United States · Pay by job
Science jobs: pay and take-home
BLS counts 48 science jobs, done by about 1,473,280 people. The best paid is industrial psychologist at a median of $193,950; the most common is medical scientist, at $103,410 (BLS, May 2025).
BLS group: Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
What does each science job pay?
| Job | Median pay | Take-home in Texas | People | Growth to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Psychologist | $193,950 | $144,417 | 790 | +6.5% |
| Physicist | $172,250 | $128,999 | 20,430 | +7.2% |
| Political Scientist | $142,080 | $108,378 | 5,540 | -2% |
| Astronomer | $128,820 | $99,314 | 2,120 | +7.8% |
| Biochemist and Biophysicist | $127,410 | $98,351 | 33,830 | +12.3% |
| Economist | $124,720 | $96,512 | 17,790 | +4.7% |
| Other Physical Scientist | $122,570 | $95,043 | 22,300 | +2.1% |
| Materials Scientist | $117,790 | $91,695 | 8,470 | +8.3% |
| Other Psychologist | $110,840 | $86,806 | 18,820 | +2.3% |
| Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | $86,384 | 6,470 | +1.1% |
| Sociologist | $106,030 | $83,422 | 2,260 | +3.8% |
| Medical Scientist | $103,410 | $81,579 | 172,340 | +12.6% |
| Geographer | $102,040 | $80,615 | 1,400 | -2.1% |
| Geoscientist | $101,920 | $80,531 | 23,470 | +5.1% |
| Other Social Scientist | $101,110 | $79,961 | 37,100 | -0.2% |
| Clinical Psychologist | $100,580 | $79,588 | 75,990 | +11.7% |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientist | $99,070 | $78,526 | 10,000 | +2.6% |
| Other Biological Scientist | $98,920 | $78,420 | 55,850 | +4.7% |
| Hydrologist | $96,600 | $76,788 | 5,850 | +1.5% |
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | $76,359 | 63,940 | +0.8% |
| Other Life Scientist | $93,750 | $74,783 | 7,460 | +6.3% |
| Chemist | $91,240 | $73,017 | 82,770 | +6.4% |
| Occupational Safety Specialist | $90,150 | $72,251 | 140,610 | +18.5% |
| Urban and Regional Planner | $89,320 | $71,667 | 44,230 | +3.9% |
| Food Scientist and Technologist | $88,720 | $71,245 | 13,060 | +6.2% |
| Microbiologist | $87,990 | $70,731 | 18,940 | +6.2% |
| Epidemiologist | $87,220 | $70,189 | 12,090 | +18.7% |
| Environmental Scientist | $82,220 | $66,672 | 89,250 | +6.1% |
| Soil and Plant Scientist | $78,850 | $64,301 | 15,730 | +6.7% |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | $76,780 | $62,845 | 18,120 | +3.6% |
| Historian | $76,750 | $62,824 | 3,450 | +3% |
| Forester | $76,400 | $62,577 | 10,430 | +2.2% |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 | $60,193 | 25,950 | +5.3% |
| Forensic Science Technician | $72,060 | $59,524 | 19,120 | +13.3% |
| Anthropologist and Archeologist | $70,770 | $58,617 | 8,990 | +6% |
| Survey Researcher | $69,460 | $57,695 | 8,290 | -4.8% |
| Animal Scientist | $68,940 | $57,329 | 3,100 | +5.8% |
| Hydrologic Technician | $64,790 | $54,239 | 2,840 | -1.3% |
| Other Science Technician | $62,280 | $52,222 | 73,910 | +4.4% |
| Social Science Research Assistant | $61,990 | $51,989 | 30,640 | +5% |
| Occupational Safety Technician | $61,560 | $51,643 | 30,590 | +19.4% |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 | $50,703 | 57,540 | +4.9% |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $48,389 | 69,620 | +7.4% |
| Environmental Science Technician | $55,090 | $46,445 | 34,670 | +6.9% |
| Forest and Conservation Technician | $54,560 | $46,019 | 30,410 | -2.1% |
| Geological Technician | $53,350 | $45,047 | 6,980 | +3.6% |
| Food Science Technician | $52,130 | $44,066 | 14,600 | +4.8% |
| Agricultural Technician | $49,630 | $42,058 | 15,130 | +5.4% |
Take-home is for a single filer on the national median (hourly-only jobs: 2,080 hours), after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare for 2026; Texas has no state income tax. Each job’s page has every state.
What do other kinds of jobs pay?
- Management 37 jobs
- Business and Finance 32 jobs
- Computer and Math 21 jobs
- Architecture and Engineering 36 jobs
- Community and Social Service 17 jobs
- Legal 8 jobs
- Education and Library 64 jobs
- Arts, Design, Sports and Media 41 jobs
- Healthcare Practitioners 71 jobs
- Healthcare Support 17 jobs
- Protective Service 24 jobs
- Food Service 17 jobs
- Cleaning and Grounds 10 jobs
- Personal Care and Service 32 jobs
- Sales 22 jobs
- Office and Admin Support 54 jobs
- Farming, Fishing and Forestry 13 jobs
- Construction and Extraction 60 jobs
- Installation, Maintenance and Repair 51 jobs
- Production 105 jobs
- Transportation and Material Moving 50 jobs
Search every job: pay by job.
Questions about science pay
What is the highest-paying science job?
Industrial Psychologist, with a median of $193,950 (BLS, May 2025). Next come physicist ($172,250) and political scientist ($142,080).
What is the most common science job?
Medical Scientist: about 172,340 people across the US, with a median of $103,410.
Which science jobs are growing fastest?
BLS expects the most growth from 2025 to 2035 in occupational safety technician (+19.4%), epidemiologist (+18.7%), occupational safety specialist (+18.5%).
What do science jobs pay after tax?
On the median pay, a single filer in Texas keeps $144,417 a year as industrial psychologist and $81,579 as medical scientist, after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare. Each job’s page works it out for 19 states.
What education do science jobs need?
For 22 of the 48 jobs here, BLS lists “bachelor's degree” as the usual education. Each job’s page gives its own.