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Table 69. Median annual salaries of U.S. residing full-time employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and sector of employment: 2017

(Dollars)

Occupation 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 occupations 110,000 500 90,000 500 71,000 1,000 137,000 2,000 114,000 2,000 120,000 500 90,000 1,000 99,000 500 124,000 4,500
Science occupations 100,000 500 83,000 1,000 71,000 1,500 130,000 500 107,000 2,500 114,000 2,000 86,000 2,500 100,000 3,000 120,000 7,000
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 94,000 1,500 76,000 2,000 71,000 4,000 120,000 2,500 94,000 3,000 107,000 2,000 79,000 4,500 69,000 20,500 73,000 21,500
Agricultural/food scientists 104,000 2,500 73,000 4,500 S S 120,000 3,000 115,000 17,500 105,000 5,000 83,000 9,500 99,000 8,000 D D
Biochemists/biophysicists 88,000 4,000 51,000 1,500 D D 117,000 4,500 69,000 12,500 107,000 13,000 57,000 18,500 D D D D
Biological scientists 80,000 2,500 58,000 2,000 80,000 21,000 106,000 5,000 75,000 7,500 102,000 3,000 71,000 2,500 33,000 14,500 86,000 11,000
Forestry/conservation scientists 87,000 4,500 58,000 9,000 D D 94,000 3,000 90,000 11,000 110,000 3,500 75,000 5,500 S S * *
Medical scientists 105,000 2,500 71,000 4,000 D D 134,000 4,500 97,000 5,000 110,000 5,000 93,000 8,000 S S 56,000 6,000
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 95,000 3,000 96,000 3,000 67,000 6,500 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 86,000 1,500 88,000 2,000 71,000 4,000 D D S S D D D D D D D D
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 100,000 500 57,000 2,500 D D 125,000 5,000 98,000 5,500 106,000 5,000 97,000 10,000 S S S S
Computer/information scientists 130,000 2,000 100,000 1,500 69,000 2,000 142,000 3,000 135,000 6,500 126,000 3,500 93,000 3,500 80,000 26,500 126,000 5,500
Computer/information scientists 136,000 3,500 92,000 4,000 68,000 6,000 142,000 3,000 135,000 6,500 127,000 3,000 93,000 3,500 80,000 26,500 126,000 5,500
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 102,000 3,000 103,000 2,500 69,000 11,000 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Mathematical scientists 105,000 2,000 85,000 2,500 68,000 4,500 135,000 4,000 129,000 6,500 127,000 5,000 88,000 10,000 102,000 28,500 132,000 26,000
Mathematical scientists 129,000 4,000 90,000 4,000 86,000 10,500 135,000 4,000 129,000 7,500 127,000 5,000 85,000 9,500 103,000 32,500 132,000 26,000
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 83,000 2,000 84,000 2,000 65,000 7,500 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Physical scientists 100,000 500 82,000 2,000 68,000 2,500 125,000 1,000 119,000 7,000 123,000 3,500 80,000 5,500 85,000 30,500 100,000 22,000
Chemists, except biochemists 115,000 1,500 58,000 2,500 D D 122,000 3,000 95,000 10,000 119,000 4,000 83,000 8,500 D D 86,000 21,500
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 106,000 4,500 72,000 4,500 D D 145,000 7,000 109,000 18,500 120,000 3,500 80,000 5,000 69,000 6,000 99,000 24,500
Physicists/astronomers 122,000 4,000 70,000 6,500 D D 130,000 3,500 136,000 7,000 129,000 3,500 S S D D 100,000 39,500
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 75,000 2,000 77,000 2,000 68,000 1,500 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, physics 92,000 3,000 95,000 3,500 65,000 6,500 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 88,000 3,000 89,000 2,000 69,000 2,500 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Other physical scientists 116,000 5,000 79,000 7,000 D D 125,000 4,000 127,000 16,500 118,000 10,000 72,000 3,000 S S 165,000 34,500
Psychologists 93,000 2,000 85,000 1,000 80,000 1,500 102,000 5,000 93,000 4,500 105,000 1,500 95,000 4,500 104,000 8,000 91,000 28,000
Psychologists. 100,000 500 88,000 3,500 84,000 4,500 100,000 5,500 92,000 4,500 105,000 1,500 95,000 4,500 105,000 8,000 D D
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 83,000 2,000 84,000 1,500 71,000 4,000 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Social scientists 92,000 1,500 86,000 1,500 69,000 2,500 134,000 6,500 123,000 3,500 129,000 4,500 81,000 2,500 95,000 17,000 137,000 13,000
Economists 137,000 3,500 101,000 6,000 D D 145,000 7,000 143,000 7,500 139,000 6,500 79,000 7,000 114,000 18,000 136,000 14,000
Political scientists 121,000 6,000 101,000 29,500 D D D D 124,000 7,000 123,000 13,500 S S D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, economics 105,000 3,500 107,000 3,500 70,000 5,000 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, political science 85,000 3,500 85,000 2,000 75,000 8,000 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 78,000 2,000 79,000 1,500 66,000 6,000 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 78,000 2,000 79,000 2,000 66,000 10,000 D D D D D D D D D D D D
Sociologists/anthropologists 102,000 5,500 81,000 2,500 D D 114,000 11,500 115,000 6,500 112,000 9,000 93,000 23,500 81,000 11,000 D D
Other social scientists 100,000 3,000 80,000 3,000 107,000 12,500 118,000 8,500 108,000 6,500 130,000 6,500 83,000 4,000 S S 149,000 27,500
Engineering occupations 125,000 1,500 101,000 2,500 76,000 11,500 130,000 1,500 130,000 6,000 128,000 2,500 100,000 9,000 139,000 13,500 135,000 16,500
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 144,000 5,500 69,000 23,000 D D 145,000 3,500 150,000 8,000 136,000 11,000 D D S S S S
Chemical engineers 129,000 2,000 S S D D 131,000 4,000 D D 125,000 7,000 D D D D D D
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 105,000 4,500 64,000 6,000 D D 115,000 2,500 92,000 4,000 124,000 17,500 100,000 8,000 104,000 27,000 D D
Electrical engineers 140,000 2,000 100,000 13,000 D D 140,000 1,000 145,000 20,500 137,000 4,000 D D 126,000 43,500 145,000 13,500
Industrial engineersf 128,000 4,500 127,000 22,500 D D 128,000 6,000 S S D D D D D D D D
Mechanical engineers 119,000 1,000 80,000 10,000 D D 120,000 1,000 105,000 10,500 117,000 9,500 D D D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 105,000 2,000 105,000 2,000 76,000 10,500 D D D D * * D D D D D D
Other engineers 125,000 2,000 85,000 4,000 D D 130,000 1,500 119,000 6,000 126,000 7,500 90,000 14,500 144,000 6,500 144,000 3,000
S&E-related occupations 121,000 3,000 100,000 2,000 65,000 1,500 160,000 3,000 137,000 4,500 140,000 4,000 94,000 7,000 152,000 29,000 123,000 6,500
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 121,000 4,000 99,000 4,500 67,000 7,500 146,000 5,500 139,000 10,500 120,000 4,000 72,000 13,000 157,000 21,500 97,000 24,500
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 100,000 2,500 100,000 3,000 74,000 3,000 D D 138,000 46,500 D D D D D D D D
S&E managers, including health 155,000 4,000 120,000 11,500 106,000 38,500 174,000 3,000 139,000 7,500 150,000 3,500 100,000 4,000 133,000 33,000 148,000 17,000
S&E precollege teachers 63,000 2,500 D D 63,000 2,500 D D D D D D D D D D D D
S&E technicians and technologists 109,000 5,500 48,000 2,500 D D 128,000 7,000 92,000 8,500 126,000 45,000 63,000 3,000 S S D D
Other S&E-related occupations 130,000 14,000 D D D D 144,000 12,500 D D D D D D D D D D
Non-S&E occupations 130,000 1,500 115,000 3,500 86,000 3,500 160,000 3,500 110,000 8,500 132,000 3,000 99,000 4,000 87,000 11,000 122,000 15,500
Arts/humanities-related occupations 85,000 3,000 85,000 5,500 S S 88,000 4,500 83,000 12,000 109,000 10,500 64,000 8,500 49,000 13,000 D D
Management-related occupations 129,000 4,500 91,000 4,500 76,000 4,500 150,000 3,500 101,000 10,500 129,000 7,500 102,000 11,000 111,000 27,500 110,000 22,000
Non-S&E managers 168,000 4,000 159,000 3,500 106,000 5,500 190,000 5,000 156,000 8,500 150,000 4,000 109,000 5,500 122,000 25,000 229,000 57,500
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 94,000 2,000 94,000 2,000 79,000 9,000 D D S S D D D D D D D D
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 74,000 3,000 91,000 8,500 70,000 7,000 40,000 15,500 78,000 25,000 S S D D 70,000 11,500 D D
Sales/marketing occupations 120,000 2,500 D D D D 129,000 7,000 67,000 28,000 D D D D 39,000 4,500 D D
Social service–related occupations 64,000 1,000 64,000 3,500 71,000 5,000 67,000 6,500 56,000 8,000 134,000 37,000 65,000 25,000 50,000 11,500 25,000 10,500
Other non-S&E occupations 121,000 7,000 60,000 5,000 43,000 19,000 160,000 7,500 74,000 12,000 129,000 7,500 62,000 2,000 77,000 7,500 D D
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.
S&E = science and engineering; 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 From 1999 to 2008, data for Industrial engineers were mislabeled as “Materials/metallurgical engineers.” For all years, data in this category have included only industrial engineers. For all years, data on Materials/metallurgical engineers have been included only in Other engineers.
NOTES: Median annual salaries are for principal job and are rounded to nearest $1,000. Standard errors are rounded up to the nearest $500. 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.