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
None
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.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Life scientists, all other work across a range of life science domains and typically need strong scientific and analytical capabilities. Nationally, this occupation has a median annual salary of $87,800 with employment of about 8,000 people. Projected employment growth of 3.7% suggests a moderate expansion of opportunities over time. The field draws on a broad skill set, including science, critical and analytical thinking, mathematics, writing and reading, and creativity and innovation. Professionals also benefit from strength in computers and information technology, project management, problem solving and decision making, leadership, and speaking and listening. This mix of technical, analytical, and communication skills positions life scientists, all other for roles that can involve complex analysis, structured projects, and collaboration with others. For those exploring related paths, similar occupations include biological scientists, medical scientists (except epidemiologists), natural sciences managers, animal scientists, and electrical engineers, offering additional career options in scientific and technical fields.
Life scientists, all other earn a national median annual salary of $87,800. Pay varies meaningfully by location. Among states, Massachusetts reports a median salary of $125,260, and California $102,830, while New York is at $86,790, Washington at $100,420, and Colorado at $66,250. Several metro areas stand out for higher median pay, including San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $134,810, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $126,120, and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $125,430. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ offers $100,600, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offers $115,230. These figures show that salaries in leading metros can be substantially higher than the national median, and that certain states and urban areas may offer stronger earning potential for this occupation.
Life scientists, all other have national employment of about 8,000, with a projected employment growth rate of 3.7%. This indicates that the occupation is expected to expand over time rather than contract. The data show projected growth of 3.7% consistently across highlighted states and metro areas, suggesting a similar growth expectation in multiple regions. However, reported annual openings for this occupation are 0, which indicates that available positions may be limited or tightly constrained in the data. For career planners, this combination means the field is projected to grow, but opportunities may be more niche or highly specific rather than broad-based. People considering this path may also want to examine similar occupations such as biological scientists, medical scientists (except epidemiologists), natural sciences managers, animal scientists, and electrical engineers to broaden potential options in related scientific and technical roles.
Geography plays a significant role in opportunities for life scientists, all other. Among states, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $102,830, and employment of 860. Massachusetts and New York follow closely with opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78, and median salaries of $125,260 and $86,790, respectively. Washington and Colorado also appear as notable states, though with somewhat lower opportunity scores and salaries compared with the top states. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA stand out with very high opportunity scores of 77.27 and 77.42. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also show strong opportunity scores and high salaries. Overall, certain large metro areas, particularly in California and along the East Coast, combine higher pay with stronger opportunity scores for this occupation.
The typical education for life scientists, all other is a bachelor's degree. This level of education provides a foundation for the broad mix of skills associated with the occupation. Core capabilities include science, critical and analytical thinking, mathematics, and writing and reading, supporting work that relies on understanding scientific concepts, analyzing information, and communicating clearly. Creativity and innovation, along with computers and information technology, suggest that professionals may engage with new ideas and digital tools in their roles. Project management and problem solving and decision making point to responsibilities that involve organizing tasks, managing timelines, and making informed choices. Leadership and speaking and listening skills indicate that many positions can involve guiding others and participating in discussions or presentations. Together, these skills complement the bachelor's degree requirement and outline an education and skill profile that blends scientific knowledge with analytical, organizational, and communication strengths.
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