Key Factors That Influence Post Doctorate Salaries
A Post Doctorate'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Post Doctorate Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Post Doctorate'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:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $52,521
Early Career (1-2 years): $52,747
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $53,064
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $53,607
Expert (over 8 years): $54,517
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Post Doctorate
$52,521
Intermediate Level Post Doctorate
$52,747
Senior Level Post Doctorate
$53,064
Specialist Level Post Doctorate
$53,607
Expert Level Post Doctorate
$54,517
$52,5210 yr
$52,747< 2 yrs
$53,0642-4 yrs
$53,6075-8 yrs
$54,517> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Post Doctorate 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 Doctorates.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $58,502.
California: $58,280.
Massachusetts: $57,503.
District of Columbia$58,502
California$58,280
Massachusetts$57,503
Washington$57,292
New Jersey$57,271
Alaska$57,197
Connecticut$56,467
New York$56,172
Hawaii$55,226
Rhode Island$54,782
Maryland$54,481
Minnesota$54,069
Colorado$53,910
Illinois$53,857
Oregon$53,656
Delaware$53,509
New Hampshire$53,416
Virginia$53,207
Pennsylvania$52,600
Nevada$52,293
North Dakota$52,193
Michigan$52,034
Wisconsin$51,976
Vermont$51,860
Texas$51,538
Maine$51,517
Arizona$51,485
Ohio$51,448
Georgia$50,962
Indiana$50,719
Wyoming$50,671
Utah$50,597
Iowa$50,565
Kansas$50,312
Louisiana$50,238
North Carolina$50,211
Missouri$50,201
Florida$49,995
Montana$49,884
Nebraska$49,778
Kentucky$49,720
South Carolina$49,509
Tennessee$49,377
Idaho$49,324
New Mexico$48,938
Oklahoma$48,854
Alabama$48,542
South Dakota$48,019
Arkansas$47,733
West Virginia$47,580
Mississippi$47,120
Top Paying Cities for Post Doctorates
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: $66,644
San Francisco: $65,914
Oakland: $64,525
San Jose, CA$66,644
San Francisco, CA$65,914
Oakland, CA$64,525
New York, NY$60,837
Paramus, NJ$60,097
Queens Village, NY$60,094
Passaic, NJ$60,044
Bergenfield, NJ$60,039
Stamford, CT$59,923
Huntington, NY$59,901
Newark, NJ$59,511
Bridgeport, CT$59,399
Vallejo, CA$59,294
New Brunswick, NJ$59,273
Petaluma, CA$59,241
Middlesex, NJ$59,141
Somerset, NJ$59,104
Santa Cruz, CA$59,035
Boston, MA$58,713
Monterey, CA$58,528
Seattle, WA$58,407
Santa Rosa, CA$58,396
Los Angeles, CA$58,380
Juneau, AK$58,243
Washington, DC$58,185
Orange, CA$57,997
Santa Ana, CA$57,857
Long Beach, CA$57,804
Anaheim, CA$57,794
Anchorage, AK$57,767
Santa Maria, CA$57,609
Everett, WA$57,598
Danbury, CT$57,412
Bremerton, WA$57,339
Tacoma, WA$57,149
New Suffolk, NY$57,148
Sacramento, CA$57,133
Santa Barbara, CA$57,075
Trenton, NJ$57,017
San Diego, CA$57,017
Brockton, MA$56,959
Fairbanks, AK$56,829
Lompoc, CA$56,695
Lowell, MA$56,652
Ventura, CA$56,642
Nashua, NH$56,631
Stockton, CA$56,626
Modesto, CA$56,240
Poughkeepsie, NY$56,124
Olympia, WA$56,024
Kennewick, WA$56,024
New Haven, CT$56,002
Lawrence, MA$55,812
Hartford, CT$55,759
Riverside, CA$55,749
New Bedford, MA$55,696
Richland, WA$55,696
Bakersfield, CA$55,622
San Bernardino, CA$55,601
New Britain, CT$55,596
Atlantic City, NJ$55,596
New London, CT$55,574
Norwich, CT$55,559
Portsmouth, NH$55,548
Boulder, CO$55,436
Portland, OR$55,363
Worcester, MA$55,358
Minneapolis, MN$55,194
Philadelphia, PA$55,120
Honolulu, HI$54,946
Saint Paul, MN$54,920
Vineland, NJ$54,909
Providence, RI$54,756
Chicago, IL$54,602
Bellingham, WA$54,539
Springfield, MA$54,497
Baltimore, MD$54,481
Chico, CA$54,349
Pittsfield, MA$54,206
Manchester, NH$54,106
Spokane, WA$53,873
Denver, CO$53,868
Albany, NY$53,619
Troy, NY$53,598
Nassau, NY$53,542
Schenectady, NY$53,487
Wilmington, DE$53,445
Burlington, VT$53,371
Salem, OR$53,350
Portland, ME$53,186
Yakima, WA$53,133
Rochester, MN$52,970
Reno, NV$52,943
Fresno, CA$52,943
Milwaukee, WI$52,896
Detroit, MI$52,843
Ann Arbor, MI$52,834
Allentown, PA$52,827
Colorado Springs, CO$52,737
Syracuse, NY$52,711
Carson City, NV$52,711
Houston, TX$52,637
Eugene, OR$52,610
Gary, IN$52,547
Springfield, OR$52,505
Bismarck, ND$52,494
Galveston, TX$52,457
Medford, OR$52,378
Fort Collins, CO$52,357
Concord, NH$52,330
Austin, TX$52,314
Mesa, AZ$52,203
Reading, PA$52,198
Phoenix, AZ$52,193
Dallas, TX$52,177
Saint Cloud, MN$52,126
Madison, WI$52,056
Utica, NY$51,913
Rochester, NY$51,828
Des Moines, IA$51,823
Raleigh, NC$51,818
Atlanta, GA$51,738
Battle Creek, MI$51,723
Salt Lake City, UT$51,707
Lancaster, PA$51,628
Harrisburg, PA$51,554
Kansas City, MO$51,501
Champaign, IL$51,490
Kansas City, KS$51,490
Fort Worth, TX$51,485
Columbus, OH$51,476
Boca Raton, FL$51,464
Pittsburgh, PA$51,443
Richmond, VA$51,421
Indianapolis, IN$51,411
Cleveland, OH$51,406
Las Vegas, NV$51,342
Cincinnati, OH$51,342
Petersburg, VA$51,263
Huntsville, AL$51,184
Lansing, MI$51,148
Lebanon, PA$51,141
Pueblo, CO$51,136
Appleton, WI$51,120
Buffalo, NY$51,099
Dayton, OH$51,083
Racine, WI$51,073
Charlotte, NC$51,067
Saint Louis, MO$51,052
York, PA$51,020
Elkhart, IN$51,020
Gastonia, NC$51,010
Billings, MT$50,997
Beaumont, TX$50,983
Lorain, OH$50,972
Benton Harbor, MI$50,962
Toledo, OH$50,951
Binghamton, NY$50,925
Rock Hill, SC$50,919
Rockford, IL$50,893
Springfield, IL$50,872
Elyria, OH$50,867
Fargo, ND$50,867
Flagstaff, AZ$50,830
Fort Lauderdale, FL$50,798
Duluth, MN$50,766
Miami, FL$50,766
Cheyenne, WY$50,729
Grand Forks, ND$50,729
Bangor, ME$50,613
Cedar Rapids, IA$50,555
Durham, NC$50,533
Louisville, KY$50,529
Grand Rapids, MI$50,518
Hialeah, FL$50,513
Casper, WY$50,439
Scranton, PA$50,375
New Orleans, LA$50,359
Virginia Beach, VA$50,354
Akron, OH$50,328
Peoria, IL$50,259
Sarasota, FL$50,248
Nashville, TN$50,211
Omaha, NE$50,211
Green Bay, WI$50,211
Baton Rouge, LA$50,185
Charleston, SC$50,174
Jamestown, NY$50,148
Davenport, IA$50,148
Tucson, AZ$50,122
Saint Petersburg, FL$50,090
Tampa, FL$50,079
Evansville, IN$50,048
Port Arthur, TX$50,048
Bradenton, FL$50,027
Santa Fe, NM$49,931
Orlando, FL$49,836
Clearwater, FL$49,820
Canton, OH$49,710
La Crosse, WI$49,710
Albuquerque, NM$49,678
Newport News, VA$49,673
High Point, NC$49,657
Ogden, UT$49,636
Corpus Christi, TX$49,593
Norfolk, VA$49,562
Laramie, WY$49,562
Rock Island, IL$49,530
Saginaw, MI$49,519
Jacksonville, FL$49,514
Salisbury, NC$49,503
Boise, ID$49,493
Moline, IL$49,466
Fort Myers, FL$49,451
Memphis, TN$49,440
Tulsa, OK$49,414
Waterloo, IA$49,382
Spartanburg, SC$49,329
Lincoln, NE$49,303
Fort Wayne, IN$49,292
Provo, UT$49,287
Cedar Falls, IA$49,223
San Antonio, TX$49,202
Greensboro, NC$49,181
South Bend, IN$49,176
Savannah, GA$49,118
Muskegon, MI$49,097
Birmingham, AL$49,091
Winston Salem, NC$49,065
Lake Charles, LA$48,938
Anderson, IN$48,928
Lexington, KY$48,912
Augusta, GA$48,896
Greenville, SC$48,896
Lima, OH$48,854
Wichita, KS$48,848
Tuscaloosa, AL$48,848
Columbia, SC$48,801
Springfield, OH$48,790
Asheville, NC$48,706
Bloomington, IN$48,669
Knoxville, TN$48,478
Shreveport, LA$48,473
Wilmington, NC$48,404
Roanoke, VA$48,404
Topeka, KS$48,309
Frankfort, KY$48,304
Oklahoma City, OK$48,267
Chillicothe, OH$48,246
Longview, TX$48,241
Melbourne, FL$48,235
Sioux Falls, SD$48,151
Mobile, AL$48,146
Terre Haute, IN$48,124
Altoona, PA$48,093
Amarillo, TX$48,056
Killeen, TX$48,040
Fayetteville, AR$47,998
Chattanooga, TN$47,982
Sioux City, IA$47,934
Idaho Falls, ID$47,924
Lynchburg, VA$47,881
Gainesville, FL$47,813
Portsmouth, OH$47,786
Little Rock, AR$47,776
Lafayette, LA$47,755
Youngstown, OH$47,755
Daytona Beach, FL$47,723
Clarksville, TN$47,718
Pensacola, FL$47,712
Temple, TX$47,709
Hopkinsville, KY$47,554
Erie, PA$47,543
Florence, SC$47,522
Charleston, WV$47,438
Great Falls, MT$47,411
Macon, GA$47,337
Tallahassee, FL$47,332
Fayetteville, NC$47,321
Waco, TX$47,311
Helena, MT$47,274
Pine Bluff, AR$47,254
Vincennes, IN$47,189
Lubbock, TX$47,168
Alamogordo, NM$47,136
Twin Falls, ID$47,089
Rapid City, SD$47,073
Jackson, MS$46,978
Huntington, WV$46,974
Greenville, MS$46,973
Parkersburg, WV$46,919
Montgomery, AL$46,909
Wichita Falls, TX$46,856
Springfield, MO$46,856
Biloxi, MS$46,830
Monroe, LA$46,777
Johnstown, PA$46,740
Sumter, SC$46,719
Columbus, GA$46,714
Pascagoula, MS$46,613
Abilene, TX$46,613
Kingsport, TN$46,476
Albany, GA$46,476
Gulfport, MS$46,460
Alexandria, LA$46,286
Fort Smith, AR$46,154
El Paso, TX$46,011
Las Cruces, NM$45,773
Harlingen, TX$45,639
Pocatello, ID$45,630
Florence, AL$45,562
Brownsville, TX$45,551
Mcallen, TX$45,440
Dothan, AL$45,366
Columbus, MS$45,052
Altus, OK$44,806
Lawton, OK$44,706
Pierre, SD$44,516
What Skills Can Increase a Post Doctorate's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 5.3% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Patient Care (Mentioned in 6.22% Job Postings): Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.
Medication Administration (Mentioned in 2.22% Job Postings): Medication administration is the direct application of a prescribed medication whether by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or other means to the body of the individual by an individual legally authorized to do so.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Commitment
5.3%
Patient Care
6.22%
Medication Administration
2.22%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
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 Doctorate's salary.
Self-Directed: Can increase your salary by up to 42%.
Home Care: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Communication Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Self-Directed
$75,029
42%
Home Care
$60,235
14%
Communication Skills
$59,706
13%
Infection Control
$58,650
11%
Assisted Living
$57,593
9%
Safety Standards
$57,065
8%
Get Latest Data
Post Doctorate Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Post Doctorate roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare,
offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely,
Post Doctorate positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Post Doctorate as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Post Doctorate
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$58,121
$28.0
10%
Post Doctorate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Post Doctorate'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.
Salaries for a Post Doctorate can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $62,221 in 2023
to around $61,770 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Post Doctorate salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Post Doctorate Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$62,221
2024
$62,685
2025
$61,770
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$62,221
2024
$62,685
2025
$61,770
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Post Doctorate
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Post Doctorate
Here are companies hiring for Post Doctorate and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
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FAQ about Post Doctorate
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Post Doctorate?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Post Doctorate roles,
with salaries approximately 10% 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.
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