Life Scientists, All Other Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for life scientists, all others across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $107,860 ≈ $52/hr
National median salary $93,750
Total employment 7,460 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.7%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 400 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 7,800 → 8,100 (+300)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$174,210
- South Carolina$166,780
- Massachusetts$131,800
- Arizona$128,220
- Maryland$121,910
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $174,210 | $167,640 | $84 | +61.5% | 50 |
| 2 | South Carolina | $166,780 | $169,440 | $80 | +54.6% | — |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $131,800 | $125,260 | $63 | +22.2% | 100 |
| 4 | Arizona | $128,220 | $122,580 | $62 | +18.9% | — |
| 5 | Maryland | $121,910 | $109,700 | $59 | +13% | 420 |
| 6 | Oregon | $119,470 | $113,450 | $57 | +10.8% | 160 |
| 7 | California | $117,510 | $102,830 | $57 | +8.9% | 860 |
| 8 | Alabama | $112,420 | $110,560 | $54 | +4.2% | 50 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $110,390 | $103,890 | $53 | +2.3% | 110 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $109,650 | $108,770 | $53 | +1.7% | 40 |
| 11 | Florida | $109,110 | $91,900 | $52 | +1.2% | 80 |
| 12 | Washington | $100,550 | $100,420 | $48 | -6.8% | 240 |
| 13 | New York | $99,780 | $86,790 | $48 | -7.5% | 250 |
| 14 | Virginia | $96,770 | $81,600 | $47 | -10.3% | 350 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $96,060 | $85,080 | $46 | -10.9% | — |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $94,010 | $83,680 | $45 | -12.8% | 290 |
| 17 | Ohio | $89,080 | $62,950 | $43 | -17.4% | 50 |
| 18 | Missouri | $88,490 | $79,780 | $43 | -18% | 190 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $88,280 | $76,480 | $42 | -18.2% | 430 |
| 20 | Alaska | $88,150 | $82,220 | $42 | -18.3% | 40 |
| 21 | Colorado | $84,230 | $66,250 | $41 | -21.9% | 40 |
| 22 | Indiana | $82,880 | $69,410 | $40 | -23.2% | 30 |
| 23 | Georgia | $82,600 | $83,990 | $40 | -23.4% | 170 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $81,100 | $81,610 | $39 | -24.8% | 90 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $80,190 | $71,990 | $39 | -25.7% | 50 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $77,670 | $75,670 | $37 | -28% | 100 |
| 27 | Texas | $77,130 | $81,230 | $37 | -28.5% | 510 |
| 28 | Idaho | $76,170 | $68,990 | $37 | -29.4% | 80 |
| 29 | Iowa | $75,540 | $64,270 | $36 | -30% | 110 |
| 30 | Michigan | $73,250 | $63,960 | $35 | -32.1% | 90 |
| 31 | Illinois | $67,660 | $66,190 | $33 | -37.3% | 160 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $67,320 | $64,610 | $32 | -37.6% | — |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 28 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $134,810 | $139,970 | 170 |
| 2 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,120 | $139,090 | 340 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $125,430 | $152,410 | 60 |
| 4 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $124,260 | $135,570 | 70 |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $115,230 | $126,430 | 100 |
| 6 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $109,580 | $114,780 | 120 |
| 7 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $105,900 | $116,440 | 170 |
| 8 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $105,850 | $119,330 | 460 |
| 9 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $105,370 | $126,790 | 60 |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $104,740 | $126,380 | 230 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing life scientists, all others (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $145,530 | $132,120 | 80 |
| 2 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $141,970 | $133,620 | 90 |
| 3 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $131,290 | $134,120 | 300 |
| 4 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $131,290 | $134,120 | 300 |
| 5 | Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $130,730 | $122,660 | 60 |
| 6 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $124,260 | $118,520 | 80 |
| 7 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $124,260 | $117,340 | 80 |
| 8 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $112,370 | $129,550 | 2,580 |
| 9 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $112,370 | $129,550 | 2,580 |
| 10 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $111,180 | $116,660 | — |
| 11 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $110,880 | $114,900 | — |
| 12 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $110,350 | $120,020 | 1,580 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do life scientists, all other make in the U.S.?
The median life scientists, all other salary in the United States is $93,750 per year (mean $107,860), and about 80% earn between $58,670 and $186,260.
How much do life scientists, all other make per hour?
Roughly $52 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $107,860 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays life scientists, all other the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for life scientists, all other at $174,210 per year (median $167,640).
What is the job outlook for life scientists, all other?
Employment is projected to change +3.7% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 400 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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