How much does a Post Doctoral Fellow make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Post Doctoral Fellow in the United States is $58,114 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.
However, a Post Doctoral Fellow's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $74,397
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,028 to $66,637
Key Factors That Influence Post Doctoral Fellow Salaries
A Post Doctoral Fellow's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Post Doctoral Fellow Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Post Doctoral Fellow's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Post Doctoral Fellow Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Post Doctoral Fellows. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $64,344.
California: $64,100.
Massachusetts: $63,245.
District of Columbia$64,344
California$64,100
Massachusetts$63,245
Washington$63,013
New Jersey$62,990
Alaska$62,908
Connecticut$62,106
New York$61,781
Hawaii$60,741
Rhode Island$60,252
Maryland$59,921
Minnesota$59,468
Colorado$59,294
Illinois$59,235
Oregon$59,015
Delaware$58,852
New Hampshire$58,750
Virginia$58,521
Pennsylvania$57,852
Nevada$57,515
North Dakota$57,405
Michigan$57,231
Wisconsin$57,167
Vermont$57,039
Texas$56,684
Maine$56,661
Arizona$56,626
Ohio$56,586
Georgia$56,051
Indiana$55,784
Wyoming$55,731
Utah$55,650
Iowa$55,615
Kansas$55,336
Louisiana$55,255
North Carolina$55,226
Missouri$55,214
Florida$54,987
Montana$54,865
Nebraska$54,749
Kentucky$54,685
South Carolina$54,453
Tennessee$54,307
Idaho$54,249
New Mexico$53,825
Oklahoma$53,732
Alabama$53,389
South Dakota$52,814
Arkansas$52,500
West Virginia$52,332
Mississippi$51,826
Top Paying Cities for Post Doctoral Fellows
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $73,299
San Francisco: $72,497
Oakland: $70,969
San Jose, CA$73,299
San Francisco, CA$72,497
Oakland, CA$70,969
New York, NY$66,912
Paramus, NJ$66,098
Queens Village, NY$66,095
Passaic, NJ$66,040
Bergenfield, NJ$66,035
Stamford, CT$65,907
Huntington, NY$65,883
Newark, NJ$65,454
Bridgeport, CT$65,331
Vallejo, CA$65,215
New Brunswick, NJ$65,192
Petaluma, CA$65,157
Middlesex, NJ$65,047
Somerset, NJ$65,006
Santa Cruz, CA$64,931
Boston, MA$64,576
Monterey, CA$64,372
Seattle, WA$64,239
Santa Rosa, CA$64,227
Los Angeles, CA$64,210
Juneau, AK$64,059
Washington, DC$63,995
Orange, CA$63,788
Santa Ana, CA$63,635
Long Beach, CA$63,577
Anaheim, CA$63,565
Anchorage, AK$63,536
Santa Maria, CA$63,362
Everett, WA$63,350
Danbury, CT$63,145
Bremerton, WA$63,065
Tacoma, WA$62,856
New Suffolk, NY$62,855
Sacramento, CA$62,839
Santa Barbara, CA$62,775
Trenton, NJ$62,711
San Diego, CA$62,711
Brockton, MA$62,647
Fairbanks, AK$62,504
Lompoc, CA$62,356
Lowell, MA$62,309
Ventura, CA$62,298
Nashua, NH$62,286
Stockton, CA$62,281
Modesto, CA$61,856
Poughkeepsie, NY$61,729
Olympia, WA$61,618
Kennewick, WA$61,618
New Haven, CT$61,595
Lawrence, MA$61,386
Hartford, CT$61,328
Riverside, CA$61,316
New Bedford, MA$61,258
Richland, WA$61,258
Bakersfield, CA$61,177
San Bernardino, CA$61,153
New Britain, CT$61,147
Atlantic City, NJ$61,147
New London, CT$61,124
Norwich, CT$61,107
Portsmouth, NH$61,095
Boulder, CO$60,972
Portland, OR$60,892
Worcester, MA$60,886
Minneapolis, MN$60,706
Philadelphia, PA$60,624
Honolulu, HI$60,433
Saint Paul, MN$60,405
Vineland, NJ$60,392
Providence, RI$60,223
Chicago, IL$60,055
Bellingham, WA$59,985
Springfield, MA$59,939
Baltimore, MD$59,921
Chico, CA$59,776
Pittsfield, MA$59,619
Manchester, NH$59,509
Spokane, WA$59,253
Denver, CO$59,247
Albany, NY$58,974
Troy, NY$58,951
Nassau, NY$58,889
Schenectady, NY$58,829
Wilmington, DE$58,782
Burlington, VT$58,701
Salem, OR$58,678
Portland, ME$58,497
Yakima, WA$58,439
Rochester, MN$58,259
Reno, NV$58,230
Fresno, CA$58,230
Milwaukee, WI$58,178
Detroit, MI$58,120
Ann Arbor, MI$58,110
Allentown, PA$58,102
Colorado Springs, CO$58,003
Syracuse, NY$57,974
Carson City, NV$57,974
Houston, TX$57,893
Eugene, OR$57,864
Gary, IN$57,794
Springfield, OR$57,748
Bismarck, ND$57,736
Galveston, TX$57,695
Medford, OR$57,608
Fort Collins, CO$57,585
Concord, NH$57,556
Austin, TX$57,539
Mesa, AZ$57,417
Reading, PA$57,411
Phoenix, AZ$57,405
Dallas, TX$57,387
Saint Cloud, MN$57,332
Madison, WI$57,254
Utica, NY$57,097
Rochester, NY$57,004
Des Moines, IA$56,998
Raleigh, NC$56,992
Atlanta, GA$56,905
Battle Creek, MI$56,888
Salt Lake City, UT$56,870
Lancaster, PA$56,783
Harrisburg, PA$56,702
Kansas City, MO$56,644
Champaign, IL$56,632
Kansas City, KS$56,632
Fort Worth, TX$56,626
Columbus, OH$56,616
Boca Raton, FL$56,603
Pittsburgh, PA$56,580
Richmond, VA$56,556
Indianapolis, IN$56,545
Cleveland, OH$56,539
Las Vegas, NV$56,469
Cincinnati, OH$56,469
Petersburg, VA$56,382
Huntsville, AL$56,295
Lansing, MI$56,256
Lebanon, PA$56,248
Pueblo, CO$56,243
Appleton, WI$56,225
Buffalo, NY$56,202
Dayton, OH$56,185
Racine, WI$56,173
Charlotte, NC$56,167
Saint Louis, MO$56,150
York, PA$56,115
Elkhart, IN$56,115
Gastonia, NC$56,104
Billings, MT$56,090
Beaumont, TX$56,074
Lorain, OH$56,062
Benton Harbor, MI$56,051
Toledo, OH$56,039
Binghamton, NY$56,010
Rock Hill, SC$56,004
Rockford, IL$55,975
Springfield, IL$55,952
Elyria, OH$55,946
Fargo, ND$55,946
Flagstaff, AZ$55,906
Fort Lauderdale, FL$55,871
Duluth, MN$55,836
Miami, FL$55,836
Cheyenne, WY$55,795
Grand Forks, ND$55,795
Bangor, ME$55,667
Cedar Rapids, IA$55,603
Durham, NC$55,579
Louisville, KY$55,574
Grand Rapids, MI$55,563
Hialeah, FL$55,557
Casper, WY$55,476
Scranton, PA$55,406
New Orleans, LA$55,388
Virginia Beach, VA$55,383
Akron, OH$55,353
Peoria, IL$55,278
Sarasota, FL$55,266
Nashville, TN$55,226
Omaha, NE$55,226
Green Bay, WI$55,226
Baton Rouge, LA$55,197
Charleston, SC$55,185
Jamestown, NY$55,156
Davenport, IA$55,156
Tucson, AZ$55,127
Saint Petersburg, FL$55,092
Tampa, FL$55,080
Evansville, IN$55,045
Port Arthur, TX$55,045
Bradenton, FL$55,022
Santa Fe, NM$54,918
Orlando, FL$54,813
Clearwater, FL$54,796
Canton, OH$54,674
La Crosse, WI$54,674
Albuquerque, NM$54,639
Newport News, VA$54,633
High Point, NC$54,615
Ogden, UT$54,592
Corpus Christi, TX$54,546
Norfolk, VA$54,511
Laramie, WY$54,511
Rock Island, IL$54,476
Saginaw, MI$54,464
Jacksonville, FL$54,459
Salisbury, NC$54,447
Boise, ID$54,435
Moline, IL$54,406
Fort Myers, FL$54,389
Memphis, TN$54,377
Tulsa, OK$54,348
Waterloo, IA$54,313
Spartanburg, SC$54,255
Lincoln, NE$54,226
Fort Wayne, IN$54,214
Provo, UT$54,209
Cedar Falls, IA$54,139
San Antonio, TX$54,116
Greensboro, NC$54,092
South Bend, IN$54,087
Savannah, GA$54,023
Muskegon, MI$53,999
Birmingham, AL$53,994
Winston Salem, NC$53,965
Lake Charles, LA$53,825
Anderson, IN$53,813
Lexington, KY$53,796
Augusta, GA$53,779
Greenville, SC$53,779
Lima, OH$53,732
Wichita, KS$53,726
Tuscaloosa, AL$53,726
Columbia, SC$53,674
Springfield, OH$53,662
Asheville, NC$53,569
Bloomington, IN$53,529
Knoxville, TN$53,320
Shreveport, LA$53,314
Wilmington, NC$53,238
Roanoke, VA$53,238
Topeka, KS$53,134
Frankfort, KY$53,127
Oklahoma City, OK$53,087
Chillicothe, OH$53,064
Longview, TX$53,058
Melbourne, FL$53,052
Sioux Falls, SD$52,959
Mobile, AL$52,953
Terre Haute, IN$52,930
Altoona, PA$52,895
Amarillo, TX$52,855
Killeen, TX$52,837
Fayetteville, AR$52,791
Chattanooga, TN$52,773
Sioux City, IA$52,721
Idaho Falls, ID$52,709
Lynchburg, VA$52,663
Gainesville, FL$52,587
Portsmouth, OH$52,558
Little Rock, AR$52,547
Lafayette, LA$52,523
Youngstown, OH$52,523
Daytona Beach, FL$52,488
Clarksville, TN$52,483
Pensacola, FL$52,477
Temple, TX$52,473
Hopkinsville, KY$52,303
Erie, PA$52,291
Florence, SC$52,268
Charleston, WV$52,175
Great Falls, MT$52,146
Macon, GA$52,064
Tallahassee, FL$52,058
Fayetteville, NC$52,047
Waco, TX$52,035
Helena, MT$51,995
Pine Bluff, AR$51,972
Vincennes, IN$51,902
Lubbock, TX$51,878
Alamogordo, NM$51,843
Twin Falls, ID$51,791
Rapid City, SD$51,774
Jackson, MS$51,669
Huntington, WV$51,665
Greenville, MS$51,663
Parkersburg, WV$51,604
Montgomery, AL$51,594
Wichita Falls, TX$51,535
Springfield, MO$51,535
Biloxi, MS$51,506
Monroe, LA$51,448
Johnstown, PA$51,408
Sumter, SC$51,384
Columbus, GA$51,378
Pascagoula, MS$51,268
Abilene, TX$51,268
Kingsport, TN$51,117
Albany, GA$51,117
Gulfport, MS$51,100
Alexandria, LA$50,908
Fort Smith, AR$50,762
El Paso, TX$50,606
Las Cruces, NM$50,344
Harlingen, TX$50,196
Pocatello, ID$50,187
Florence, AL$50,112
Brownsville, TX$50,100
Mcallen, TX$49,978
Dothan, AL$49,897
Columbus, MS$49,551
Altus, OK$49,281
Lawton, OK$49,170
Pierre, SD$48,961
What Skills Can Increase a Post Doctoral Fellow's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Integrity (Mentioned in 5.09% Job Postings): Is about having strong principles and values, which you demonstrate through your conduct in the work environment. A common integrity definition states that people with integrity do the right thing even when nobody is watching.
Oncology (Mentioned in 2.46% Job Postings): Designing, constructing, and repairing dental prosthetics and restorative and orthodontic devices to help patients correct dental conditions.
Data Collection (Mentioned in 1.46% Job Postings): Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes. Data collection is a component of research in all fields of study including physical and social sciences, humanities, and business. While methods vary by discipline, the emphasis on ensuring accurate and honest collection remains the same. The goal for all data collection is to capture quality evidence that allows analysis to lead to the formulation of convincing and credible answers to the questions that have been posed.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Post Doctoral Fellow's salary.
Line Management: Can increase your salary by up to 33%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Patient Safety: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Post Doctoral Fellow Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Post Doctoral Fellow roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Healthcare and Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Post Doctoral Fellow positions in Pharmaceuticals or Biotechnology typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Post Doctoral Fellow as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Post Doctoral Fellow
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$69,737
$34.0
20%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$63,925
$31.0
10%
How Education impacts a Post Doctoral Fellow's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Post Doctoral Fellows enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Post Doctoral Fellow with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$64,284
and $68,801).
Post Doctoral Fellow Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Post Doctoral Fellow's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$49,028
Average$58,114/year
$66,637
$4,086
Average$4,843/month
$5,553
$943
Average$1,118/week
$1,281
$24
Average$28/hour
$32
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$66,637
$5,553
$1,281
$32
Average
$58,114
$4,843
$1,118
$28
25th Percentile
$49,028
$4,086
$943
$24
Salaries of Jobs related to Post Doctoral Fellow
Research Fellow$197,000
Actuarial Fellow$182,435
Post Doctoral Researcher$74,731
Adjunct Clinical Post Doctoral Associate$73,802
POST-DOCTORAL ASSOCIATE$62,886
Post Doc Fellow$62,539
Post Doctoral Research Associate$60,068
Post Doc Research Fellow$57,288
Post Doctoral Research Fellow$53,469
Post Doctoral Counselor$50,137
Doctoral Student$35,392
Salary Trends for Post Doctoral Fellow
Salaries for a Post Doctoral Fellow can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $55,477 in 2023
to around $55,487 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Post Doctoral Fellow salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Post Doctoral Fellow Over Time
$???
$55,477
$55,585
$55,487
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$55,477
2024
$55,585
2025
$55,487
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Post Doctoral Fellow
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Post Doctoral Fellow
Here are companies hiring for Post Doctoral Fellow and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Post Doctoral Fellow
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Post Doctoral Fellow?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Post Doctoral Fellow roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
