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Table 73-2. Median annual salaries of U.S. residing full-time employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and primary work activity: 2015

(Dollars)

Occupation
All full-time employed
Computer applications
Management, sales, or administrationa
Professional services
Any R&Db
Teaching
Otherc
Median salary
SE
Median salary
SE
Median salary
SE
Median salary
SE
Median salary
SE
Median salary
SE
Median salary
SE
All occupations 106,000 1,000 122,000 3,000 134,000 2,000 110,000 1,000 110,000 500 76,000 500 100,000 2,000
Science occupations 97,000 1,000 122,000 3,500 120,000 500 100,000 500 102,000 1,500 74,000 1,000 94,000 4,500
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 90,000 500 92,000 9,500 115,000 3,000 111,000 5,000 92,000 1,500 70,000 1,000 90,000 3,000
Agricultural/food scientists 100,000 2,500 D D 118,000 5,500 98,000 4,500 95,000 3,500 89,000 11,000 76,000 12,000
Biochemists/biophysicists 90,000 4,000 S S 117,000 6,500 D D 79,000 5,000 D D 82,000 18,000
Biological scientists 78,000 2,500 65,000 12,000 95,000 3,500 78,000 15,500 73,000 3,000 56,000 10,000 78,000 6,500
Forestry/conservation scientists 88,000 5,500 S S 102,000 8,000 75,000 8,000 86,000 4,000 D D 82,000 18,000
Medical scientists 103,000 3,000 98,000 12,500 133,000 6,000 134,000 11,000 94,000 2,500 122,000 4,500 110,000 5,500
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 91,000 3,000 D D 126,000 21,500 S S 103,000 4,000 80,000 3,500 78,000 6,500
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 82,000 2,000 D D 95,000 8,500 D D 102,000 2,500 68,000 1,500 86,000 34,000
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 96,000 4,000 89,000 12,500 133,000 6,000 109,000 9,500 89,000 3,500 81,000 18,500 96,000 18,000
Computer/information scientists 129,000 2,500 126,000 2,500 150,000 9,000 122,000 6,500 137,000 3,500 93,000 4,000 108,000 9,500
Computer/information scientists 132,000 3,500 126,000 3,000 160,000 7,000 122,000 8,000 140,000 1,000 130,000 17,500 109,000 9,000
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 103,000 4,500 106,000 16,000 118,000 3,500 D D 118,000 6,000 91,000 4,000 D D
Mathematical scientists 100,000 1,500 118,000 5,000 125,000 12,000 128,000 17,000 115,000 3,000 74,000 2,500 97,000 13,500
Mathematical scientists 125,000 4,000 119,000 5,000 149,000 4,500 128,000 17,000 122,000 4,000 89,000 9,000 112,000 17,000
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 81,000 1,500 D D 98,000 11,500 D D 100,000 1,500 73,000 2,500 69,000 10,500
Physical scientists 100,000 1,000 106,000 7,500 125,000 3,500 134,000 15,000 109,000 500 72,000 1,500 96,000 6,000
Chemists, except biochemists 112,000 4,000 S S 124,000 5,500 127,000 24,000 114,000 4,000 D D 92,000 8,000
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 111,000 5,000 108,000 15,000 137,000 4,000 116,000 48,000 109,000 1,500 193,000 37,000 95,000 17,500
Physicists/astronomers 119,000 1,000 107,000 9,500 140,000 6,500 146,000 7,500 116,000 4,500 S S 110,000 13,000
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 75,000 1,000 D D 97,000 10,000 D D 95,000 5,000 68,000 2,000 S S
Postsecondary teachers, physics 88,000 3,000 D D 117,000 21,500 188,000 18,000 98,000 3,000 78,000 3,500 D D
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 85,000 3,500 D D 109,000 3,500 D D 97,000 3,000 79,000 3,500 90,000 6,000
Other physical scientists 108,000 2,000 115,000 39,000 124,000 11,000 99,000 20,000 107,000 4,000 S S 107,000 20,500
Psychologists 90,000 500 D D 104,000 6,000 96,000 2,500 96,000 3,000 71,000 1,500 76,000 7,000
Psychologists 96,000 2,000 D D 102,000 8,000 96,000 2,500 97,000 3,000 75,000 7,000 86,000 10,000
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 80,000 1,500 D D 108,000 6,500 96,000 13,500 95,000 4,000 70,000 2,000 67,000 8,000
Social scientists 90,000 1,500 95,000 3,000 112,000 6,500 140,000 24,500 102,000 2,500 76,000 1,500 99,000 1,500
Economists 140,000 3,500 S S 140,000 7,500 155,000 8,500 139,000 6,500 D D 99,000 13,500
Political scientists 110,000 9,000 D D 138,000 12,000 102,000 30,500 110,000 9,500 D D 97,000 9,500
Postsecondary teachers, economics 103,000 3,500 D D 143,000 21,500 D D 124,000 5,500 90,000 2,000 D D
Postsecondary teachers, political science 80,000 4,500 D D 101,000 23,500 D D 86,000 3,000 78,000 3,500 D D
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 75,000 2,000 D D 136,000 17,000 D D 95,000 4,500 70,000 2,000 92,000 20,500
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 79,000 2,000 D D 102,000 7,500 D D 86,000 2,500 74,000 1,000 96,000 9,000
Sociologists/anthropologists 94,000 9,000 D D 94,000 6,500 D D 86,000 10,000 D D 90,000 12,500
Other social scientists 99,000 3,000 D D 101,000 8,000 115,000 6,500 96,000 4,000 D D 102,000 21,500
Engineering occupations 120,000 500 120,000 3,000 130,000 2,000 117,000 5,500 120,000 500 94,000 2,000 119,000 4,000
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineers 137,000 3,000 142,000 28,000 153,000 6,000 D D 130,000 3,500 D D 146,000 30,000
Chemical engineers 122,000 3,500 D D 149,000 6,000 D D 120,000 3,000 D D 103,000 13,000
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 104,000 2,000 101,000 8,000 106,000 3,000 133,000 8,000 100,000 2,000 D D 106,000 15,000
Electrical engineers 134,000 3,000 131,000 5,000 135,000 7,500 92,000 34,500 134,000 2,500 D D 117,000 9,000
Industrial engineers 99,000 3,000 S S 142,000 26,000 D D 98,000 1,500 D D S S
Mechanical engineers 113,000 3,500 100,000 5,000 115,000 10,500 D D 113,000 3,500 D D 119,000 15,000
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 101,000 2,000 D D 119,000 6,000 D D 110,000 3,000 94,000 2,000 98,000 11,500
Other engineers 121,000 3,000 121,000 3,000 130,000 2,500 115,000 5,000 120,000 3,000 104,000 15,000 119,000 3,000
S&E-related occupations 120,000 2,500 124,000 5,000 148,000 3,500 150,000 6,000 125,000 3,500 77,000 2,000 109,000 6,500
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 126,000 4,500 S S 120,000 2,500 139,000 8,000 125,000 6,500 100,000 8,500 118,000 20,500
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 98,000 2,500 D D 110,000 9,500 186,000 10,000 106,000 5,000 84,000 2,000 89,000 11,500
S&E managers, including health 152,000 4,000 145,000 15,000 158,000 3,500 224,000 31,500 148,000 5,000 D D 138,000 23,500
S&E precollege teachers 63,000 3,000 D D D D D D D D 63,000 3,500 D D
S&E technicians and technologists 112,000 6,500 120,000 8,500 128,000 42,500 D D 90,000 21,500 D D S S
Other S&E-related occupations 119,000 14,000 S S 116,000 10,000 145,000 13,000 110,000 24,500 D D D D
Non-S&E occupations 126,000 2,500 123,000 14,500 140,000 4,000 128,000 12,000 135,000 4,500 78,000 3,000 100,000 1,000
Arts/humanities-related occupations 80,000 4,500 S S 70,000 10,500 80,000 8,500 74,000 6,000 47,000 11,500 80,000 5,000
Management-related occupations 125,000 4,000 98,000 5,500 129,000 4,000 144,000 9,500 120,000 10,500 147,000 26,000 101,000 6,500
Non-S&E managers 160,000 2,500 142,000 3,500 162,000 4,000 148,000 14,500 159,000 6,000 99,000 15,000 165,000 16,500
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 90,000 2,000 D D 105,000 8,500 74,000 5,500 121,000 8,000 80,000 1,500 73,000 3,000
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 64,000 3,500 D D 89,000 29,000 D D 68,000 22,500 55,000 7,000 D D
Sales/marketing occupations 128,000 4,500 S S 126,000 5,500 144,000 7,000 126,000 12,000 S S 154,000 11,000
Social service–related occupations 63,000 5,000 D D 73,000 8,000 68,000 4,000 51,000 14,500 63,000 9,000 46,000 5,000
Other non-S&E occupations 110,000 7,500 D D 70,000 10,500 166,000 11,000 91,000 9,000 41,000 15,000 73,000 11,500
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.
S&E = science and engineering; SE = standard error.
a Administration includes accounting, finance, contracts, and human resources.
b R&D includes applied and basic research, design, and development.
c Includes production, operations, maintenance, and other activities not broken out separately.
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. Primary and secondary work activities were self-described by respondent in response to the question: "On which two activities . . . did you work the most hours during a typical week on this job?" If respondent reported more than one category of activity as primary or secondary work activity, respondent's salary appears in both categories. 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.