,500 | 1,060 |
| Alabama | $107,050 | 50 |
| Oregon | $106,370 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $104,500 | 100 |
| Arizona | $103,460 | 130 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $175,330 | 60 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $132,500 | 50 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $131,110 | 300 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $125,840 | 140 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $125,820 | 440 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $115,370 | 110 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $109,540 | 370 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $105,090 | 160 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see life scientists, all other pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Life Scientists, All Other rose from $75,910 to $87,800, a gain of +15.7% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $75,910 would need to be worth $93,141 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $87,800 is −$5,341 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -5.7% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 15.7% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +15.7%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -5.7%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Life Scientists, All Other median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $75,910
- 2020
- $82,000
- 2021
- $81,500
- 2022
- $83,930
- 2023
- $86,950
- 2024
- $87,800
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Microbiologists
- $87,330
- Epidemiologists
- $83,980
- Biological Scientists, All Other
- $93,330
- Animal Scientists
- $79,120
- Biochemists And Biophysicists
- $103,650
Common salary questions for Life Scientists, All Other
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Life Scientists, All Other workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.