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Research Scientist II Salary in the United States

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

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Research Scientist II in the United States is $130,441 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $63.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $161,621
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $118,215 to $146,762
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $107,084
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Research Scientist II Salaries

A Research Scientist II's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Research 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 Research Scientist IIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $144,424.
  • California: $143,876.
  • Massachusetts: $141,959.

Top Paying Cities for Research 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: $164,525
  • San Francisco: $162,724
  • Oakland: $159,295

What Skills Can Increase a Research 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.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 12.14%
Data Analysis 2.81%
Process Development 1.78%
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 Research 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 $140,876
8%
Oncology $139,572
7%
Machine Learning $138,267
6%
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Research Scientist II Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Research Scientist II roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Healthcare sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Research Scientist positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Research Scientist II as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Research Scientist II

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$182,617$88.040%
Healthcare$169,573$82.030%
Biotechnology$156,529$75.020%
Energy & Utilities$143,485$69.010%

How Education impacts a Research Scientist II's Salary?

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

Research Scientist II Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Research 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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Research Scientist II Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Research 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 September 01, 2026
$118,215
Average $130,441/year
$146,762
$9,851
Average $10,870/month
$12,230
$2,273
Average $2,508/week
$2,822
$57
Average $63/hour
$71
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $146,762 $12,230 $2,822 $71
Average $130,441 $10,870 $2,508 $63
25th Percentile $118,215 $9,851 $2,273 $57

Most common benefits for Research Scientist II

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

Common company salaries for Research Scientist II

Here are companies hiring for Research Scientist II and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Research Scientist II

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Research Scientist II?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Research Scientist II roles, with salaries approximately 40% 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.

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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