Science salaries
Science occupations span the life, physical, and social sciences, including biology, chemistry, physics, and research roles across industry and government.
Below are all 42 science occupations the BLS tracks, ranked by median annual pay for May 2025. The best paid, industrial-organizational psychologists, earns a median of $193,950 a year.
| # | Job | Median annual | Hourly | Typical education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $193,950 | $93.24 | Master's degree | 790 |
| 2 | Physicists | $172,250 | $82.81 | Doctoral or professional degree | 20,430 |
| 3 | Political Scientists | $142,080 | $68.31 | Master's degree | 5,540 |
| 4 | Astronomers | $128,820 | $61.94 | Doctoral or professional degree | 2,120 |
| 5 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $127,410 | $61.26 | Doctoral or professional degree | 33,830 |
| 6 | Economists | $124,720 | $59.96 | Master's degree | 17,790 |
| 7 | Materials Scientists | $117,790 | $56.63 | Bachelor's degree | 8,470 |
| 8 | Nuclear Technicians | $110,240 | $53.00 | Associate's degree | 6,470 |
| 9 | Sociologists | $106,030 | $50.98 | Master's degree | 2,260 |
| 10 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 | Doctoral or professional degree | 172,340 |
| 11 | Geographers | $102,040 | $49.06 | Bachelor's degree | 1,400 |
| 12 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $101,920 | $49.00 | Bachelor's degree | 23,470 |
| 13 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 | Doctoral or professional degree | 75,990 |
| 14 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $99,070 | $47.63 | Bachelor's degree | 10,000 |
| 15 | Hydrologists | $96,600 | $46.44 | Bachelor's degree | 5,850 |
| 16 | School Psychologists | $95,990 | $46.15 | Master's degree | 63,940 |
| 17 | Chemists | $91,240 | $43.87 | Bachelor's degree | 82,770 |
| 18 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 | Bachelor's degree | 140,610 |
| 19 | Urban and Regional Planners | $89,320 | $42.94 | Master's degree | 44,230 |
| 20 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $88,720 | $42.65 | Bachelor's degree | 13,060 |
| 21 | Microbiologists | $87,990 | $42.30 | Bachelor's degree | 18,940 |
| 22 | Epidemiologists | $87,220 | $41.93 | Master's degree | 12,090 |
| 23 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 | Bachelor's degree | 89,250 |
| 24 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $78,850 | $37.91 | Bachelor's degree | 15,730 |
| 25 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $76,780 | $36.91 | Bachelor's degree | 18,120 |
| 26 | Historians | $76,750 | $36.90 | Master's degree | 3,450 |
| 27 | Foresters | $76,400 | $36.73 | Bachelor's degree | 10,430 |
| 28 | Conservation Scientists | $73,010 | $35.10 | Bachelor's degree | 25,950 |
| 29 | Forensic Science Technicians | $72,060 | $34.65 | Bachelor's degree | 19,120 |
| 30 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $70,770 | $34.02 | Master's degree | 8,990 |
| 31 | Survey Researchers | $69,460 | $33.40 | Master's degree | 8,290 |
| 32 | Animal Scientists | $68,940 | $33.14 | Bachelor's degree | 3,100 |
| 33 | Hydrologic Technicians | $64,790 | $31.15 | Associate's degree | 2,840 |
| 34 | Social Science Research Assistants | $61,990 | $29.81 | Bachelor's degree | 30,640 |
| 35 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $61,560 | $29.59 | High school diploma or equivalent | 30,590 |
| 36 | Chemical Technicians | $60,390 | $29.03 | Associate's degree | 57,540 |
| 37 | Biological Technicians | $57,510 | $27.65 | Bachelor's degree | 69,620 |
| 38 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | $26.49 | Associate's degree | 34,670 |
| 39 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,560 | $26.23 | Associate's degree | 30,410 |
| 40 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,350 | $25.65 | Associate's degree | 6,980 |
| 41 | Food Science Technicians | $52,130 | $25.06 | Associate's degree | 14,600 |
| 42 | Agricultural Technicians | $49,630 | $23.86 | Associate's degree | 15,130 |
Ranked by median annual wage. National estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025.
Science salary FAQ
What is the highest paying science job?
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists top the science field at a median of $193,950 a year, based on BLS data for May 2025.
How much do science jobs pay on average?
Pay varies widely across the 42 occupations in this field. The middle of the list, epidemiologists, sits at a median of $87,220 a year. The overall U.S. median across all jobs is $50,980.
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Source. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Figures shown as published, last
updated 2026-05-15.