Highest-paying jobs in science
The 43 science occupations BLS publishes, ranked by national median pay, with the education each typically needs to enter.
The highest-paying science occupation is Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, with a BLS national median of $193,950 a year (May 2025). 14 of the 43 science occupations BLS publishes have a median of $100,000 or more; the best-paid one that typically needs less than a bachelor's degree is Nuclear Technician ($110,240).
40 best-paid of 43 occupations
Data BLS OEWS May 2025 national median annual wages.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 | $93.24 | Master's degree | 790 |
| 2 | Physicist | $172,250 | $82.81 | Doctoral or professional degree | 20,430 |
| 3 | Natural Sciences Managers | $167,220 | $80.39 | Bachelor's degree | 108,690 |
| 4 | Political Scientist | $142,080 | $68.31 | Master's degree | 5,540 |
| 5 | Astronomer | $128,820 | $61.94 | Doctoral or professional degree | 2,120 |
| 6 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $127,410 | $61.26 | Doctoral or professional degree | 33,830 |
| 7 | Economist | $124,720 | $59.96 | Master's degree | 17,790 |
| 8 | Materials Scientists | $117,790 | $56.63 | Bachelor's degree | 8,470 |
| 9 | Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | $53.00 | Associate's degree | 6,470 |
| 10 | Sociologist | $106,030 | $50.98 | Master's degree | 2,260 |
| 11 | Medical Scientist | $103,410 | $49.72 | Doctoral or professional degree | 172,340 |
| 12 | Geographer | $102,040 | $49.06 | Bachelor's degree | 1,400 |
| 13 | Geologist | $101,920 | $49.00 | Bachelor's degree | 23,470 |
| 14 | Clinical Psychologist | $100,580 | $48.36 | Doctoral or professional degree | 75,990 |
| 15 | Meteorologist | $99,070 | $47.63 | Bachelor's degree | 10,000 |
| 16 | Hydrologist | $96,600 | $46.44 | Bachelor's degree | 5,850 |
| 17 | School Psychologist | $95,990 | $46.15 | Master's degree | 63,940 |
| 18 | Chemist | $91,240 | $43.87 | Bachelor's degree | 82,770 |
| 19 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 | Bachelor's degree | 140,610 |
| 20 | Urban Planner | $89,320 | $42.94 | Master's degree | 44,230 |
| 21 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $88,720 | $42.65 | Bachelor's degree | 13,060 |
| 22 | Microbiologist | $87,990 | $42.30 | Bachelor's degree | 18,940 |
| 23 | Epidemiologist | $87,220 | $41.93 | Master's degree | 12,090 |
| 24 | Environmental Scientist | $82,220 | $39.53 | Bachelor's degree | 89,250 |
| 25 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $78,850 | $37.91 | Bachelor's degree | 15,730 |
| 26 | Zoologist | $76,780 | $36.91 | Bachelor's degree | 18,120 |
| 27 | Historian | $76,750 | $36.90 | Master's degree | 3,450 |
| 28 | Forester | $76,400 | $36.73 | Bachelor's degree | 10,430 |
| 29 | Conservation Scientists | $73,010 | $35.10 | Bachelor's degree | 25,950 |
| 30 | Forensic Scientist | $72,060 | $34.65 | Bachelor's degree | 19,120 |
| 31 | Archaeologist | $70,770 | $34.02 | Master's degree | 8,990 |
| 32 | Survey Researchers | $69,460 | $33.40 | Master's degree | 8,290 |
| 33 | Animal Scientist | $68,940 | $33.14 | Bachelor's degree | 3,100 |
| 34 | Hydrologic Technicians | $64,790 | $31.15 | Associate's degree | 2,840 |
| 35 | Social Science Research Assistants | $61,990 | $29.81 | Bachelor's degree | 30,640 |
| 36 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $61,560 | $29.59 | High school diploma | 30,590 |
| 37 | Chemical Technician | $60,390 | $29.03 | Associate's degree | 57,540 |
| 38 | Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 | Bachelor's degree | 69,620 |
| 39 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | $26.49 | Associate's degree | 34,670 |
| 40 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,560 | $26.23 | Associate's degree | 30,410 |
Best-paid science jobs that typically need less than a bachelor’s degree
Data Typical entry-level education from BLS Employment Projections: no formal credential, high school, some college, a postsecondary certificate or an associate degree.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | Associate's degree | 6,470 |
| 2 | Hydrologic Technicians | $64,790 | Associate's degree | 2,840 |
| 3 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $61,560 | High school diploma | 30,590 |
| 4 | Chemical Technician | $60,390 | Associate's degree | 57,540 |
| 5 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | Associate's degree | 34,670 |
| 6 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,560 | Associate's degree | 30,410 |
| 7 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,350 | Associate's degree | 6,980 |
| 8 | Food Science Technicians | $52,130 | Associate's degree | 14,600 |
| 9 | Agricultural Technicians | $49,630 | Associate's degree | 15,130 |
Pay versus size
Data The largest science occupation by employment is Medical Scientist (172,340 employed, median $103,410). The median of the 43 occupation medians is not a BLS figure and is not shown; each row is the occupation's own BLS median.
How this page is built
Occupations in BLS life, physical and social science occupations (SOC 19-0000) and natural sciences managers (11-9121), ranked by BLS national median annual wage (OEWS May 2025); BLS residual “all other” categories are left out. Education is the BLS typical entry-level education, not a legal requirement.
- Pay at a specific employer or in your state.
- Starting pay: medians include experienced workers.
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- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35 (released Aug 27, 2026; public domain): typical entry-level education, work experience, on-the-job training, projected change and annual openings.