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Clinical Scientist Salary in the United States

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

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Clinical Scientist in the United States is $99,077 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $48.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $123,758
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $87,478 to $111,996
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76,917
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Clinical Scientist Salaries

A Clinical 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.

How Experience Level Affects Clinical Scientist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Clinical Scientist'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): $59,708
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $69,081
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $98,127
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $105,984
  • Expert (over 8 years): $157,777
Levels Salary
Clinical ... Level Clinical Scientist$59,708
Clinical ... Level Clinical Scientist$69,081
Clinical ... Level Clinical Scientist$98,127
Clinical ... Level Clinical Scientist$105,984
Clinical ... Level Clinical Scientist$157,777
View as Graph

How Do Clinical Scientist 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 Clinical Scientists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $109,698.
  • California: $109,282.
  • Massachusetts: $107,825.

Top Paying Cities for Clinical 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: $124,966
  • San Francisco: $123,598
  • Oakland: $120,993

What Skills Can Increase a Clinical Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 10.33% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • SOP (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): SOP is A standard operating procedure is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations.
  • Process Development (Mentioned in 1.99% Job Postings): Process development consists of designing and developing, as well as evaluating costs and efficiency.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 10.33%
SOP 2.98%
Process Development 1.99%
See More Skills

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 Clinical Scientist's salary.

  • Drug Discovery: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Cell Culture: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Chromatography: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Drug Discovery $114,929
16%
Cell Culture $113,939
15%
Chromatography $108,985
10%
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Clinical Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Clinical Scientist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Clinical Scientist positions in Pharmaceuticals or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Clinical Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Clinical Scientist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$148,616$71.050%
Biotechnology$118,892$57.020%

How Education impacts a Clinical Scientist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Clinical 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 a Clinical Scientist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $96,322 and $106,046).

Clinical Scientist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Clinical Scientist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.4%
High School 1.4%
Associates 25.4%
Bachelors 11.3%
Masters 25.4%
Doctorate 62.0%
View as Graph

Clinical Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Clinical 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 October 01, 2026
$87,478
Average $99,077/year
$111,996
$7,290
Average $8,256/month
$9,333
$1,682
Average $1,905/week
$2,154
$42
Average $48/hour
$54
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $111,996 $9,333 $2,154 $54
Average $99,077 $8,256 $1,905 $48
25th Percentile $87,478 $7,290 $1,682 $42

Most common benefits for Clinical Scientist

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

Common company salaries for Clinical Scientist

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

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FAQ about Clinical Scientist

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

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Clinical Scientist roles, with salaries approximately 50% 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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