As of September 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Senior Scientist in Virginia is $126,869, equivalent to $61 per hour, $2,440 weekly, or $10,572 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Senior Scientist in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Senior Scientist in Virginia vary widely, spanning from $104,157 to $157,026. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($114,980) and 75th percentile ($142,654), while top earners (90th percentile) make $157,026 per year. This $27,674 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Data Analysis, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Virginia Senior Scientist often earn 0.7% higher than national averages due to demand from Fortune 83 companies. However, Virginia currently ranks 18 nationwide for Senior Scientist job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Senior Scientist Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $104,157 VA September 01, 2026
25th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $114,980 VA September 01, 2026
50th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $126,869 VA September 01, 2026
75th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $142,654 VA September 01, 2026
90th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $157,026 VA September 01, 2026
25% $114,980 10% $104,157 90% $157,026 75% $142,654 $126,869 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Senior Scientist

STR - Arlington, VA

Senior Scientist

GRVTY - Herndon, VA

Sr Data Scientist

Innovative Computer Solutions Group, Inc - Reston, VA

Sr Data Scientist

Watermark Risk Management International - Arlington, VA

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What is a Senior Scientist ?

A scientist is someone who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of interest. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophical study of nature called natural philosophy, a precursor of natural science. It was not until the 19th century that the term scientist came into regular use after it was coined by the theologian, philosopher, and historian of science William Whewell in 1833. The term 'scientist' was first coined by him for Mary Somerville, partly because the term "man of science", mo...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Location Avg. Salary Date Updated
Location Annandale, VA Avg. Salary $111,843 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Virginia State University, VA Avg. Salary $98,780 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Abingdon, VA Avg. Salary $92,439 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Accomac, VA Avg. Salary $96,771 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Achilles, VA Avg. Salary $95,991 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Afton, VA Avg. Salary $95,276 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Alberta, VA Avg. Salary $96,828 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Aldie, VA Avg. Salary $106,779 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Alexandria, VA Avg. Salary $112,101 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Location Altavista, VA Avg. Salary $93,139 Date Updated September 01, 2026
Job Openings for Senior Scientist in Virginia

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