Research Scientist United States
Research Scientist salary in the US
Typical pay
$145,100a year
Most Research Scientists earn $113k to $181k a year
From 979 current job postings, updated Oct 31, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Research Scientist salary in the US is $145,100 a year. Most job postings pay $113,000 to $181,000. From 979 current job postings, updated Oct 31, 2026.
2,147 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by state
Pick a state on the map or in the table to see its cities, pay and open Research Scientist jobs.
| New York | $200k | $122k to $254k | 63 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $181k | $158k to $235k | 52 |
| California | $173k | $140k to $220k | 390 |
| Pennsylvania | $154k | $120k to $205k | 25 |
| Connecticut | $144k | $114k to $166k | 24 |
| New Jersey | $140k | $110k to $180k | 54 |
| Massachusetts | $138k | $110k to $169k | 218 |
| Maryland | $131k | $116k to $150k | 43 |
| Illinois | $107k | $90k to $127k | 20 |
| Virginia | $107k | $78k to $140k | 21 |
| Colorado | $105k | $86k to $147k | 21 |
| Alabama | – | – | 8 |
| Alaska | – | – | 0 |
| Arizona | – | – | 2 |
| Arkansas | – | – | 1 |
| Delaware | – | – | 3 |
| District of Columbia | – | – | 4 |
| Florida | – | – | 8 |
| Georgia | – | – | 3 |
| Hawaii | – | – | 0 |
| Idaho | – | – | 0 |
| Indiana | – | – | 19 |
| Iowa | – | – | 2 |
| Kansas | – | – | 2 |
| Kentucky | – | – | 6 |
| Louisiana | – | – | 0 |
| Maine | – | – | 2 |
| Michigan | – | – | 1 |
| Minnesota | – | – | 7 |
| Mississippi | – | – | 0 |
| Missouri | – | – | 5 |
| Montana | – | – | 0 |
| Nebraska | – | – | 1 |
| Nevada | – | – | 1 |
| New Hampshire | – | – | 3 |
| New Mexico | – | – | 2 |
| North Carolina | – | – | 2 |
| North Dakota | – | – | 1 |
| Ohio | – | – | 5 |
| Oklahoma | – | – | 4 |
| Oregon | – | – | 1 |
| Rhode Island | – | – | 0 |
| South Carolina | – | – | 0 |
| South Dakota | – | – | 0 |
| Tennessee | – | – | 15 |
| Texas | – | – | 8 |
| Utah | – | – | 2 |
| Vermont | – | – | 2 |
| West Virginia | – | – | 1 |
| Wisconsin | – | – | 5 |
| Wyoming | – | – | 1 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per year. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay in the biggest hiring cities
| San Jose, CA | $207k | $175k to $254k | 131 | 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $183k | $132k to $243k | 174 | 91 |
| Seattle, WA | $181k | $158k to $235k | 76 | 52 |
| San Francisco, CA | $178k | $143k to $240k | 499 | 264 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $176k | $134k to $180k | 19 | 14 |
| San Diego, CA | $156k | $128k to $180k | 88 | 61 |
| Boston, MA | $140k | $111k to $169k | 355 | 214 |
| Washington, DC | $138k | $107k to $151k | 87 | 46 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $138k | $79k to $182k | 46 | 23 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $131k | $105k to $153k | 64 | 18 |
| Trenton, NJ | $130k | $96k to $173k | 24 | 20 |
| Albany, NY | $125k | $119k to $169k | 20 | 13 |
| Chicago, IL | $107k | $96k to $128k | 57 | 19 |
| Indianapolis, IN | – | – | 41 | 19 |
| Memphis, TN | – | – | 27 | 14 |
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 39 job postings$70k $94k
Typical: $74k
Most new hires start near the low end.
- Experienced 160 job postings$88k $148k
Typical: $111k
- Senior 508 job postings$128k $183k
Typical: $151k
- Lead or manager 73 job postings$157k $205k
Typical: $180k
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Research Scientist job postings in the US pay at it.
Senior: most postings pay $128k to $183k a year, typically $151k.
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Pay by employer and level
Typical yearly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
See every employer's pay
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Sign up freeHow much does a Research Scientist make in the US?
Employers hiring now typically offer $145,100 a year for Research Scientist roles in the US. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
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