Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists salary in the U.S.
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the U.S. earn a median of $103,410 a year ($49.72 an hour), based on BLS data for 172,340 workers.
Pay ranges from $64,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $177,780 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $116,840, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for medical scientists, except epidemiologists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $64,800 | $31.15 |
| 25th percentile | $79,840 | $38.39 |
| Median | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| 75th percentile | $139,380 | $67.01 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $177,780 | $85.47 |
| Average (mean) | $116,840 | $56.18 |
Half of medical scientists, except epidemiologists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,617.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,308.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,977.31 |
| Weekly | $1,988.65 |
| Hourly | $49.72 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $136,990 | 29,830 |
| New Jersey | $129,280 | 6,120 |
| Massachusetts | $128,210 | 17,100 |
| Connecticut | $116,990 | 2,410 |
| Arizona | $116,820 | 2,190 |
| Oregon | $111,030 | 1,030 |
| Maryland | $106,000 | 6,760 |
| Washington | $105,680 | 6,150 |
| Alaska | $104,930 | 260 |
| Rhode Island | $103,370 | 670 |
| North Carolina | $102,980 | 5,730 |
| Tennessee | $102,720 | 4,020 |
| Missouri | $102,540 | 3,650 |
| Montana | $101,950 | 320 |
| District of Columbia | $101,940 | 670 |
| New Hampshire | $100,650 | 210 |
| Delaware | $100,190 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $99,190 | 12,630 |
| Nevada | $98,560 | 530 |
| Florida | $94,940 | 6,490 |
| Maine | $93,730 | 100 |
| Virginia | $93,620 | 4,560 |
| Georgia | $92,450 | 1,910 |
| Minnesota | $89,950 | 6,760 |
| New York | $87,760 | 7,690 |
| Kansas | $84,490 | 1,070 |
| Michigan | $84,310 | 2,370 |
| Ohio | $83,910 | 4,840 |
| Iowa | $83,850 | 1,060 |
| Idaho | $83,010 | 380 |
| Utah | $82,940 | 1,560 |
| West Virginia | $82,690 | 330 |
| Wisconsin | $82,530 | 2,970 |
| Illinois | $82,330 | 4,700 |
| Indiana | $81,110 | 2,010 |
| Nebraska | $80,970 | 620 |
| South Dakota | $80,890 | 140 |
| Texas | $80,470 | 11,920 |
| Kentucky | $77,580 | 670 |
| Oklahoma | $76,480 | 920 |
| Arkansas | $72,530 | 230 |
| Alabama | $68,490 | n/a |
| New Mexico | $67,100 | 340 |
| Vermont | $66,500 | 110 |
| North Dakota | $64,470 | 250 |
| Mississippi | $54,040 | 440 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,650 | 80 |
Best-paying metro areas for medical scientists, except epidemiologists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $168,860 | 130 |
| Topeka, KS | $162,810 | 80 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $162,230 | 200 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $160,180 | 7,310 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $159,300 | 2,150 |
| Chico, CA | $155,470 | 70 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $145,340 | 150 |
| Modesto, CA | $143,760 | 160 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $140,300 | 810 |
| Syracuse, NY | $138,940 | 160 |
| Salinas, CA | $138,590 | 100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $138,390 | 1,150 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $138,090 | 480 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $138,050 | 140 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $137,640 | 1,120 |
Metro areas with the most medical scientists, except epidemiologists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 16,060 | $129,500 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,090 | $103,360 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 8,520 | $134,890 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 8,020 | $102,950 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 7,310 | $160,180 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 6,090 | $80,470 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,980 | $107,110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 5,480 | $105,430 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 4,960 | $130,980 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,810 | $83,240 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 3,400 | $102,940 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,630 | $79,470 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,560 | $103,410 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,520 | $88,980 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 2,240 | $96,430 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $98,920 | $47.56 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $127,410 | $61.26 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 | $35.10 |
| Microbiologist | $87,990 | $42.30 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $76,780 | $36.91 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $78,850 | $37.91 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | $88,720 | $42.65 |
| Epidemiologist | $87,220 | $41.93 |
| Forester | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| Life Scientists, All Other | $93,750 | $45.07 |
| Animal Scientist | $68,940 | $33.14 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| Chemist | $91,240 | $43.87 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-1042. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical scientists, except epidemiologists make in the U.S.?
The median salary for medical scientists, except epidemiologists in the U.S. is $103,410 a year, or $49.72 an hour. Pay ranges from $64,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $177,780 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid medical scientists, except epidemiologists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of medical scientists, except epidemiologists in the U.S. earn at least $177,780 a year. The top 25% earn $139,380 or more.
What is the starting pay for medical scientists, except epidemiologists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $64,800 a year, and a quarter of medical scientists, except epidemiologists earn $79,840 or less.
How many medical scientists, except epidemiologists work in the U.S.?
About 172,340 medical scientists, except epidemiologists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.