Applied Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does an Applied Scientist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Applied Scientist in the United States is $110,295 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $53.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $137,223
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $104,287 to $124,390
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $98,817
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View as table View as graph 25% $104,287 10% $98,817 90% $137,223 75% $124,390 $110,295 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Applied Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $124,390 $10,366 $2,392 $60
Average $110,295 $9,191 $2,121 $53
25th Percentile $104,287 $8,691 $2,006 $50
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Key Factors That Influence Applied Scientist Salaries

An Applied Scientist'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.

Top Paying Cities for Applied Scientists

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: $139,115
  • San Francisco: $137,592
  • Oakland: $134,692

What Skills Can Increase an Applied Scientist'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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 13.75%
Data Analysis 3.11%
Oncology 2.2%
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 an Applied Scientist'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
$118,016
7%
Biotechnology
$118,016
7%
Machine Learning
$116,913
6%
Bioinformatics
$116,913
6%
Cell Culture
$116,913
6%
Molecular Biology
$115,810
5%
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Applied Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Applied Scientist 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, Applied Scientist positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Applied Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Applied Scientist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$132,354$64.020%
Energy & Utilities$126,839$61.015%
Chemicals$121,325$58.010%
Healthcare$115,810$56.05%

How Education impacts an Applied Scientist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Applied Scientists 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 an Applied Scientist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $109,154 and $115,729).

Applied Scientist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Applied Scientist
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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Applied Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Applied Scientist'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Applied Scientist

Salaries for an Applied Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $81,782 in 2023 to around $76,880 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Applied Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Applied Scientist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$81,782
2024
$79,002
2025
$76,880
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $81,782
2024 $79,002
2025 $76,880
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Applied Scientist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Applied Scientist

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

Find Your Next Applied Scientist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Applied Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Maxim Healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    Maxim Healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Private duty nursing (PDN) allows medically fragile patients to receive quality, skilled nursing care in the comfort of their home: a setting preferred by ... more

    8 Days Ago

  • XPO

    Columbus, OH

    CDL

    XPO | Columbus, OH

    XPO is Hiring Driver Teams. XPO Teams. As an XPO Team, you’ll run dedicated routes between XPO facilities in. new sleeper. trucks equipped with microwaves ... more

    8 Days Ago

  • Schneider

    Columbus, OH

    Schneider | Columbus, OH

    CDL-A - Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Dedicated Reefer truck driver - Kroger. Average pay. $1,200-$1,450 weekly. Home time. Daily. Experience. Al... more

    9 Days Ago

  • Summit Recruiting Group

    Columbus, OH

    Summit Recruiting Group | Columbus, OH

    NP/PA Dermatology job opening in Columbus, OHPosition Details. Full-time, permanent opening. Experience required. Well-Established Practice. Seeking a NP/P... more

    10 Days Ago

  • GO Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    GO Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Locums - A well respected group has a Trauma Surgery APP opportunity available in Columbus, Ohio. Certified Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. 1/1/... more

    11 Days Ago

  • The Curare Group, Inc

    Columbus, OH

    The Curare Group, Inc | Columbus, OH

    Hospital is seeking a Board Certified/Board Eligible Pediatrician to join a well-respected and growing practice located an hour from Columbus. Only Pediatr... more

    11 Days Ago

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FAQ about Applied Scientist

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

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Applied Scientist 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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