How much does a biological scientist make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $47.56 an hour or $8,243 a month.
- Hourly
- $47.56
- Average (mean)
- $106,300
- Jobs
- 55,850
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $60,430 | $29.05 | |
| 25th | $76,800 | $36.92 | |
| Median | $98,920 | $47.56 | |
| 75th | $127,700 | $61.38 | |
| 90th | $168,000 | $80.77 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| Maryland | $121,700 |
| California | $113,500 |
| Delaware | $113,400 |
| Connecticut | $111,900 |
| Washington | $108,100 |
| Massachusetts | $107,100 |
| Alaska | $106,900 |
| New Jersey | $104,800 |
| Maine | $104,600 |
| New York | $104,100 |
| Rhode Island | $101,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,800 |
| North Carolina | $100,100 |
| Georgia | $96,820 |
| Virginia | $96,030 |
| Hawaii | $95,600 |
| Ohio | $95,560 |
| Colorado | $93,970 |
| Utah | $93,250 |
| Montana | $91,560 |
| South Carolina | $91,560 |
| Wyoming | $91,560 |
| Mississippi | $91,170 |
| Arizona | $90,290 |
| Alabama | $87,260 |
| Oregon | $86,260 |
| District of Columbia | $84,590 |
| West Virginia | $84,590 |
| Indiana | $84,570 |
| New Mexico | $84,120 |
| Florida | $83,780 |
| New Hampshire | $83,740 |
| Idaho | $83,320 |
| Nebraska | $82,770 |
| Iowa | $82,720 |
| Illinois | $82,640 |
| Michigan | $81,540 |
| Texas | $80,870 |
| Tennessee | $80,500 |
| Oklahoma | $79,950 |
| Kentucky | $79,400 |
| Wisconsin | $78,480 |
| Vermont | $77,960 |
| Arkansas | $76,400 |
| Kansas | $76,400 |
| Minnesota | $76,400 |
| Nevada | $74,210 |
| South Dakota | $73,920 |
| Louisiana | $69,590 |
| Missouri | $63,290 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Francisco, CA | $138,200 |
| San Jose, CA | $133,800 |
| Dayton, OH | $127,000 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $124,800 |
| Portland, ME | $119,400 |
| Washington, DC | $114,900 |
| New Haven, CT | $112,700 |
| Baltimore, MD | $111,500 |
| New York, NY | $111,400 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $111,200 |
| Vallejo, CA | $110,800 |
| Boston, MA | $110,400 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $110,300 |
| Bremerton, WA | $109,600 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $108,900 |
In other countries
Biological Scientist belongs to the international group "Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Animal Scientist$68,940
- Food Scientist and Technologist$88,720
- Soil and Plant Scientist$78,850
- Biochemist and Biophysicist$127,400
- Microbiologist$87,990
- Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$76,780
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Forester$76,400
- Epidemiologist$87,220
- Medical Scientist$103,400
Frequently asked questions
How much does a biological scientist make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $47.56 ($98,920 a year).
How much does a biological scientist make a month?
About $8,243 a month before tax, based on a median of $98,920 a year.
How much does a biological scientist make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $60,430 or less a year ($29.05 an hour); the top 10% make $168,000 or more.
Which state pays biological scientists the most?
Maryland, with a median of $121,700 a year, followed by California ($113,500) and Delaware ($113,400).
Which city pays biological scientists the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, with a median of $138,200 a year.
How many biological scientists are there in the United States?
About 55,850 people work as biological scientists.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.