Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (Major Group)

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations comprises the following occupations: Animal Scientists; Food Scientists and Technologists; Soil and Plant Scientists; Biological Scientists, All Other; Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists; Microbiologists; Biochemists and Biophysicists; Foresters; Conservation Scientists; Epidemiologists; Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists; Life Scientists, All Other; Astronomers; Physicists; Atmospheric and Space Scientists; Materials Scientists; Chemists; Hydrologists; Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers; Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health; Physical Scientists, All Other; Economists; Survey Researchers; Psychologists, All Other; Industrial-Organizational Psychologists; School Psychologists; Clinical and Counseling Psychologists; Sociologists; Urban and Regional Planners; Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other; Geographers; Historians; Political Scientists; Anthropologists and Archeologists; Food Science Technicians; Agricultural Technicians; Biological Technicians; Chemical Technicians; Hydrologic Technicians; Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians; Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health; Nuclear Technicians; Social Science Research Assistants; Forest and Conservation Technicians; Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other; Forensic Science Technicians; Occupational Health and Safety Technicians; Occupational Health and Safety Specialists


National estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Industry profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Geographic profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

National estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,273,640 0.5 % $ 38.81 $ 80,730 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.19 $ 23.78 $ 34.97 $ 48.19 $ 63.09
Annual Wage (2) $ 37,830 $ 49,460 $ 72,740 $ 100,230 $ 131,230


Industry profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 194,180 24.40 $ 47.11 $ 98,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 147,950 7.02 $ 42.34 $ 88,060
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 111,680 3.75 $ 30.49 $ 63,420
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 94,410 1.76 $ 34.82 $ 72,420
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 91,500 4.17 $ 32.49 $ 67,570

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 194,180 24.40 $ 47.11 $ 98,000
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 43,790 13.94 $ 37.96 $ 78,970
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 147,950 7.02 $ 42.34 $ 88,060
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 22,350 6.36 $ 37.44 $ 77,880
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 71,790 4.75 $ 32.00 $ 66,560

Top paying industries for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 330 1.57 $ 75.28 $ 156,580
Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) 70 (7) $ 69.03 $ 143,580
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 710 0.07 $ 67.75 $ 140,920
Legal Services 310 0.03 $ 65.80 $ 136,870
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers 1,830 0.39 $ 61.47 $ 127,850


Geographic profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of life, physical, and social science occupations by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 188,490 11.40 1.26 $ 43.38 $ 90,230
Texas 93,980 7.69 0.85 $ 35.84 $ 74,540
New York 65,670 7.57 0.84 $ 42.12 $ 87,600
Massachusetts 55,470 16.34 1.81 $ 48.49 $ 100,870
Pennsylvania 54,700 9.80 1.08 $ 36.02 $ 74,920


Map of location quotient of life, physical, and social science occupations by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 20,770 31.38 3.47 $ 54.04 $ 112,400
Alaska 6,700 22.63 2.50 $ 37.71 $ 78,430
Montana 8,610 18.31 2.03 $ 28.60 $ 59,500
Maryland 43,260 16.99 1.88 $ 45.71 $ 95,090
Massachusetts 55,470 16.34 1.81 $ 48.49 $ 100,870


Map of annual mean wages of life, physical, and social science occupations by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 20,770 31.38 3.47 $ 54.04 $ 112,400
Massachusetts 55,470 16.34 1.81 $ 48.49 $ 100,870
Maryland 43,260 16.99 1.88 $ 45.71 $ 95,090
New Jersey 43,330 11.25 1.24 $ 44.56 $ 92,680
Virginia 37,310 9.94 1.10 $ 44.46 $ 92,480



Map of employment of life, physical, and social science occupations by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 70,960 8.18 0.90 $ 45.34 $ 94,300
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 60,300 20.56 2.27 $ 53.41 $ 111,100
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 47,810 18.49 2.05 $ 49.76 $ 103,500
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 47,350 8.28 0.92 $ 40.34 $ 83,900
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 40,340 17.99 1.99 $ 53.24 $ 110,750
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 32,640 12.30 1.36 $ 40.57 $ 84,390
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 32,130 7.59 0.84 $ 40.55 $ 84,350
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 28,950 9.99 1.11 $ 40.06 $ 83,330
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 25,900 18.62 2.06 $ 42.49 $ 88,370
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 22,500 11.73 1.30 $ 43.32 $ 90,110


Map of location quotient of life, physical, and social science occupations by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Corvallis, OR 1,270 36.10 3.99 $ 34.15 $ 71,040
Boulder, CO 6,170 33.90 3.75 $ 50.69 $ 105,430
Fairbanks, AK 1,100 31.98 3.54 $ 35.60 $ 74,040
Ames, IA 1,410 31.51 3.49 $ 31.24 $ 64,980
Ithaca, NY 1,450 31.18 3.45 $ 33.75 $ 70,190
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 9,730 31.17 3.45 $ 40.74 $ 84,740
Athens-Clarke County, GA 2,650 31.06 3.44 $ 30.00 $ 62,400
Midland, MI 1,070 30.90 3.42 $ 45.21 $ 94,040
Trenton, NJ 6,910 30.41 3.36 $ 47.87 $ 99,580
Kennewick-Richland, WA 3,150 26.90 2.98 $ 45.42 $ 94,470


Map of annual mean wages of life, physical, and social science occupations by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 60,300 20.56 2.27 $ 53.41 $ 111,100
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 40,340 17.99 1.99 $ 53.24 $ 110,750
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 10,540 9.87 1.09 $ 51.81 $ 107,760
Boulder, CO 6,170 33.90 3.75 $ 50.69 $ 105,430
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 47,810 18.49 2.05 $ 49.76 $ 103,500
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 2,680 7.14 0.79 $ 48.97 $ 101,850
Trenton, NJ 6,910 30.41 3.36 $ 47.87 $ 99,580
Kennewick-Richland, WA 3,150 26.90 2.98 $ 45.42 $ 94,470
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 70,960 8.18 0.90 $ 45.34 $ 94,300
Midland, MI 1,070 30.90 3.42 $ 45.21 $ 94,040

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 3,070 8.18 0.91 $ 29.39 $ 61,130
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 3,050 22.03 2.44 $ 28.51 $ 59,300
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 2,620 26.88 2.97 $ 36.12 $ 75,120
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 2,470 25.19 2.79 $ 27.83 $ 57,880
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 2,170 23.10 2.56 $ 28.18 $ 58,600

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area 2,090 29.84 3.30 $ 24.16 $ 50,260
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 2,620 26.88 2.97 $ 36.12 $ 75,120
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 2,470 25.19 2.79 $ 27.83 $ 57,880
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area 1,640 23.49 2.60 $ 26.59 $ 55,310
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 2,170 23.10 2.56 $ 28.18 $ 58,600

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 710 14.79 1.64 $ 48.95 $ 101,810
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 610 8.78 0.97 $ 38.96 $ 81,030
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 150 4.74 0.52 $ 38.52 $ 80,130
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 690 5.45 0.60 $ 38.24 $ 79,540
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 410 7.04 0.78 $ 37.45 $ 77,900


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022