Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
5 years or more
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Natural sciences managers oversee scientific work and use both technical and managerial skills to guide projects and teams. This role combines a strong foundation in science with project management, leadership, and decision making. Nationally, there are about 104,000 jobs in this occupation, with a projected employment growth of 3.7%. Employers expect professionals in these positions to bring critical and analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and strong communication skills such as speaking, listening, writing, and reading. The work also relies on comfort with computers and information technology, along with solid mathematics skills and adaptability as projects and priorities change. With a national median annual salary of $161,180 and 8,000 annual openings, this career can be attractive to experienced scientists or professionals who want to move into management. For those exploring alternatives, related options include life scientists, animal scientists, biological scientists, architects (except landscape and naval), and occupational health and safety specialists.
Natural sciences managers have a national median annual salary of $161,180, indicating strong earning potential for those who reach this level of responsibility. Pay varies meaningfully by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, median salaries range from $134,680 in New York to $267,290 in Massachusetts, with California at $210,230, Washington at $182,480, and Colorado at $152,730. At the metro level, salary differences are even more pronounced. The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro shows a median of $291,000, while San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA reports $263,810 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reports $225,230. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metros have median salaries of $180,460 and $169,060 respectively. These figures show that geographic choice can significantly influence earnings for natural sciences managers.
Natural sciences managers have a national employment base of 104,000, with projected employment growth of 3.7%. This indicates that positions are expected to expand rather than contract over the projection period. In addition to existing roles, there are an estimated 8,000 annual openings for this occupation nationwide. These openings can reflect a combination of new positions and turnover in existing jobs. The projected growth rate of 3.7% is consistent across the highlighted states and metro areas in the opportunity rankings. For career planners, the combination of an established employment base, measurable projected growth, and thousands of annual openings suggests ongoing movement and hiring activity in the field. Those considering this path can factor in both the current scale of employment and the forward-looking growth percentage when evaluating long-term stability and potential advancement.
Location choices matter for natural sciences managers, both for salary and overall opportunity. Among states, California and Massachusetts stand out with high opportunity scores of 67.38 and 65.87, and median salaries of $210,230 and $267,290, respectively. Massachusetts combines a relatively high salary with employment of 10,590, while California shows 14,950 employed. New York also has a strong opportunity score of 65.78, with a lower median salary of $134,680 and employment of 5,690. Colorado and Washington round out the top states, with opportunity scores of 56.97 and 56.29 and median salaries of $152,730 and $182,480. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ lead with opportunity scores above 77. The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro combines a very high median salary of $291,000 with 9,570 employed, while San Francisco and the Washington, DC metro also offer strong salaries and sizable employment.
The typical education requirement for natural sciences managers is a bachelor’s degree. This reflects the need for a solid academic foundation in scientific and quantitative thinking, along with the ability to understand and manage complex information. Success in this role depends on more than formal education alone. Top skills include project management and leadership, which support planning work, coordinating teams, and guiding outcomes. Critical and analytical thinking, science knowledge, and mathematics underpin the technical side of decisions. Computers and information technology skills are also important, reflecting the tools and systems used in modern scientific work. Strong writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills support clear communication, while adaptability and problem solving with sound decision making help managers respond to evolving situations. Together, the bachelor’s-level educational benchmark and this broad skill set position professionals to move from individual scientific work into management responsibilities.
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