SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities. Includes physicians, dentists, pharmacologists, and medical pathologists who primarily conduct research. Practitioners who primarily provide medical or dental care or dispense drugs are included in “Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners” (29-1000).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-1042.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $64,800 | $5,400 | $1,246 | $31.15 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $79,840 | $6,653 | $1,535 | $38.39 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $103,410 | $8,618 | $1,989 | $49.72 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $139,380 | $11,615 | $2,680 | $67.01 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $177,780 | $14,815 | $3,419 | $85.47 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists is $103,410, which is 103% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 12 by median pay. With 172,340 jobs, it makes up about 11 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($116,840) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($136,990), New Jersey ($129,280) and Massachusetts ($128,210). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($49,650), Mississippi ($54,040) and North Dakota ($64,470). The most jobs were in California (29,830), Massachusetts (17,100) and Pennsylvania (12,630). The occupation is most concentrated in Massachusetts, where its share of all jobs is 4.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 29,830 | $136,990 | $140,120 | $65.86 |
| New Jersey | 6,120 | $129,280 | $138,450 | $62.16 |
| Massachusetts | 17,100 | $128,210 | $133,550 | $61.64 |
| Connecticut | 2,410 | $116,990 | $126,760 | $56.25 |
| Arizona | 2,190 | $116,820 | $115,730 | $56.16 |
| Oregon | 1,030 | $111,030 | $128,970 | $53.38 |
| Maryland | 6,760 | $106,000 | $115,930 | $50.96 |
| Washington | 6,150 | $105,680 | $117,840 | $50.81 |
| Alaska | 260 | $104,930 | $118,230 | $50.45 |
| Rhode Island | 670 | $103,370 | $121,140 | $49.70 |
| North Carolina | 5,730 | $102,980 | $112,360 | $49.51 |
| Tennessee | 4,020 | $102,720 | $108,390 | $49.39 |
| Missouri | 3,650 | $102,540 | $108,870 | $49.30 |
| Montana | 320 | $101,950 | $97,050 | $49.02 |
| District of Columbia | 670 | $101,940 | $119,310 | $49.01 |
| New Hampshire | 210 | $100,650 | $106,480 | $48.39 |
| Delaware | 270 | $100,190 | $118,280 | $48.17 |
| Pennsylvania | 12,630 | $99,190 | $120,600 | $47.69 |
| Nevada | 530 | $98,560 | $102,580 | $47.38 |
| Florida | 6,490 | $94,940 | $121,850 | $45.65 |
| Maine | 100 | $93,730 | $122,260 | $45.06 |
| Virginia | 4,560 | $93,620 | $127,300 | $45.01 |
| Georgia | 1,910 | $92,450 | $112,050 | $44.45 |
| Minnesota | 6,760 | $89,950 | $100,870 | $43.25 |
| New York | 7,690 | $87,760 | $109,260 | $42.19 |
| Kansas | 1,070 | $84,490 | $110,210 | $40.62 |
| Michigan | 2,370 | $84,310 | $93,090 | $40.53 |
| Ohio | 4,840 | $83,910 | $98,090 | $40.34 |
| Iowa | 1,060 | $83,850 | $96,170 | $40.31 |
| Idaho | 380 | $83,010 | $112,420 | $39.91 |
| Utah | 1,560 | $82,940 | $96,700 | $39.88 |
| West Virginia | 330 | $82,690 | $100,220 | $39.76 |
| Wisconsin | 2,970 | $82,530 | $91,070 | $39.68 |
| Illinois | 4,700 | $82,330 | $93,230 | $39.58 |
| Indiana | 2,010 | $81,110 | $98,910 | $39.00 |
| Nebraska | 620 | $80,970 | $84,250 | $38.93 |
| South Dakota | 140 | $80,890 | $83,870 | $38.89 |
| Texas | 11,920 | $80,470 | $93,490 | $38.69 |
| Kentucky | 670 | $77,580 | $95,680 | $37.30 |
| Oklahoma | 920 | $76,480 | $89,160 | $36.77 |
| Arkansas | 230 | $72,530 | $90,290 | $34.87 |
| Alabama | not published | $68,490 | $84,100 | $32.93 |
| New Mexico | 340 | $67,100 | $73,930 | $32.26 |
| Vermont | 110 | $66,500 | $89,910 | $31.97 |
| North Dakota | 250 | $64,470 | $75,640 | $31.00 |
| Mississippi | 440 | $54,040 | $61,000 | $25.98 |
| Puerto Rico | 80 | $49,650 | $70,420 | $23.87 |
| South Carolina | 1,020 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Psychologists, All Other$110,840 a year
- Nuclear Technicians$110,240 a year
- Sociologists$106,030 a year
- Geographers$102,040 a year
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$101,920 a year
- Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$101,110 a year
Common questions
How much do Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $103,410 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $64,800 and the highest-paid 10% more than $177,780.
How many people work as Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists?
About 172,340 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.