Staff Research Scientist Salary in the United States
How much does a Staff Research Scientist make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Staff Research Scientist in the United States is $88,717 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.
However, a Staff Research Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,352
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,598 to $95,330
Key Factors That Influence Staff Research Scientist Salaries
A Staff Research 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
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Staff Research Scientist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Staff Research 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:
How Do Staff Research 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 Staff Research Scientists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $98,227.
California: $97,854.
Massachusetts: $96,550.
District of Columbia$98,227
California$97,854
Massachusetts$96,550
Washington$96,195
New Jersey$96,160
Alaska$96,036
Connecticut$94,811
New York$94,315
Hawaii$92,726
Rhode Island$91,981
Maryland$91,476
Minnesota$90,784
Colorado$90,517
Illinois$90,429
Oregon$90,092
Delaware$89,843
New Hampshire$89,687
Virginia$89,338
Pennsylvania$88,317
Nevada$87,803
North Dakota$87,634
Michigan$87,368
Wisconsin$87,270
Vermont$87,075
Texas$86,534
Maine$86,499
Arizona$86,445
Ohio$86,383
Georgia$85,567
Indiana$85,159
Wyoming$85,079
Utah$84,955
Iowa$84,902
Kansas$84,476
Louisiana$84,352
North Carolina$84,307
Missouri$84,290
Florida$83,944
Montana$83,757
Nebraska$83,580
Kentucky$83,482
South Carolina$83,127
Tennessee$82,906
Idaho$82,817
New Mexico$82,169
Oklahoma$82,027
Alabama$81,504
South Dakota$80,626
Arkansas$80,146
West Virginia$79,889
Mississippi$79,117
Top Paying Cities for Staff Research 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: $111,898
San Francisco: $110,673
Oakland: $108,341
San Jose, CA$111,898
San Francisco, CA$110,673
Oakland, CA$108,341
New York, NY$102,147
Paramus, NJ$100,905
Queens Village, NY$100,901
Passaic, NJ$100,817
Bergenfield, NJ$100,809
Stamford, CT$100,613
Huntington, NY$100,577
Newark, NJ$99,921
Bridgeport, CT$99,734
Vallejo, CA$99,558
New Brunswick, NJ$99,522
Petaluma, CA$99,469
Middlesex, NJ$99,300
Somerset, NJ$99,238
Santa Cruz, CA$99,123
Boston, MA$98,582
Monterey, CA$98,270
Seattle, WA$98,067
Santa Rosa, CA$98,049
Los Angeles, CA$98,023
Juneau, AK$97,792
Washington, DC$97,695
Orange, CA$97,379
Santa Ana, CA$97,145
Long Beach, CA$97,056
Anaheim, CA$97,038
Anchorage, AK$96,994
Santa Maria, CA$96,728
Everett, WA$96,710
Danbury, CT$96,398
Bremerton, WA$96,275
Tacoma, WA$95,956
New Suffolk, NY$95,954
Sacramento, CA$95,929
Santa Barbara, CA$95,832
Trenton, NJ$95,734
San Diego, CA$95,734
Brockton, MA$95,636
Fairbanks, AK$95,419
Lompoc, CA$95,193
Lowell, MA$95,121
Ventura, CA$95,104
Nashua, NH$95,086
Stockton, CA$95,077
Modesto, CA$94,430
Poughkeepsie, NY$94,235
Olympia, WA$94,066
Kennewick, WA$94,066
New Haven, CT$94,031
Lawrence, MA$93,711
Hartford, CT$93,623
Riverside, CA$93,605
New Bedford, MA$93,516
Richland, WA$93,516
Bakersfield, CA$93,392
San Bernardino, CA$93,356
New Britain, CT$93,348
Atlantic City, NJ$93,348
New London, CT$93,312
Norwich, CT$93,285
Portsmouth, NH$93,268
Boulder, CO$93,080
Portland, OR$92,957
Worcester, MA$92,948
Minneapolis, MN$92,673
Philadelphia, PA$92,549
Honolulu, HI$92,256
Saint Paul, MN$92,214
Vineland, NJ$92,194
Providence, RI$91,937
Chicago, IL$91,680
Bellingham, WA$91,573
Springfield, MA$91,502
Baltimore, MD$91,476
Chico, CA$91,254
Pittsfield, MA$91,014
Manchester, NH$90,846
Spokane, WA$90,455
Denver, CO$90,446
Albany, NY$90,030
Troy, NY$89,994
Nassau, NY$89,899
Schenectady, NY$89,808
Wilmington, DE$89,737
Burlington, VT$89,613
Salem, OR$89,577
Portland, ME$89,302
Yakima, WA$89,213
Rochester, MN$88,938
Reno, NV$88,894
Fresno, CA$88,894
Milwaukee, WI$88,814
Detroit, MI$88,725
Ann Arbor, MI$88,710
Allentown, PA$88,699
Colorado Springs, CO$88,548
Syracuse, NY$88,504
Carson City, NV$88,504
Houston, TX$88,379
Eugene, OR$88,335
Gary, IN$88,229
Springfield, OR$88,158
Bismarck, ND$88,140
Galveston, TX$88,078
Medford, OR$87,945
Fort Collins, CO$87,909
Concord, NH$87,865
Austin, TX$87,838
Mesa, AZ$87,652
Reading, PA$87,643
Phoenix, AZ$87,634
Dallas, TX$87,608
Saint Cloud, MN$87,522
Madison, WI$87,403
Utica, NY$87,164
Rochester, NY$87,022
Des Moines, IA$87,013
Raleigh, NC$87,004
Atlanta, GA$86,871
Battle Creek, MI$86,845
Salt Lake City, UT$86,818
Lancaster, PA$86,685
Harrisburg, PA$86,561
Kansas City, MO$86,472
Champaign, IL$86,454
Kansas City, KS$86,454
Fort Worth, TX$86,445
Columbus, OH$86,430
Boca Raton, FL$86,410
Pittsburgh, PA$86,374
Richmond, VA$86,339
Indianapolis, IN$86,321
Cleveland, OH$86,312
Las Vegas, NV$86,206
Cincinnati, OH$86,206
Petersburg, VA$86,073
Huntsville, AL$85,940
Lansing, MI$85,880
Lebanon, PA$85,869
Pueblo, CO$85,860
Appleton, WI$85,833
Buffalo, NY$85,798
Dayton, OH$85,771
Racine, WI$85,753
Charlotte, NC$85,744
Saint Louis, MO$85,718
York, PA$85,665
Elkhart, IN$85,665
Gastonia, NC$85,648
Billings, MT$85,627
Beaumont, TX$85,603
Lorain, OH$85,585
Benton Harbor, MI$85,567
Toledo, OH$85,549
Binghamton, NY$85,505
Rock Hill, SC$85,496
Rockford, IL$85,452
Springfield, IL$85,416
Elyria, OH$85,407
Fargo, ND$85,407
Flagstaff, AZ$85,345
Fort Lauderdale, FL$85,292
Duluth, MN$85,239
Miami, FL$85,239
Cheyenne, WY$85,177
Grand Forks, ND$85,177
Bangor, ME$84,982
Cedar Rapids, IA$84,884
Durham, NC$84,847
Louisville, KY$84,840
Grand Rapids, MI$84,822
Hialeah, FL$84,813
Casper, WY$84,689
Scranton, PA$84,582
New Orleans, LA$84,556
Virginia Beach, VA$84,547
Akron, OH$84,502
Peoria, IL$84,387
Sarasota, FL$84,369
Nashville, TN$84,307
Omaha, NE$84,307
Green Bay, WI$84,307
Baton Rouge, LA$84,263
Charleston, SC$84,245
Jamestown, NY$84,201
Davenport, IA$84,201
Tucson, AZ$84,156
Saint Petersburg, FL$84,103
Tampa, FL$84,085
Evansville, IN$84,032
Port Arthur, TX$84,032
Bradenton, FL$83,997
Santa Fe, NM$83,837
Orlando, FL$83,677
Clearwater, FL$83,651
Canton, OH$83,464
La Crosse, WI$83,464
Albuquerque, NM$83,411
Newport News, VA$83,402
High Point, NC$83,376
Ogden, UT$83,340
Corpus Christi, TX$83,269
Norfolk, VA$83,216
Laramie, WY$83,216
Rock Island, IL$83,163
Saginaw, MI$83,145
Jacksonville, FL$83,136
Salisbury, NC$83,118
Boise, ID$83,101
Moline, IL$83,056
Fort Myers, FL$83,030
Memphis, TN$83,012
Tulsa, OK$82,968
Waterloo, IA$82,914
Spartanburg, SC$82,826
Lincoln, NE$82,781
Fort Wayne, IN$82,764
Provo, UT$82,755
Cedar Falls, IA$82,648
San Antonio, TX$82,613
Greensboro, NC$82,577
South Bend, IN$82,568
Savannah, GA$82,471
Muskegon, MI$82,435
Birmingham, AL$82,427
Winston Salem, NC$82,383
Lake Charles, LA$82,169
Anderson, IN$82,151
Lexington, KY$82,125
Augusta, GA$82,098
Greenville, SC$82,098
Lima, OH$82,027
Wichita, KS$82,018
Tuscaloosa, AL$82,018
Columbia, SC$81,939
Springfield, OH$81,921
Asheville, NC$81,779
Bloomington, IN$81,717
Knoxville, TN$81,397
Shreveport, LA$81,389
Wilmington, NC$81,273
Roanoke, VA$81,273
Topeka, KS$81,113
Frankfort, KY$81,104
Oklahoma City, OK$81,043
Chillicothe, OH$81,007
Longview, TX$80,998
Melbourne, FL$80,989
Sioux Falls, SD$80,847
Mobile, AL$80,838
Terre Haute, IN$80,803
Altoona, PA$80,750
Amarillo, TX$80,688
Killeen, TX$80,661
Fayetteville, AR$80,590
Chattanooga, TN$80,563
Sioux City, IA$80,484
Idaho Falls, ID$80,466
Lynchburg, VA$80,395
Gainesville, FL$80,280
Portsmouth, OH$80,235
Little Rock, AR$80,217
Lafayette, LA$80,182
Youngstown, OH$80,182
Daytona Beach, FL$80,129
Clarksville, TN$80,120
Pensacola, FL$80,111
Temple, TX$80,105
Hopkinsville, KY$79,845
Erie, PA$79,827
Florence, SC$79,792
Charleston, WV$79,650
Great Falls, MT$79,605
Macon, GA$79,481
Tallahassee, FL$79,472
Fayetteville, NC$79,454
Waco, TX$79,437
Helena, MT$79,375
Pine Bluff, AR$79,341
Vincennes, IN$79,233
Lubbock, TX$79,197
Alamogordo, NM$79,144
Twin Falls, ID$79,064
Rapid City, SD$79,038
Jackson, MS$78,878
Huntington, WV$78,872
Greenville, MS$78,869
Parkersburg, WV$78,778
Montgomery, AL$78,763
Wichita Falls, TX$78,674
Springfield, MO$78,674
Biloxi, MS$78,629
Monroe, LA$78,541
Johnstown, PA$78,479
Sumter, SC$78,443
Columbus, GA$78,434
Pascagoula, MS$78,266
Abilene, TX$78,266
Kingsport, TN$78,035
Albany, GA$78,035
Gulfport, MS$78,008
Alexandria, LA$77,716
Fort Smith, AR$77,494
El Paso, TX$77,254
Las Cruces, NM$76,855
Harlingen, TX$76,630
Pocatello, ID$76,616
Florence, AL$76,500
Brownsville, TX$76,482
Mcallen, TX$76,296
Dothan, AL$76,172
Columbus, MS$75,645
Altus, OK$75,232
Lawton, OK$75,063
Pierre, SD$74,744
What Skills Can Increase a Staff Research Scientist's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 11.13% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Computer Science (Mentioned in 3.52% Job Postings): Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.
Big Data (Mentioned in 1.52% Job Postings): Big data is a field that treats ways to analyze, systematically extract information from, or otherwise deal with data sets that are too large or complex to be dealt with by traditional data-processing application software. Data with many cases (rows) offer greater statistical power, while data with higher complexity (more attributes or columns) may lead to a higher false discovery rate. Big data challenges include capturing data, data storage, data analysis, search, sharing, transfer, visualization, querying, updating, information privacy and data source. Big data was originally associated with three key concepts: volume, variety, and velocity. Other concepts later attributed to big data are veracity (i.e., how much noise is in the data) and value. Current usage of the term big data tends to refer to the use of predictive analytics, user behavior analytics, or certain other advanced data analytics methods that extract value from data, and seldom to a particular size of data set. "There is little doubt that the quantities of data now available are indeed large, but that's not the most relevant characteristic of this new data ecosystem." Analysis of data sets can find new correlations to "spot business trends, prevent diseases, combat crime and so on." Scientists, business executives, practitioners of medicine, advertising and governments alike regularly meet difficulties with large data-sets in areas including Internet searches, fintech, urban informatics, and business informatics. Scientists encounter limitations in e-Science work, including meteorology, genomics, connectomics, complex physics simulations, biology and environmental research.
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 Staff Research Scientist's salary.
Molecular Biology: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Inference: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Staff Research Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Staff Research 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 Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Staff Research Scientist positions in Hospitality & Leisure or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Staff Research Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Staff Research Scientist
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$106,460
$51.0
20%
Biotechnology
$102,024
$49.0
15%
Financial Services
$102,024
$49.0
15%
Software & Networking
$102,024
$49.0
15%
Energy & Utilities
$97,588
$47.0
10%
Staff Research Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Staff Research 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$80,598
Average$88,717/year
$95,330
$6,716
Average$7,393/month
$7,944
$1,550
Average$1,706/week
$1,833
$39
Average$43/hour
$46
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$95,330
$7,944
$1,833
$46
Average
$88,717
$7,393
$1,706
$43
25th Percentile
$80,598
$6,716
$1,550
$39
Salaries of Jobs related to Staff Research Scientist
Pathology Research Scientist V$192,820
Pathology Research Scientist IV$157,029
Pathology Research Scientist III$127,187
Staff Data Scientist$115,415
AI Research Scientist II$107,467
Staff Scientist$105,145
Scientist - Clinical Research$100,812
Pathology Research Scientist II$99,827
Staff Nurse - RN - Research$94,789
Senior Staff Scientist$91,991
Assistant Staff Scientist$72,090
Salary Trends for Staff Research Scientist
Salaries for a Staff Research Scientist can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $79,191 in 2023
to around $78,651 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Staff Research Scientist salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Staff Research Scientist Over Time
$???
$79,191
$79,078
$78,651
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$79,191
2024
$79,078
2025
$78,651
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Staff Research Scientist
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Staff Research Scientist
Here are companies hiring for Staff Research Scientist and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Staff Research Scientist Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Staff Research Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Get a Salary Increase
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Search Job Openings
For Employers
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Adjust Employee Salary
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Price My Industry Jobs
FAQ about Staff Research Scientist
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Staff Research Scientist?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Staff Research 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.
