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Table 54. Median annual salaries of U.S. residing full-time employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by field of doctorate and sector of employment: 2015

(Dollars)

Field All full-time employed 4-year educational institutiona Other educational institutionb Private, for-profitc Private, nonprofit Federal government State or local government Self-employedd Othere
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 88,000 1,500 70,000 2,000 135,000 500 111,000 4,000 117,000 1,500 89,000 3,000 100,000 1,000 120,000 10,500
Science 100,000 500 85,000 500 70,000 2,000 133,000 3,000 110,000 2,500 116,000 2,500 85,000 2,000 100,000 1,500 119,000 10,000
Biological/agricultural/environmental life sciences 100,000 1,500 80,000 1,500 65,000 2,000 129,000 2,500 105,000 5,000 110,000 1,000 80,000 2,000 97,000 5,500 84,000 10,000
Agricultural/food sciences 100,000 500 87,000 2,500 65,000 3,000 119,000 1,500 105,000 13,000 106,000 4,000 78,000 3,500 88,000 15,500 67,000 23,000
Biochemistry/biophysics 107,000 3,000 89,000 4,500 55,000 12,000 129,000 4,500 129,000 16,500 105,000 8,000 98,000 6,500 91,000 43,000 D D
Cell/molecular biology 98,000 3,000 75,000 5,000 59,000 8,500 130,000 8,000 100,000 14,500 105,000 7,000 101,000 20,000 D D D D
Environmental life sciences 90,000 2,500 75,000 1,500 62,000 12,500 110,000 6,000 113,000 12,000 110,000 4,000 71,000 2,500 49,000 12,000 103,000 12,000
Microbiology 100,000 2,000 73,000 4,000 72,000 7,000 134,000 8,500 120,000 12,000 107,000 6,500 70,000 4,000 S S * *
Zoology 90,000 2,000 84,000 3,500 70,000 6,000 102,000 11,500 101,000 23,000 119,000 6,500 80,000 8,000 70,000 14,500 D D
Other biological sciences 97,000 2,000 80,000 1,000 65,000 1,500 131,000 4,500 99,000 4,500 110,000 4,000 80,000 2,500 100,000 10,500 93,000 23,500
Computer/information sciences 130,000 1,500 100,000 3,000 81,000 9,500 150,000 1,000 119,000 4,500 120,000 7,000 D D S S D D
Mathematics/statistics 100,000 3,500 88,000 3,000 72,000 4,500 144,000 3,500 118,000 17,500 121,000 5,000 101,000 12,500 93,000 7,500 D D
Physical sciences 110,000 500 85,000 1,500 66,000 2,500 135,000 3,000 119,000 3,500 125,000 2,500 81,000 2,500 79,000 27,000 119,000 14,500
Astronomy/astrophysics 100,000 3,500 85,000 4,000 52,000 4,000 142,000 6,500 120,000 8,500 139,000 18,500 D D D D D D
Chemistry, except biochemistry 110,000 500 77,000 2,500 67,000 3,000 130,000 1,000 109,000 8,000 120,000 3,000 80,000 1,000 62,000 26,000 105,000 17,000
Earth/atmospheric/ocean sciencesf 102,000 2,500 89,000 3,500 67,000 3,000 143,000 5,000 103,000 4,500 120,000 4,000 79,000 5,000 71,000 20,000 131,000 18,500
Physics 120,000 1,500 90,000 2,000 65,000 4,000 139,000 3,500 130,000 7,000 130,000 3,500 126,000 30,500 98,000 24,500 D D
Psychology 93,000 1,500 84,000 1,500 82,000 1,000 109,000 4,500 94,000 4,500 106,000 1,500 90,000 2,000 105,000 8,000 71,000 22,500
Social sciences 97,000 1,500 89,000 1,500 70,000 3,000 140,000 4,000 119,000 4,500 129,000 3,000 83,000 3,500 98,000 9,000 180,000 26,500
Economics 129,000 4,000 109,000 2,500 65,000 24,000 164,000 5,000 155,000 5,500 142,000 8,500 84,000 15,000 146,000 16,000 181,000 28,500
Political sciences 94,000 3,500 88,000 2,500 75,000 5,000 129,000 14,500 128,000 13,500 118,000 7,500 93,000 6,500 64,000 22,500 D D
Sociology 87,000 2,500 80,000 2,500 65,000 7,500 120,000 8,500 108,000 12,500 119,000 9,000 111,000 22,000 S S D D
Other social sciences 83,000 1,500 79,000 2,000 70,000 3,500 109,000 8,000 97,000 4,500 119,000 5,500 75,000 4,500 94,000 23,500 176,000 63,500
Engineering 125,000 2,000 100,000 500 59,000 6,000 136,000 2,000 121,000 4,000 120,000 1,500 100,000 500 115,000 27,000 126,000 10,000
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering 132,000 4,500 114,000 7,500 D D 145,000 5,000 135,000 5,500 121,000 8,000 D D D D D D
Chemical engineering 125,000 4,000 102,000 5,500 D D 137,000 4,000 134,000 9,000 115,000 4,500 D D D D D D
Civil engineering 110,000 3,000 99,000 4,000 S S 129,000 7,500 97,000 20,500 107,000 17,000 100,000 5,000 104,000 26,000 D D
Electrical/computer engineering 135,000 3,000 103,000 4,000 87,000 17,000 145,000 1,500 123,000 7,500 123,000 7,500 118,000 14,500 148,000 48,000 121,000 27,500
Materials and metallurgical engineering 122,000 5,000 94,000 4,000 D D 129,000 2,500 116,000 9,500 129,000 12,000 D D S S D D
Mechanical engineering 117,000 4,000 94,000 2,500 D D 125,000 3,500 121,000 12,500 127,000 8,500 D D D D D D
Other engineering 120,000 2,000 99,000 1,500 49,000 11,500 134,000 4,000 110,000 3,500 118,000 3,500 90,000 7,000 122,000 23,000 108,000 22,500
Health 100,000 2,000 90,000 2,500 76,000 5,500 129,000 5,000 127,000 9,500 114,000 3,500 101,000 5,500 75,000 18,000 122,000 31,500
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 4-year colleges or universities, medical schools (including university-affiliated hospitals or medical centers), and university-affiliated research institutes.
b Includes 2-year colleges, community colleges, or technical institutes, and other precollege institutions.
c Includes those self-employed in an incorporated business.
d Self-employed or business owner in a nonincorporated business.
e Includes employers not broken out separately.
f 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.