Life, Physical, and Social Science salaries

Updated October 18, 2026Updated for 2026 tax law

Job	Median salary	Hourly	Employed
Industrial-Organizational Psychologist	$193,950	$93.24	790
Physicist	$172,250	$82.81	20,430
Political Scientist	$142,080	$68.31	5,540
Astronomer	$128,820	$61.94	2,120
Biochemist and Biophysicist	$127,410	$61.26	33,830
Economist	$124,720	$59.96	17,790
Physical Scientist	$122,570	$58.93	22,300
Materials Scientist	$117,790	$56.63	8,470
Psychologist	$110,840	$53.29	18,820
Nuclear Technician	$110,240	$53.00	6,470
Sociologist	$106,030	$50.98	2,260
Medical Scientist	$103,410	$49.72	172,340
Geographer	$102,040	$49.06	1,400
Geoscientist	$101,920	$49.00	23,470
Social Scientist and Related Worker	$101,110	$48.61	37,100
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist	$100,580	$48.36	75,990
Atmospheric and Space Scientist	$99,070	$47.63	10,000
Biological Scientist	$98,920	$47.56	55,850
Hydrologist	$96,600	$46.44	5,850
School Psychologist	$95,990	$46.15	63,940
Life Scientist	$93,750	$45.07	7,460
Chemist	$91,240	$43.87	82,770
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist	$90,150	$43.34	140,610
Urban and Regional Planner	$89,320	$42.94	44,230
Food Scientist and Technologist	$88,720	$42.65	13,060
Microbiologist	$87,990	$42.30	18,940
Epidemiologist	$87,220	$41.93	12,090
Environmental Scientist and Specialist	$82,220	$39.53	89,250
Soil and Plant Scientist	$78,850	$37.91	15,730
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist	$76,780	$36.91	18,120
Historian	$76,750	$36.90	3,450
Forester	$76,400	$36.73	10,430
Conservation Scientist	$73,010	$35.10	25,950
Forensic Science Technician	$72,060	$34.65	19,120
Anthropologist and Archeologist	$70,770	$34.02	8,990
Survey Researcher	$69,460	$33.40	8,290
Animal Scientist	$68,940	$33.14	3,100
Hydrologic Technician	$64,790	$31.15	2,840
Life	$62,280	$29.94	73,910
Social Science Research Assistant	$61,990	$29.81	30,640
Occupational Health and Safety Technician	$61,560	$29.59	30,590
Chemical Technician	$60,390	$29.03	57,540
Biological Technician	$57,510	$27.65	69,620
Environmental Science and Protection Technician	$55,090	$26.49	34,670
Forest and Conservation Technician	$54,560	$26.23	30,410
Geological Technician	$53,350	$25.65	6,980
Food Science Technician	$52,130	$25.06	14,600
Agricultural Technician	$49,630	$23.86	15,130