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Scientist I Salary in the United States

How much does a Scientist I make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Scientist I in the United States is $107,381 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $52.

However, a Scientist I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $128,958
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $101,537 to $118,675
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $96,216
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Scientist I Salaries

A Scientist I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Scientist I 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 Scientist Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $118,892.
  • California: $118,441.
  • Massachusetts: $116,863.

Top Paying Cities for Scientist Is

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: $135,440
  • San Francisco: $133,957
  • Oakland: $131,134

What Skills Can Increase a Scientist I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 13.75% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Data Analysis (Mentioned in 3.11% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
  • Oncology (Mentioned in 2.2% Job Postings): Designing, constructing, and repairing dental prosthetics and restorative and orthodontic devices to help patients correct dental conditions.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 13.75%
Data Analysis 3.11%
Oncology 2.2%
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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 Scientist I's salary.

  • Cell Biology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Biotechnology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Machine Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cell Biology $114,898
7%
Biotechnology $114,898
7%
Machine Learning $113,824
6%
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Scientist I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Scientist I 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 Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Scientist positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Scientist I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Scientist I

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$128,857$62.020%
Energy & Utilities$123,488$59.015%
Chemicals$118,119$57.010%
Healthcare$112,750$54.05%

How Education impacts a Scientist I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Scientist Is enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent 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 Scientist I with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $109,154 and $115,729).

Scientist I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Scientist I
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 0.2%
Associates 0.6%
Bachelors 20.9%
Masters 16.0%
Doctorate 62.4%
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Scientist I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Scientist I'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.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$101,537
Average $107,381/year
$118,675
$8,461
Average $8,948/month
$9,890
$1,953
Average $2,065/week
$2,282
$49
Average $52/hour
$57
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $118,675 $9,890 $2,282 $57
Average $107,381 $8,948 $2,065 $52
25th Percentile $101,537 $8,461 $1,953 $49

Most common benefits for Scientist I

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Scientist I

Here are companies hiring for Scientist I and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Scientist I

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Scientist I?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Scientist I 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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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