🔬 How much does a scientist make?
U.S. science jobs have a $82,530 median; the 10th percentile for other life scientists is $58,670, while the top 10% of other physical scientists earn $195,190 or more.
Scientists study different subjects, and pay also changes with education, experience, employer, and location.
US Most people, typical, the top
| Who | Yearly earnings | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-paid life scientists (10th percentile) | $58,670 | BLS OEWS 2025 10th percentile, Life Scientists, All Other |
| Typical science worker (broad-group median) | $82,530 | BLS May 2025 median for the broad science group |
| Top 10% of other physical scientists | $195,190 | BLS OEWS 2025 90th percentile, Physical Scientists, All Other |
Per month and per day
| Who | Per month | Per day (÷365) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-paid life scientists (10th percentile) | $4,889 | $161 |
| Typical science worker (broad-group median) | $6,878 | $226 |
| Top 10% of other physical scientists | $16,266 | $535 |
About $45 an hour
Where does the money come from?
What famous scientists make
| Who | Amount |
|---|---|
| 🔬 Jay Bhattacharya Director of the U.S. NIH | $228,000 (2026) NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya's salary is about $228,000 a year. |
How do you become a scientist?
In the United States, students commonly study science and math in high school, then earn a bachelor's degree in a field such as biology, chemistry, or physics. Many research jobs require a Ph.D.; graduates may then build experience in a postdoctoral research role. The path depends on the science field.
- Study science and math in high school.
- Earn a bachelor's degree in a science field.
- Get research experience in a lab or field project.
- For many research jobs, earn a Ph.D. and gain research experience.
Qualifications and exams
There is no single U.S. license for all scientists. Medical scientists who only do research usually do not need a license; those who practice medicine must be licensed.
A day as a scientist
In a lab, a scientist prepares an experiment, checks safety, and measures samples. They record and study the results, discuss them with teammates, and share findings in a paper or presentation. Some scientists instead spend much of the day outdoors or analyzing data on a computer.
Common questions
Do labs and universities pay differently?
For U.S. medical scientists in 2025, typical pay was $125,700 in research and development, $106,800 in drug manufacturing, and $74,970 at state colleges and universities. Source
Does a research grant become a scientist's bonus?
A grant is not a personal prize. Under NIH rules, an organization may charge an allowed share of a researcher's salary to a grant for work on that project. Source
Do physicists and medical scientists earn the same?
They can differ. In 2025, O*NET listed typical pay of $172,250 a year for U.S. physicists; BLS reported $103,410 for medical scientists. Source
This section summarizes public sources. We only show numbers that have a source.
Close jobs in official statistics
In Japan
Japan Most people, typical, the top
| Who | Yearly earnings | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Typical full-time researcher (average) | $53,467 | MHLW Job Tag, based on the 2025 wage survey |
Close Japanese jobs
Related questions
Jobs in the same group
Data table and sources
- www.bls.gov/ooh/Life-Physical-and-Social-Science
- data.bls.gov/oesprofile?major_group=190000&measure=01&occupation=191099
- data.bls.gov/oesprofile?major_group=190000&measure=01&occupation=192099
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/389
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/itiran/roudou/chingin/kouzou/z2025/index.html
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/home.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/print/medical-scientists.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/earnings.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/print/physicists-and-astronomer
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/19-2012.00