Medical scientists, except epidemiologists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $64,800 | $31.15 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Mean (average) | $116,840 | $56.18 |
| 90th percentile | $177,780 | $85.47 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 48 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $68,490 | $51,140 | $135,150 | ||
| Alaska | $104,930 | $78,000 | $156,850 | 260 | 0.73 |
| Arizona | $116,820 | $70,430 | $154,550 | 2,190 | 0.61 |
| Arkansas | $72,530 | $63,050 | $183,430 | 230 | 0.16 |
| California | $136,990 | $81,320 | $180,060 | 29,830 | 1.48 |
| Connecticut | $116,990 | $68,160 | $187,310 | 2,410 | 1.28 |
| Delaware | $100,190 | $65,520 | $214,040 | 270 | 0.5 |
| District of Columbia | $101,940 | $66,100 | $195,190 | 670 | 0.86 |
| Florida | $94,940 | $64,630 | $208,090 | 6,490 | 0.59 |
| Georgia | $92,450 | $61,640 | $208,000 | 1,910 | 0.35 |
| Idaho | $83,010 | $59,680 | $288,280 | 380 | 0.4 |
| Illinois | $82,330 | $59,550 | $143,890 | 4,700 | 0.7 |
| Indiana | $81,110 | $63,510 | $151,510 | 2,010 | 0.57 |
| Iowa | $83,850 | $59,580 | $142,140 | 1,060 | 0.61 |
| Kansas | $84,490 | $62,190 | $219,100 | 1,070 | 0.67 |
| Kentucky | $77,580 | $55,320 | $162,590 | 670 | 0.3 |
| Maine | $93,730 | $62,970 | $216,940 | 100 | 0.15 |
| Maryland | $106,000 | $71,150 | $172,520 | 6,760 | 2.21 |
| Massachusetts | $128,210 | $77,790 | $208,490 | 17,100 | 4.24 |
| Michigan | $84,310 | $63,590 | $144,530 | 2,370 | 0.49 |
| Minnesota | $89,950 | $65,140 | $141,070 | 6,760 | 2.07 |
| Mississippi | $54,040 | $41,360 | $84,350 | 440 | 0.34 |
| Missouri | $102,540 | $64,160 | $173,480 | 3,650 | 1.12 |
| Montana | $101,950 | $63,820 | $139,770 | 320 | 0.57 |
| Nebraska | $80,970 | $52,330 | $111,020 | 620 | 0.54 |
| Nevada | $98,560 | $77,990 | $125,100 | 530 | 0.31 |
| New Hampshire | $100,650 | $70,090 | $150,030 | 210 | 0.28 |
| New Jersey | $129,280 | $77,540 | $216,650 | 6,120 | 1.29 |
| New Mexico | $67,100 | $40,660 | $104,710 | 340 | 0.36 |
| New York | $87,760 | $67,490 | $177,510 | 7,690 | 0.72 |
| North Carolina | $102,980 | $63,800 | $171,170 | 5,730 | 1.05 |
| North Dakota | $64,470 | $51,170 | $103,220 | 250 | 0.53 |
| Ohio | $83,910 | $60,080 | $173,450 | 4,840 | 0.79 |
| Oklahoma | $76,480 | $60,670 | $140,020 | 920 | 0.48 |
| Oregon | $111,030 | $69,720 | $205,870 | 1,030 | 0.47 |
| Pennsylvania | $99,190 | $61,490 | $214,690 | 12,630 | 1.88 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,650 | $32,990 | $127,180 | 80 | 0.07 |
| Rhode Island | $103,370 | $66,370 | $218,940 | 670 | 1.21 |
| South Carolina | Data unavailable | 1,020 | 0.4 | ||
| South Dakota | $80,890 | $59,470 | $127,120 | 140 | 0.28 |
| Tennessee | $102,720 | $63,500 | $155,100 | 4,020 | 1.11 |
| Texas | $80,470 | $63,870 | $144,060 | 11,920 | 0.76 |
| Utah | $82,940 | $65,310 | $139,050 | 1,560 | 0.81 |
| Vermont | $66,500 | $66,500 | $115,020 | 110 | 0.33 |
| Virginia | $93,620 | $65,540 | $186,810 | 4,560 | 1 |
| Washington | $105,680 | $69,500 | $173,140 | 6,150 | 1.56 |
| West Virginia | $82,690 | $61,950 | $173,900 | 330 | 0.42 |
| Wisconsin | $82,530 | $62,850 | $128,680 | 2,970 | 0.91 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 10,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Biomedical Sciences, General CIP 26.0102
- Biochemistry CIP 26.0202
- Biophysics CIP 26.0203
- Molecular Biology CIP 26.0204
- Molecular Biochemistry CIP 26.0205
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology CIP 26.0401
- Anatomy CIP 26.0403
- Developmental Biology and Embryology CIP 26.0404
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology CIP 26.0406
- Cell Biology and Anatomy CIP 26.0407
- Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology CIP 26.0503
- Virology CIP 26.0504
- Parasitology CIP 26.0505
- Immunology CIP 26.0507
- Microbiology and Immunology CIP 26.0508
- Infectious Disease and Global Health CIP 26.0509
- Human/Medical Genetics CIP 26.0806
- Physiology, General CIP 26.0901
- Molecular Physiology CIP 26.0902
- Cell Physiology CIP 26.0903
- Endocrinology CIP 26.0904
- Reproductive Biology CIP 26.0905
- Cardiovascular Science CIP 26.0907
- Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology CIP 26.0908
- Vision Science/Physiological Optics CIP 26.0909
- Pathology/Experimental Pathology CIP 26.0910
- Oncology and Cancer Biology CIP 26.0911
- Aerospace Physiology and Medicine CIP 26.0912
- Biomechanics CIP 26.0913
- Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other CIP 26.0999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
- Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
- Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
- Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
- Write applications for research grants.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- R (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Linux (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Python (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- UNIX (hot technology)
- BioArray Software Environment BASE
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, Instructing, Systems Evaluation, Service Orientation.
Common job titles: Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist), Clinical Pharmacologist, Clinical Research Scientist, Medical Researcher, Physician Scientist, Research Scientist, Researcher, Scientist, Study Director, Toxicologist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do medical scientists, except epidemiologists make?
The national median annual wage for medical scientists, except epidemiologists was $103,410 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $64,800 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $177,780. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do medical scientists, except epidemiologists need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is medical scientists, except epidemiologists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of medical scientists, except epidemiologists to change +12.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 10,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay medical scientists, except epidemiologists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($136,990), New Jersey ($129,280), Massachusetts ($128,210). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.