How much does a medical scientist make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $49.72 an hour or $8,618 a month.
- Hourly
- $49.72
- Average (mean)
- $116,800
- Jobs
- 172,340
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,800 | $31.15 | |
| 25th | $79,840 | $38.38 | |
| Median | $103,400 | $49.72 | |
| 75th | $139,400 | $67.01 | |
| 90th | $177,800 | $85.47 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| California | $137,000 |
| New Jersey | $129,300 |
| Massachusetts | $128,200 |
| Connecticut | $117,000 |
| Arizona | $116,800 |
| Oregon | $111,000 |
| Maryland | $106,000 |
| Washington | $105,700 |
| Alaska | $104,900 |
| Rhode Island | $103,400 |
| North Carolina | $103,000 |
| Tennessee | $102,700 |
| Missouri | $102,500 |
| Montana | $102,000 |
| District of Columbia | $101,900 |
| New Hampshire | $100,700 |
| Delaware | $100,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $99,190 |
| Nevada | $98,560 |
| Florida | $94,940 |
| Maine | $93,730 |
| Virginia | $93,620 |
| Georgia | $92,450 |
| Minnesota | $89,950 |
| New York | $87,760 |
| Kansas | $84,490 |
| Michigan | $84,310 |
| Ohio | $83,910 |
| Iowa | $83,850 |
| Idaho | $83,010 |
| Utah | $82,940 |
| West Virginia | $82,690 |
| Wisconsin | $82,530 |
| Illinois | $82,330 |
| Indiana | $81,110 |
| Nebraska | $80,970 |
| South Dakota | $80,890 |
| Texas | $80,470 |
| Kentucky | $77,580 |
| Oklahoma | $76,480 |
| Arkansas | $72,530 |
| Alabama | $68,490 |
| New Mexico | $67,100 |
| Vermont | $66,500 |
| North Dakota | $64,470 |
| Mississippi | $54,040 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| Vallejo, CA | $168,900 |
| Topeka, KS | $162,800 |
| Charleston, SC | $162,200 |
| San Francisco, CA | $160,200 |
| San Jose, CA | $159,300 |
| Chico, CA | $155,500 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $145,300 |
| Modesto, CA | $143,800 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $140,300 |
| Syracuse, NY | $138,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $138,600 |
| Riverside, CA | $138,400 |
| Norwich, CT | $138,100 |
| Stockton, CA | $138,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $137,600 |
In other countries
Medical 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 medical scientist make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $49.72 ($103,400 a year).
How much does a medical scientist make a month?
About $8,618 a month before tax, based on a median of $103,400 a year.
How much does a medical scientist make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $64,800 or less a year ($31.15 an hour); the top 10% make $177,800 or more.
Which state pays medical scientists the most?
California, with a median of $137,000 a year, followed by New Jersey ($129,300) and Massachusetts ($128,200).
Which city pays medical scientists the most?
Vallejo, CA, with a median of $168,900 a year.
How many medical scientists are there in the United States?
About 172,340 people work as medical 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.