Best paying science jobs

The highest-paying occupations in science, ranked with median wage weighted heaviest.

How this ranking is scored

score = .70·pay + .10·growth + .10·employment + .10·openings

Each factor is scaled to the strongest occupation on this list, then weighted and summed. Weights differ by list type. Full methodology.

Wages — OEWS May 2025

Growth & openings — EP 2024–34

Rank by Overall score ·Pay ·Growth ·Openings

Compare · management·business and finance·technology

#

Occupation

MEDIAN PAY

P25–P75

Growth

Employed

Open/yr

Score

01

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists · Master's degree · 19-3032

$193,950

+6.3%

790

400

100

02

Physicists · Doctoral or professional degree · 19-2012

$172,250

+4.0%

20,430

1,700

90

03

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists · Doctoral or professional degree · 19-1042

$103,410

+8.7%

172,340

9,600

80

04

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists · Bachelor's degree · 19-5011

$90,150

+12.5%

140,610

14,900

79

05

Biochemists and Biophysicists · Doctoral or professional degree · 19-1021

$127,410

+5.8%

33,830

2,900

72

06

Political Scientists · Master's degree · 19-3094

$142,080

-3.1%

5,540

500

70

07

Clinical and Counseling Psychologists · Doctoral or professional degree · 19-3033

$100,580

+11.2%

75,990

4,800

69

08

Astronomers · Doctoral or professional degree · 19-2011

$128,820

+2.2%

2,120

100

65

09

Economists · Master's degree · 19-3011

$124,720

+1.2%

17,790

900

64

10

Physical Scientists, All Other · Bachelor's degree · 19-2099

$122,570

+0.6%

22,300

2,000

64

11

Materials Scientists · Bachelor's degree · 19-2032

$117,790

+4.9%

8,470

600

63

12

Psychologists, All Other · Master's degree · 19-3039

$110,840

+4.3%

18,820

3,900

62

13

Chemists · Bachelor's degree · 19-2031

$91,240

+4.9%

82,770

6,300

61

14

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health · Bachelor's degree · 19-2041

$82,220

+4.4%

89,250

8,500

58

15

Biological Scientists, All Other · Bachelor's degree · 19-1029

$98,920

+1.2%

55,850

4,800

58

16

Epidemiologists · Master's degree · 19-1041

$87,220

+16.2%

12,090

800

58

17

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers · Bachelor's degree · 19-2042

$101,920

+3.2%

23,470

2,000

56

18

School Psychologists · Master's degree · 19-3034

$95,990

+0.7%

63,940

3,800

56

19

Sociologists · Master's degree · 19-3041

$106,030

+3.6%

2,260

300

55

20

Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other · Bachelor's degree · 19-3099

$101,110

-1.7%

37,100

3,200

55

21

Nuclear Technicians · Associate's degree · 19-4051

$110,240

-7.7%

6,470

700

55

22

Urban and Regional Planners · Master's degree · 19-3051

$89,320

+3.4%

44,230

3,400

53

23

Food Scientists and Technologists · Bachelor's degree · 19-1012

$88,720

+6.5%

13,060

1,200

51

24

Atmospheric and Space Scientists · Bachelor's degree · 19-2021

$99,070

+0.7%

10,000

700

50

25

Geographers · Bachelor's degree · 19-3092

$102,040

-3.1%

1,400

100

50

Showing top 25 of 48 scored occupations — show all 48show top 25

#

Occupation

MEDIAN PAY

Growth

Score

26

Forensic Science Technicians · Bachelor's degree

$72,060

+12.8%

50

27

Life Scientists, All Other · Bachelor's degree

$93,750

+3.7%

50

28

Microbiologists · Bachelor's degree

$87,990

+4.1%

49

29

Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other · Associate's degree

$62,280

+3.5%

49

30

Hydrologists · Bachelor's degree

$96,600

-0.1%

48

31

Soil and Plant Scientists · Bachelor's degree

$78,850

+5.4%

46

32

Biological Technicians · Bachelor's degree

$57,510

+3.5%

45

33

Chemical Technicians · Associate's degree

$60,390

+3.7%

43

34

Conservation Scientists · Bachelor's degree

$73,010

+3.4%

43

35

Occupational Health and Safety Technicians · High school diploma or equivalent

$61,560

+8.5%

42

36

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists · Bachelor's degree

$76,780

+1.6%

41

37

Social Science Research Assistants · Bachelor's degree

$61,990

+4.4%

41

38

Foresters · Bachelor's degree

$76,400

+1.2%

40

39

Historians · Master's degree

$76,750

+2.2%

40

Anthropologists and Archeologists · Master's degree

$70,770

+3.7%

39

41

Animal Scientists · Bachelor's degree

$68,940

+5.8%

39

42

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health · Associate's degree

$55,090

+4.0%

38

43

Survey Researchers · Master's degree

$69,460

-5.2%

35

44

Food Science Technicians · Associate's degree

$52,130

+4.8%

33

45

Forest and Conservation Technicians · Associate's degree

$54,560

-3.2%

32

46

Hydrologic Technicians · Associate's degree

$64,790

-2.1%

32

47

Agricultural Technicians · Associate's degree

$49,630

+4.3%

32

48

Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians · Associate's degree

$53,350

+1.5%

29

Fastest-growing science careers

01 Epidemiologists +16.2%

02 Forensic Science Technicians +12.8%

03 Occupational Health and Safety Specialists +12.5%

04 Clinical and Counseling Psychologists +11.2%

05 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists +8.7%

science careers without a four-year degree

01 Occupational Health and Safety Technicians $61,560

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About science careers

How many science careers are there?

Jobs.best ranks 48 science occupations with published wages, from OEWS May 2025.

What is the highest-paying science job?

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, with a national median of $193,950.

Can you enter science without a degree?

Yes — 1 of the ranked science occupations typically need no four-year degree, including Occupational Health and Safety Technicians.