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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: 2017

(Dollars)

Field of study
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 110,000 500 85,000 500 93,000 1,500 105,000 1,000 118,000 2,000 125,000 500 125,000 3,500 130,000 3,000 125,000 1,000
Science 104,000 1,000 77,000 1,500 86,000 1,500 100,000 500 110,000 1,500 120,000 500 120,000 1,000 125,000 2,500 120,000 1,500
Biological, agricultural, and environmental life sciences 100,000 500 63,000 1,500 80,000 1,000 100,000 500 112,000 4,000 119,000 1,500 123,000 3,500 135,000 5,500 128,000 6,000
Agricultural and food sciences 106,000 3,000 80,000 2,500 89,000 5,000 100,000 3,000 110,000 4,000 114,000 5,500 115,000 5,500 125,000 8,000 103,000 8,000
Biochemistry and biophysics 109,000 2,000 65,000 5,500 86,000 6,500 101,000 4,500 120,000 4,000 140,000 6,500 130,000 11,000 138,000 20,000 149,000 10,000
Cell, cellular biology, and molecular biology 101,000 2,500 55,000 3,500 77,000 7,000 104,000 4,500 127,000 10,500 110,000 15,000 130,000 14,000 129,000 9,500 149,000 19,000
Microbiological sciences and immunology 105,000 3,000 62,000 2,000 81,000 2,500 100,000 5,000 121,000 10,000 125,000 7,000 151,000 15,000 150,000 5,500 128,000 13,500
Natural resources and conservation 91,000 3,000 64,000 2,500 72,000 4,000 88,000 5,500 98,000 4,000 99,000 4,000 109,000 12,500 109,000 7,000 143,000 12,500
Zoology 98,000 3,000 60,000 5,500 65,000 3,500 79,000 6,000 94,000 6,000 81,000 6,000 114,000 8,500 139,000 27,000 100,000 9,500
Other biological sciences 100,000 500 65,000 2,000 80,000 1,000 100,000 1,000 108,000 3,000 119,000 1,000 119,000 6,500 140,000 4,000 124,000 9,000
Computer and information sciences 139,000 4,000 130,000 4,000 129,000 3,500 143,000 7,000 138,000 7,000 143,000 8,000 149,000 5,500 137,000 7,500 125,000 10,500
Mathematics and statistics 108,000 3,500 95,000 3,500 90,000 5,000 103,000 5,500 100,000 3,500 123,000 7,500 118,000 4,000 125,000 9,500 121,000 9,000
Physical sciences, geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 114,000 2,500 81,000 2,000 91,000 2,000 109,000 3,000 121,000 3,000 128,000 3,000 135,000 3,000 130,000 5,500 139,000 2,500
Astronomy and astrophysics 104,000 6,000 70,000 3,000 85,000 8,500 100,000 9,000 101,000 12,500 126,000 7,500 133,000 13,500 148,000 11,000 151,000 4,000
Chemistry, except biochemistry 110,000 2,000 82,000 2,500 90,000 1,000 109,000 2,500 120,000 3,500 127,000 4,500 138,000 4,500 134,000 10,000 139,000 7,000
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 102,000 3,000 74,000 3,500 84,000 2,000 95,000 5,000 105,000 6,500 110,000 2,500 119,000 4,000 119,000 8,500 128,000 8,000
Physics 121,000 2,500 90,000 4,500 100,000 2,000 116,000 6,000 130,000 3,500 134,000 5,000 139,000 6,000 133,000 6,500 142,000 5,500
Psychology 98,000 1,500 78,000 3,500 85,000 2,000 94,000 3,500 96,000 2,500 105,000 3,000 100,000 3,500 110,000 2,000 107,000 3,500
Social sciences 99,000 1,500 84,000 4,000 80,000 2,000 84,000 2,000 95,000 3,000 111,000 3,000 109,000 3,500 110,000 4,500 113,000 6,500
Economics 135,000 5,000 120,000 4,000 124,000 5,500 120,000 3,000 144,000 7,000 145,000 6,000 159,000 9,500 130,000 9,000 135,000 8,500
Political science and government 95,000 2,000 73,000 4,000 78,000 7,500 76,000 5,000 100,000 3,000 116,000 4,500 101,000 10,500 120,000 9,000 95,000 3,500
Sociology, demography, and population studies 87,000 3,000 58,000 2,000 69,000 1,500 82,000 4,000 84,000 3,500 94,000 7,000 90,000 7,000 118,000 11,000 127,000 14,000
Other social sciences 85,000 1,000 70,000 2,000 71,000 1,500 72,000 2,000 80,000 4,000 95,000 4,500 95,000 3,500 97,000 4,000 103,000 5,500
Engineering 129,000 1,500 101,000 2,000 114,000 2,000 125,000 3,000 140,000 3,000 149,000 500 145,000 3,500 148,000 3,000 147,000 4,500
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 135,000 7,000 101,000 3,500 119,000 11,500 110,000 7,000 153,000 7,500 158,000 6,000 131,000 14,500 149,000 1,500 150,000 2,000
Chemical engineering 129,000 2,000 100,000 7,000 120,000 2,000 128,000 9,500 146,000 9,500 158,000 6,500 159,000 8,000 142,000 8,500 160,000 25,000
Civil engineering 110,000 2,000 85,000 2,000 90,000 2,500 100,000 6,000 114,000 5,000 130,000 4,000 129,000 8,000 149,000 3,500 137,000 22,000
Electrical and computer engineering 140,000 1,000 116,000 3,000 130,000 2,000 139,000 3,500 153,000 6,000 151,000 5,500 153,000 7,000 150,000 6,000 142,000 12,500
Mechanical engineering 120,000 3,000 99,000 3,000 112,000 5,000 114,000 5,000 140,000 8,000 128,000 7,500 137,000 7,000 135,000 12,500 144,000 12,500
Metallurgical and materials engineering 124,000 3,500 104,000 3,500 110,000 5,500 130,000 2,500 148,000 6,000 138,000 8,000 147,000 3,500 135,000 11,000 137,000 20,500
Other engineering 123,000 3,000 95,000 4,500 109,000 1,500 120,000 4,500 135,000 4,500 151,000 7,000 130,000 6,500 142,000 6,000 129,000 9,500
Health 104,000 1,500 75,000 4,500 90,000 2,500 98,000 3,500 103,000 5,500 111,000 6,500 112,000 4,500 118,000 6,500 129,000 8,000
Codes used in data tables: * = suppressed when population estimate < 25. D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information. na = not applicable. S = suppressed for reliability; coefficient of variation exceeds publication standards.
SE = standard error.
NOTE: Median annual salaries are for principal job and are rounded to nearest $1,000. Residence location is based on reported living location on 1 February 2017.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients: 2017.