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Head of Science Salary in the United States

How much does a Head of Science make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Head of Science in the United States is $51,459 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.

However, a Head of Science's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $66,488
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $45,296 to $59,326
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $39,686
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Head of Science Salaries

A Head of Science'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 Head of Science Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Head of Science'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): $48,592
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $48,866
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $50,697
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $52,847
  • Expert (over 8 years): $53,772
Levels Salary
Entry Level Head of Science$48,592
Intermediate Level Head of Science$48,866
Senior Level Head of Science$50,697
Specialist Level Head of Science$52,847
Expert Level Head of Science$53,772
View as Graph

How Do Head of Science 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 Head of Sciences. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $56,975.
  • California: $56,759.
  • Massachusetts: $56,002.

Top Paying Cities for Head of Sciences

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: $64,905
  • San Francisco: $64,194
  • Oakland: $62,841

What Skills Can Increase a Head of Science's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.25% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Food Service (Mentioned in 2.11% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.45% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.25%
Food Service 2.11%
Continuous Improvement 1.45%
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 Head of Science's salary.

  • Budgeting: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Forecasting: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Budgeting $55,575
8%
Coordination $54,546
6%
Forecasting $54,546
6%
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How Education impacts a Head of Science's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Head of Sciences enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Head of Science with a No Diploma is between $43,888 and $50,709).

Head of Science Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Head of Science
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 26.3%
Associates 19.1%
Bachelors 46.4%
Masters 7.2%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Head of Science Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Head of Science'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
$45,296
Average $51,459/year
$59,326
$3,775
Average $4,288/month
$4,944
$871
Average $990/week
$1,141
$22
Average $25/hour
$29
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $59,326 $4,944 $1,141 $29
Average $51,459 $4,288 $990 $25
25th Percentile $45,296 $3,775 $871 $22

Most common benefits for Head of Science

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

Common company salaries for Head of Science

Here are companies hiring for Head of Science and their salaries, click below for more details.

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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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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