$95,543
Avg. Median Salary
Salary Overview
Medical Scientists median salaries range from $50,350 to $155,990 across
the 45 metro areas tracked, a 210% spread.
The national average median salary for this occupation is $95,543.
The highest-paying metro area for medical scientists is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $155,990,
while Albuquerque, NM pays the least at $50,350.
Total estimated employment across all tracked metros is 102,760.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Metro Areas
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $155,990 | 1,600 | +63% |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $142,540 | 6,870 | +49% |
| 3 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,390 | 930 | +38% |
| 4 | Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $129,230 | 15,330 | +35% |
| 5 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $128,890 | 990 | +35% |
5 Lowest-Paying Metro Areas
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| 1 | Albuquerque, NM | $50,350 | 230 | -47% |
| 2 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $65,720 | 250 | -31% |
| 3 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL | $65,750 | 870 | -31% |
| 4 | Tulsa, OK | $71,560 | 80 | -25% |
| 5 | Ogden-Clearfield, UT | $74,430 | 110 | -22% |
All Metro Areas for Medical Scientists
| Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $155,990 | 1,600 | +63% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $142,540 | 6,870 | +49% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,390 | 930 | +38% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $129,230 | 15,330 | +35% |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $128,890 | 990 | +35% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $128,470 | 6,600 | +34% |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $128,270 | 4,240 | +34% |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $125,420 | 300 | +31% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $112,120 | 5,830 | +17% |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL | $104,660 | 1,430 | +10% |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | $102,870 | 240 | +8% |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $102,470 | 1,000 | +7% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $102,440 | 10,640 | +7% |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $102,250 | 1,010 | +7% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $101,500 | 6,230 | +6% |
| Tucson, AZ | $101,430 | 120 | +6% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $100,960 | 6,370 | +6% |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $99,540 | 1,510 | +4% |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $99,250 | 820 | +4% |
| Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | $98,800 | 380 | +3% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $97,970 | 3,540 | +3% |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $97,030 | 300 | +2% |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | $96,310 | 890 | +1% |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $94,040 | 2,050 | -2% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $90,280 | 1,200 | -6% |
| Jacksonville, FL | $88,770 | 240 | -7% |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $84,850 | 1,640 | -11% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $83,040 | 1,910 | -13% |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $81,450 | 510 | -15% |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $81,300 | 1,890 | -15% |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $80,370 | N/A | -16% |
| Columbus, OH | $79,250 | 1,000 | -17% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $78,860 | 390 | -17% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $78,570 | 1,440 | -18% |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $78,560 | 3,760 | -18% |
| Boise City, ID | $77,810 | 150 | -19% |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $77,480 | 1,010 | -19% |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $76,860 | 6,040 | -20% |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $75,360 | 640 | -21% |
| Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI | $74,990 | 180 | -22% |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT | $74,430 | 110 | -22% |
| Tulsa, OK | $71,560 | 80 | -25% |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | $65,750 | 870 | -31% |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $65,720 | 250 | -31% |
| Albuquerque, NM | $50,350 | 230 | -47% |
Compare Salaries Across Cities
See how medical scientists salaries compare to cost of living in different metro areas.
Salary Calculator Data Sources
Salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2024 estimates. SOC code: 19-1042.
Verify at bls.gov/oes