Scientist statistics show a broad U.S. workforce with substantial differences among disciplines, employers, career stages, and work arrangements. The latest figures below combine May 2024 wage data, 2024 employment measures, 2024–2034 projections, and education and work-pattern data from 2023 and 2024.
Contents
- Science occupations at a glance
- Chemistry and materials science
- Life science careers
- Earth, atmosphere, and environmental science
- Wildlife and biological field careers
- Doctorates and postdoctoral research
- Work patterns among doctoral scientists
Science occupations at a glance
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted 1.4 million jobs in life, physical, and social science occupations in May 2024. The group had an annual mean wage of $87,870 and a median annual wage of $78,980 in the same month. BLS projects that the group will grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2024 to 2034, with 144,700 openings expected each year on average.
These figures describe a large occupational family rather than one job title. The detailed statistics vary widely by specialty. For example, median pay in May 2024 was $103,650 for biochemists and biophysicists, $99,240 for geoscientists, $97,450 for atmospheric scientists including meteorologists, and $87,330 for microbiologists. Zoologists and wildlife biologists had a median of $72,860, while environmental scientists and specialists had a median of $80,060.
| Occupation | May 2024 median wage | Projected growth, 2024–2034 | Average annual openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemists and biophysicists | $103,650 | 6% | 2,900 |
| Geoscientists | $99,240 | 3% | 2,000 |
| Atmospheric scientists | $97,450 | 1% | Not supplied |
| Microbiologists | $87,330 | Not supplied | 1,700 |
| Environmental scientists and specialists | $80,060 | 4% | 8,500 |
| Zoologists and wildlife biologists | $72,860 | 2% | 1,400 |
The occupation-level projections are forecasts for 2024–2034, not counts of jobs already available. The wage figures are May 2024 measures and should not be read as current offers for every employer or location.
Chemistry and materials science
BLS projects chemists and materials scientists to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034. Their combined median annual wage was $86,620 in May 2024. Within the group, materials scientists had a median wage of $104,160, compared with $84,150 for chemists.
The pay distribution was broad. The lowest 10% of chemists earned less than $53,210, while the highest 10% earned more than $154,430. For materials scientists, the lowest 10% earned less than $61,460 and the highest 10% earned more than $168,500. These percentile thresholds describe the distribution, not a guaranteed starting or senior salary.
Employer type also mattered. Chemists had a median annual wage of $134,430 in the federal government, $98,480 in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences, $81,920 in chemical manufacturing, $63,420 in testing laboratories and services, and $62,050 in administrative and support and waste management and remediation services.
Materials scientists earned $130,450 in computer and electronic product manufacturing and $118,010 in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences. The reported figures were $108,750 in chemical manufacturing, $74,990 in architectural, engineering, and related services, and $67,300 in state colleges, universities, and professional schools.
Life science careers
Biochemists and biophysicists had a May 2024 median annual wage of $103,650. The lowest 10% earned less than $64,890, and the highest 10% earned more than $168,900. BLS projects 6% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 and about 2,900 openings per year on average during that decade.
Reported median wages differed by industry. Biochemists and biophysicists earned $132,500 in wholesale trade, $126,100 in scientific research and development services, and $101,100 in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing. The reported figure for state colleges, universities, and professional schools was $63,570.
Microbiologists had a median annual wage of $87,330 in May 2024. The lowest 10% earned less than $51,220, while the highest 10% earned more than $150,650. BLS projects about 1,700 openings for microbiologists each year on average over the decade.
Microbiologist wages were $102,490 in government, excluding state and local education and hospitals, and $101,740 in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences. The figures were $82,500 in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, $63,470 in state colleges, universities, and professional schools, and $55,100 in testing laboratories and services.
Epidemiologists had a median annual wage of $83,980 in May 2024. The lowest 10% earned less than $56,950 and the highest 10% earned more than $134,860. About 800 openings were projected each year on average over the decade. Reported wages included $130,390 in scientific research and development services, $99,690 in hospitals, $80,640 in state colleges and universities, $79,640 in state government excluding education and hospitals, and $76,180 in local government excluding education and hospitals.
Earth, atmosphere, and environmental science
Atmospheric scientists, including meteorologists, held about 9,400 jobs in 2024. Their May 2024 median annual wage was $97,450, and BLS projects 1% employment growth from 2024 to 2034. The employment distribution included 31% in the federal government excluding the postal service, 16% in state colleges, universities, and professional schools, 16% in publishing, broadcasting, and content providers, 13% in other professional, scientific, and technical services, and 10% in scientific research and development services.
Environmental scientists and specialists had a May 2024 median annual wage of $80,060. The lowest 10% earned less than $50,130 and the highest 10% earned more than $134,830. BLS projects 4% growth from 2024 to 2034 and about 8,500 openings per year on average.
The BLS Occupational Projections and Worker Characteristics data reported 90.3 thousand environmental scientists and specialists employed in 2024. The projected 2034 employment level is 94.3 thousand, an estimated addition of 4.0 thousand jobs from 2024 to 2034. Those are projection figures, so they represent an expected future level rather than a completed outcome.
Geoscientists had a May 2024 median annual wage of $99,240. The lowest 10% earned less than $58,790, and the highest 10% earned more than $178,880. About 25,100 geoscientists held jobs in 2024, with projected growth of 3% from 2024 to 2034 and about 2,000 openings per year on average.
Industry figures for geoscientists ranged from $148,760 in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction to $83,420 in management, scientific, and technical consulting services. Other reported figures were $116,470 in the federal government excluding the postal service, $86,780 in state government excluding education and hospitals, and $86,620 in architectural, engineering, and related services.
Wildlife and biological field careers
Zoologists and wildlife biologists had a median annual wage of $72,860 in May 2024. The lowest 10% earned less than $48,240, while the highest 10% earned more than $113,350. BLS projects 2% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 and about 1,400 openings each year on average.
Reported wages included $79,200 in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences and $75,030 in government excluding state and local education and hospitals. The figures were $67,040 in state colleges, universities, and professional schools, $63,910 in management, scientific, and technical consulting services, and $58,720 in social advocacy organizations.
The contrast among specialties illustrates why a single “scientist salary” is misleading. A field scientist, laboratory researcher, government analyst, and industry specialist may have different pay distributions even when their work uses related scientific training. The BLS labels and measurement dates should therefore accompany each comparison.
Doctorates and postdoctoral research
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) reported 58,131 doctorate recipients from U.S. universities in 2024, up from 57,806 in 2023. The increase was 325 recipients. U.S. institutions awarded 45,929 science and engineering doctorates in 2024, representing 79% of all doctorates awarded in the United States that year.
Temporary visa holders earned 61% of computer and information sciences doctorates, 54% of engineering doctorates, and 51% of mathematics and statistics doctorates in 2024. Women earned 48% of all doctorates from U.S. institutions, while men earned 52%.
NCSES also reported 69,877 postdoctoral appointees in 2024, up 6.1% from 65,850 in 2023. The 2024 total was the highest number ever reported to the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering. These education and training statistics describe U.S. institutions and survey populations; they are not a count of every scientist working worldwide.
At federally funded research and development centers, the number of female postdocs increased 20% between 2019 and 2023. Over the same period, the number of postdocs who were U.S. citizens or permanent residents increased by 190, or 13%, while the number with a temporary visa increased by 104, or 5%.
Work patterns among doctoral scientists
NCSES data on U.S.-residing doctoral scientists and engineers ages 55 to 75 who were employed but previously retired found that 63.1% worked part-time in 2023. Among that group, 59.1% still held a job closely related to their doctorate, and 71.2% worked in a science and engineering or science-and-engineering-related occupation.
For U.S.-residing employed science and engineering doctorate holders, 60.2% reported occasionally or consistently telecommuting or working remotely during 2023. In that same year, 71.1% were allowed or required to telework or work remotely. During the COVID-19 pandemic period measured in 2021, 89.6% were allowed or required to telework or work remotely.
These percentages refer to specific NCSES populations and survey years. They should not be generalized to every scientist, every employer, or every period. Together with the wage and employment figures, they show that scientist careers differ not only by discipline and industry, but also by career stage, education pathway, citizenship or visa status, and workplace arrangement.