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Table 52. Median annual salaries of U.S. residing full-time employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by field of doctorate and age: 2015

(Dollars)

Field All full-time employed Under 35 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–75
Median salary SE Median salary SE Median salary SE Median salary SE Median salary SE Median salary SE Median salary SE Median salary SE Median salary SE
All fields 106,000 1,000 80,000 500 91,000 1,500 100,000 1,500 115,000 2,000 120,000 500 120,000 2,500 120,000 1,000 120,000 500
Science 100,000 500 72,000 2,000 85,000 1,500 96,000 1,500 106,000 2,500 113,000 3,000 115,000 2,000 120,000 2,000 120,000 1,500
Biological/agricultural/environmental life sciences 100,000 1,500 55,000 500 76,000 2,000 98,000 3,000 105,000 3,500 110,000 3,000 117,000 4,500 132,000 4,000 120,000 4,500
Agricultural/food sciences 100,000 500 75,000 4,000 83,000 2,000 94,000 5,000 98,000 3,500 104,000 6,000 113,000 6,500 109,000 2,000 100,000 10,500
Biochemistry/biophysics 107,000 3,000 54,000 1,500 87,000 5,000 110,000 3,000 137,000 9,000 109,000 9,000 118,000 9,000 158,000 6,500 125,000 14,000
Cell/molecular biology 98,000 3,000 50,000 1,000 69,000 7,500 109,000 4,000 100,000 6,000 130,000 5,500 109,000 6,500 128,000 9,500 122,000 46,000
Environmental life sciences 90,000 2,500 62,000 8,000 67,000 2,500 83,000 2,500 84,000 3,500 98,000 4,000 97,000 4,500 128,000 14,500 146,000 29,500
Microbiology 100,000 2,000 52,000 2,000 70,000 3,500 100,000 4,500 102,000 9,000 113,000 6,500 139,000 12,500 148,000 10,500 115,000 17,000
Zoology 90,000 2,000 51,000 4,000 70,000 8,500 74,000 8,500 88,000 6,500 79,000 6,000 96,000 5,500 109,000 12,000 103,000 10,500
Other biological sciences 97,000 2,000 55,000 1,000 75,000 2,000 93,000 4,000 114,000 8,000 114,000 5,000 125,000 3,500 136,000 5,500 134,000 6,000
Computer/information sciences 130,000 1,500 119,000 3,000 129,000 4,500 130,000 3,000 139,000 4,000 138,000 10,500 130,000 8,500 132,000 14,500 120,000 22,000
Mathematics/statistics 100,000 3,500 80,000 3,500 86,000 3,000 96,000 5,000 111,000 8,500 104,000 5,500 115,000 5,000 119,000 6,500 119,000 2,000
Physical sciences 110,000 500 80,000 2,000 92,000 3,500 101,000 2,500 120,000 1,500 129,000 1,500 132,000 3,500 125,000 3,500 130,000 5,000
Astronomy/astrophysics 100,000 3,500 67,000 3,000 81,000 5,500 94,000 6,000 115,000 11,500 120,000 11,000 150,000 5,500 104,000 13,500 129,000 26,500
Chemistry, except biochemistry 110,000 500 83,000 3,500 95,000 2,000 100,000 2,000 116,000 5,500 131,000 5,000 135,000 3,500 130,000 5,000 125,000 9,000
Earth/atmospheric/ocean sciencesa 102,000 2,500 75,000 2,500 79,000 1,500 91,000 4,500 108,000 4,000 108,000 3,000 117,000 6,000 121,000 6,000 120,000 4,000
Physics 120,000 1,500 85,000 5,000 99,000 4,000 110,000 6,500 133,000 5,000 134,000 5,000 130,000 6,500 120,000 6,000 142,000 7,500
Psychology 93,000 1,500 73,000 1,500 83,000 2,500 88,000 3,000 90,000 2,000 100,000 1,500 100,000 1,500 104,000 4,500 110,000 5,500
Social sciences 97,000 1,500 79,000 2,500 76,000 3,500 84,000 2,500 95,000 1,500 100,000 3,500 102,000 4,000 103,000 3,000 116,000 4,500
Economics 129,000 4,000 120,000 5,000 109,000 7,500 119,000 8,500 143,000 8,500 133,000 8,000 134,000 8,500 137,000 8,500 147,000 7,500
Political sciences 94,000 3,500 65,000 2,500 69,000 6,000 79,000 6,000 90,000 3,000 109,000 5,500 108,000 12,500 109,000 8,000 97,000 8,000
Sociology 87,000 2,500 69,000 4,000 67,000 3,000 78,000 6,500 76,000 4,000 83,000 6,000 93,000 8,500 94,000 8,500 120,000 7,000
Other social sciences 83,000 1,500 64,000 2,000 66,000 2,500 70,000 1,500 85,000 2,500 90,000 2,500 85,000 3,000 92,000 4,500 109,000 7,000
Engineering 125,000 2,000 100,000 500 110,000 2,500 120,000 1,500 139,000 3,000 140,000 3,500 147,000 4,000 140,000 4,000 139,000 7,000
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering 132,000 4,500 100,000 4,500 105,000 12,000 128,000 14,500 144,000 5,500 149,000 5,000 148,000 2,500 135,000 14,500 141,000 8,500
Chemical engineering 125,000 4,000 100,000 2,500 109,000 3,000 126,000 9,500 145,000 8,000 144,000 7,000 151,000 8,500 149,000 5,500 150,000 24,500
Civil engineering 110,000 3,000 80,000 3,000 90,000 4,000 101,000 3,500 123,000 17,000 132,000 8,500 127,000 10,000 128,000 13,500 120,000 10,500
Electrical/computer engineering 135,000 3,000 110,000 1,000 125,000 5,000 132,000 4,500 149,000 7,000 150,000 5,500 149,000 2,500 156,000 11,000 141,000 9,000
Materials and metallurgical engineering 122,000 5,000 100,000 3,000 111,000 6,000 120,000 5,000 139,000 3,500 135,000 9,000 138,000 6,500 154,000 8,000 143,000 7,000
Mechanical engineering 117,000 4,000 96,000 3,000 106,000 5,500 109,000 7,000 128,000 8,500 119,000 2,500 149,000 10,500 142,000 14,000 149,000 19,500
Other engineering 120,000 2,000 90,000 1,000 100,000 4,000 113,000 4,500 125,000 4,000 149,000 6,000 140,000 5,500 125,000 5,500 125,000 5,500
Health 100,000 2,000 74,000 3,000 94,000 3,500 93,000 3,500 99,000 4,500 110,000 7,500 108,000 4,500 112,000 8,000 119,000 5,500
Codes used in data tables: * = suppressed when population estimate < 25. D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information. S = suppressed for reliability; coefficient of variation exceeds publication standards.
SE = standard error.
a Includes other physical sciences.
NOTES: Median annual salaries are for principal job and are rounded to nearest $1,000. Standard errors are rounded up to the nearest $500. Designation of full-time and part-time employment status is based on principal job only, not on all jobs held in labor force. Residence location is based on reported living location on 1 February 2015.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 2015.