Development Scientist II Salary in the United States

How much does a Development Scientist II make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Development Scientist II in the United States is $127,575 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $158,096
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $115,600 to $143,551
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $104,697
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View as table View as graph 25% $115,600 10% $104,697 90% $158,096 75% $143,551 $127,575 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Development Scientist II Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $143,551 $11,963 $2,761 $69
Average $127,575 $10,631 $2,453 $61
25th Percentile $115,600 $9,633 $2,223 $56
Check out Development Scientist II Job Openings in the United States
Medical Laboratory Scientist II

Intermedia Group - Fremont, OH

Medical Laboratory Scientist II

Quest Diagnostics - Cleveland, OH

Medical Lab Scientist II

STAFF ICONS, LLC - Cleveland, OH

Medical Laboratory Scientist II

ProMedica - Monroe, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Development Scientist II Salaries

A Development Scientist II'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 Do Development Scientist II 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 Development Scientist IIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $141,251.
  • California: $140,715.
  • Massachusetts: $138,840.

Top Paying Cities for Development Scientist IIs

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: $160,910
  • San Francisco: $159,328
  • Oakland: $155,795

What Skills Can Increase a Development Scientist II's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 12.14% 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 2.81% 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.
  • Process Development (Mentioned in 1.78% Job Postings): Process development consists of designing and developing, as well as evaluating costs and efficiency.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 12.14%
Data Analysis 2.81%
Process Development 1.78%
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 Development Scientist II's salary.
  • Drug Discovery: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Oncology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Machine Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Drug Discovery
$137,781
8%
Oncology
$136,505
7%
Machine Learning
$135,230
6%
Cell Biology
$133,954
5%
Biotechnology
$133,954
5%
Immunology
$133,954
5%
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How Education impacts a Development Scientist II's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Development Scientist IIs 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 Development Scientist II with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $128,693 and $136,760).

Development Scientist II Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Development Scientist II
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 0.2%
Associates 9.9%
Bachelors 11.2%
Masters 9.9%
Doctorate 78.7%
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Development Scientist II Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Development Scientist II'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 April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Development Scientist II

Salaries for a Development Scientist II can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $90,419 in 2023 to around $88,029 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Development Scientist II salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Development Scientist II Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$90,419
2024
$89,295
2025
$88,029
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $90,419
2024 $89,295
2025 $88,029
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Development Scientist II

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

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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.)

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