How much does a life scientist make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $45.07 an hour or $7,813 a month.
- Hourly
- $45.07
- Average (mean)
- $107,900
- Jobs
- 7,460
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $58,670 | $28.21 | |
| 25th | $68,990 | $33.17 | |
| Median | $93,750 | $45.07 | |
| 75th | $131,900 | $63.42 | |
| 90th | $186,300 | $89.55 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| South Carolina | $169,400 |
| District of Columbia | $167,600 |
| Massachusetts | $125,300 |
| Arizona | $122,600 |
| Oregon | $113,500 |
| Alabama | $110,600 |
| Maryland | $109,700 |
| Tennessee | $108,800 |
| New Jersey | $103,900 |
| California | $102,800 |
| Washington | $100,400 |
| Florida | $91,900 |
| New York | $86,790 |
| Wisconsin | $85,080 |
| Georgia | $83,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $83,680 |
| Alaska | $82,220 |
| New Hampshire | $81,610 |
| Virginia | $81,600 |
| Texas | $81,230 |
| Missouri | $79,780 |
| Louisiana | $76,480 |
| Kentucky | $75,670 |
| Hawaii | $71,990 |
| Indiana | $69,410 |
| Idaho | $68,990 |
| Colorado | $66,250 |
| Illinois | $66,190 |
| Minnesota | $64,610 |
| Iowa | $64,270 |
| Michigan | $63,960 |
| Ohio | $62,950 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Francisco, CA | $134,800 |
| Washington, DC | $126,100 |
| San Jose, CA | $125,400 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $124,300 |
| Boston, MA | $115,200 |
| Portland, OR | $109,600 |
| Baltimore, MD | $105,900 |
| Durham, NC | $105,900 |
| Charlotte, NC | $105,400 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,700 |
| Seattle, WA | $103,000 |
| Sacramento, CA | $100,700 |
| New York, NY | $100,600 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $96,030 |
| Dallas, TX | $89,640 |
In other countries
Life 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
- Biological Scientist$98,920
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Forester$76,400
- Epidemiologist$87,220
Frequently asked questions
How much does a life scientist make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $45.07 ($93,750 a year).
How much does a life scientist make a month?
About $7,813 a month before tax, based on a median of $93,750 a year.
How much does a life scientist make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $58,670 or less a year ($28.21 an hour); the top 10% make $186,300 or more.
Which state pays life scientists the most?
South Carolina, with a median of $169,400 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($167,600) and Massachusetts ($125,300).
Which city pays life scientists the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, with a median of $134,800 a year.
How many life scientists are there in the United States?
About 7,460 people work as life 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.