Scientist Salary in Washington, District of Columbia

How much does a Scientist make in Washington, DC?

As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Scientist in Washington, DC is $148,782. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $137,616 to $172,507, with most professionals earning between $127,449 and $194,108.

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Salary range for a Scientist

$137,616 to $172,507

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What is a 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, to describe the noted polymath Mary Somerville. In modern times, many scientists have advanced degrees in an ...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 09/06/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Scientist in Washington, DC

What does a Scientist do?

Common responsibilities of a Scientist

Manage materials to support various needs and suppliers in setting up/renewing contracts as required, issuing new purchase orders routing for approval through management chain.

March 01, 2023

Collaborate with developers in an open, creative environment to ensure timely completion of assigned deliverables, while managing multiple priorities.

January 25, 2023

Develop, backtest, and refine calculation or algorithmic methods for aggregate/derivative metric creation or other processes related to new data product development or refinement of existing products.

February 25, 2023

Provide support and assistance to Section and Project Managers in research, technical writing and model/simulation functions, as requested, as well as provide recommendations to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

March 13, 2023

Participate in integrated drug discovery research activities by interacting with scientists of different disciplines.

May 03, 2023

Performs quality control, evaluates the data, and takes appropriate action to maintain accuracy and precision.

May 16, 2023

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Scientist Salary By Experience Levels in Washington, DC

How much should you be earning in Scientist in Washington, DC based on your current experience?

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RELEVANT JOB EXPERIENCE

Length of experience is a pay differentiator. Those with greater experience may have an advantage in negotiating salary. For those with less experience, other factors such as education or special skills could impact your pay. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.

Scientist Salary By Level of Education in Washington, DC

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LEVEL OF EDUCATION

Depending on the job, educational levels may have a significant impact on pay levels. Be informed and understand how things like education and certifications can help to increase potential earnings for the career you are interested in. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.

Average Salary Range for Scientist in Washington, DC

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

137616

172507

148782

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

141222

177119

154969

What is the average salary for Scientist in 2025?

These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Scientist in Washington, DC. The base salary for Scientist ranges from $137,616 to $172,507 with the average base salary of $148,782. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $141,222 to $177,119 with the average total cash compensation of $154,969.

View Average Salary for Scientist as table

	Average Salary	Average Salary Range
Base Salary	$148,782	$137,616 - $172,507
Bonus	$6,187	$3,606 - $4,612
Total Pay	$154,969	$141,222 - $177,119

* Base Salary represents gross income before taxes and deductions. It does not include additional pay such as benefits, bonuses, profit sharing or commissions.

* Total Pay combines base salary, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job.

Scientist Salary Near Washington, DC

CITY, STATE	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE	COMPARE TO Washington, DC
CITY, STATE Arlington, VA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $137,616 - $172,507	COMPARE TO Washington, DC 0%
CITY, STATE Alexandria, VA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $137,616 - $172,507	COMPARE TO Washington, DC 0%
CITY, STATE Annandale, VA	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $137,616 - $172,507	COMPARE TO Washington, DC 0%
CITY, STATE Bowie, MD	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $137,330 - $172,149	COMPARE TO Washington, DC
CITY, STATE Bethesda, MD	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $137,616 - $172,507	COMPARE TO Washington, DC 0%
CITY, STATE Silver Spring, MD	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $137,616 - $172,507	COMPARE TO Washington, DC 0%

See salaries for Scientist in locations close to Washington, DC. Pay for the same job may vary based on the location and on the location and on other factors such as the size of company, the industry, and other local conditions.

About Washington, District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. is located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. East Coast. Due to the District of Columbia retrocession, the city has a total area of 68.34 square miles (177.0 km2), of which 61.05 square miles (158.1 km2) is land and 7.29 square miles (18.9 km2) (10.67%) is water. The District is bordered by Montgomery County, Maryland to the northwest; Prince George's County, Maryland to the east; Arlington County, Virginia to the south; and Alexandria, Virginia to the west. The south bank of the Potomac River forms the District's border with Virginia and has two major tributaries: the An...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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