Pharmaceutical Scientist Salary in Houston, TX

How much does a Pharmaceutical Scientist make in Houston, TX?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Pharmaceutical Scientist in Houston, TX is $59,220 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $69,504
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,883 to $64,603
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,113
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View as table View as graph 25% $52,883 10% $47,113 90% $69,504 75% $64,603 $59,220 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Pharmaceutical Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $64,603 $5,384 $1,242 $31
Average $59,220 $4,935 $1,139 $28
25th Percentile $52,883 $4,407 $1,017 $25
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Key Factors That Influence Pharmaceutical Scientist Salaries

A Pharmaceutical 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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Pharmaceutical Scientist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Pharmaceutical 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): $58,824
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $67,976
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,848
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $122,927
  • Expert (over 8 years): $139,334
Levels Salary
Pharmaceu... Level Pharmaceutical Scientist$58,824
Biologist... Level Pharmaceutical Scientist$67,976
Biologist... Level Pharmaceutical Scientist$84,848
Biologist... Level Pharmaceutical Scientist$122,927
Biologist... Level Pharmaceutical Scientist$139,334
$58,824 0 yr
$67,976 < 2 yrs
$84,848 2-4 yrs
$122,927 5-8 yrs
$139,334 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Pharmaceutical 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: $74,979
  • San Francisco: $74,159
  • Oakland: $72,596

What Skills Can Increase a Pharmaceutical Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 11.99% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Microbiology (Mentioned in 2.67% Job Postings): Microbiology (from Greek μῑκρος, mīkros, "small"; βίος, bios, "life"; and -λογία, -logia) is the study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, parasitology, mycology and bacteriology. Eukaryotic microorganisms possess membrane-bound cell organelles and include fungi and protists, whereas prokaryotic organisms—all of which are microorganisms—are conventionally classified as lacking membrane-bound organelles and include Bacteria and Archaea. Microbiologists traditionally relied on culture, staining, and microscopy. However, less than 1% of the microorganisms present in common environments can be cultured in isolation using current means. Microbiologists often rely on molecular biology tools such as DNA sequence based identification, for example 16s rRNA gene sequence used for bacteria identification.
  • SOP (Mentioned in 2% 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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 11.99%
Microbiology 2.67%
SOP 2%
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 Pharmaceutical Scientist's salary.
  • Cell Biology: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Biochemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cell Biology
$68,696
16%
Collaboration
$67,511
14%
Biochemistry
$66,327
12%
Cell Culture
$65,735
11%
Innovation
$65,735
11%
Analysis
$65,142
10%
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Pharmaceutical Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Pharmaceutical 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 Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Pharmaceutical Scientist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Pharmaceutical Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Pharmaceutical Scientist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$88,830$43.050%

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

Understanding how a Pharmaceutical 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 August 01, 2026

Find Your Next Pharmaceutical Scientist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Pharmaceutical Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Jobot

    Houston, TX

    Jobot | Houston, TX

    Senior Structural Design Engineer Needed for Growing International Engineering Firm. This Jobot Job is hosted by: Bryce Koelsch. Are you a fit. Easy Apply ... more

    9 Days Ago

  • MedPro Healthcare Staffing

    Houston, TX

    MedPro Healthcare Staffing | Houston, TX

    PICU Registered Nurse. Starts 8/31/26. Day shift: CNC with 4-6 nurses, prefer CNC free, unit secretary. Night shift: CNC with 4-6 nurses, prefer CNC free. ... more

    14 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Houston, TX

    Confidential | Houston, TX

    President. About the Company. A global industrial automation and sensor technology company investing heavily in North American growth. Industry. Industrial... more

    17 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Houston, TX

    Confidential | Houston, TX

    Vice President, Credit Risk Strategy & Data Science. About the Company. High-growth SMB lender building the next generation of credit decisioning. Industry... more

    22 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Houston, TX

    Confidential | Houston, TX

    Vice President of Claims Adjudication. About the Company. Premier cost-effective commercial insurance provider. Industry. Insurance. Type. Privately Held, ... more

    23 Days Ago

  • Sam's Club

    Houston, TX

    Sam's Club | Houston, TX

    Sam’s Club is seeking Merchandise and Stocking Associates to assist with stocking shelves, organizing merchandise, and supporting daily warehouse club oper... more

    30 Days Ago

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