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Table 73-1. Median annual salaries of U.S. residing full-time employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and primary or secondary work activity: 2017

(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 110,000 500 125,000 500 123,000 2,000 115,000 2,000 112,000 1,000 87,000 500 100,000 500
Science occupations 100,000 500 123,000 2,500 106,000 1,500 100,000 1,500 103,000 1,500 83,000 1,000 88,000 2,500
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 94,000 1,500 85,000 2,500 103,000 2,500 110,000 5,000 95,000 500 82,000 1,000 88,000 3,500
Agricultural/food scientists 104,000 2,500 74,000 6,000 105,000 4,000 103,000 6,500 105,000 3,000 100,000 1,500 93,000 6,500
Biochemists/biophysicists 88,000 4,000 88,000 15,500 104,000 6,500 75,000 33,000 87,000 4,000 69,000 28,500 86,000 16,000
Biological scientists 80,000 2,500 69,000 9,000 92,000 2,500 92,000 10,500 80,000 2,000 72,000 6,500 91,000 8,000
Forestry/conservation scientists 87,000 4,500 77,000 15,000 93,000 11,500 S S 87,000 4,000 94,000 8,000 89,000 12,500
Medical scientists 105,000 2,500 84,000 3,500 114,000 3,000 119,000 10,500 100,000 3,500 122,000 11,500 99,000 10,000
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 95,000 3,000 * * 97,000 4,500 118,000 15,000 98,000 3,000 91,000 3,500 78,000 5,000
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 86,000 1,500 99,000 21,500 93,000 3,500 130,000 20,500 92,000 2,500 80,000 500 72,000 4,000
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 100,000 500 90,000 11,000 111,000 3,500 100,000 15,500 98,000 3,500 96,000 10,500 99,000 1,500
Computer/information scientists 130,000 2,000 130,000 2,500 132,000 5,500 108,000 17,000 135,000 4,000 100,000 2,500 110,000 3,500
Computer/information scientists 136,000 3,500 133,000 2,500 139,000 5,000 115,000 19,000 140,000 1,500 133,000 28,500 113,000 4,000
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 102,000 3,000 89,000 8,000 119,000 5,000 D D 110,000 5,000 100,000 1,500 88,000 3,500
Mathematical scientists 105,000 2,000 124,000 4,500 120,000 3,000 129,000 22,000 109,000 1,500 82,000 2,000 89,000 6,000
Mathematical scientists 129,000 4,000 129,000 5,000 141,000 6,500 142,000 15,500 125,000 5,500 99,000 34,500 127,000 11,000
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 83,000 2,000 80,000 17,500 88,000 3,500 S S 90,000 3,000 82,000 2,000 75,000 5,500
Physical scientists 100,000 500 100,000 3,000 107,000 2,500 144,000 6,000 108,000 2,000 80,000 1,000 86,000 3,500
Chemists, except biochemists 115,000 1,500 131,000 7,000 117,000 4,500 131,000 15,500 115,000 2,000 98,000 26,000 99,000 5,500
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 106,000 4,500 82,000 6,500 122,000 4,000 100,000 17,000 104,000 4,000 125,000 6,500 119,000 16,500
Physicists/astronomers 122,000 4,000 108,000 7,500 140,000 6,000 163,000 20,500 123,000 3,500 100,000 16,500 98,000 11,000
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 75,000 2,000 D D 81,000 3,000 D D 81,000 2,500 73,000 2,000 68,000 3,000
Postsecondary teachers, physics 92,000 3,000 78,000 11,500 100,000 4,500 141,000 64,500 100,000 1,500 87,000 3,500 73,000 9,500
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 88,000 3,000 78,000 15,000 92,000 5,000 D D 92,000 3,000 85,000 2,000 70,000 5,500
Other physical scientists 116,000 5,000 112,000 11,500 120,000 12,500 137,000 30,500 120,000 4,000 S S 94,000 11,000
Psychologists 93,000 2,000 72,000 8,500 94,000 3,000 100,000 500 92,000 2,000 85,000 1,000 79,000 1,500
Psychologists. 100,000 500 72,000 11,500 98,000 2,500 100,000 500 100,000 1,000 97,000 5,000 94,000 5,000
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 83,000 2,000 D D 84,000 3,000 93,000 7,000 85,000 2,000 80,000 2,000 73,000 4,000
Social scientists 92,000 1,500 116,000 7,000 102,000 3,000 119,000 11,500 95,000 1,000 84,000 2,000 85,000 3,500
Economists 137,000 3,500 119,000 7,500 145,000 6,500 160,000 12,500 136,000 4,500 95,000 36,000 136,000 8,500
Political scientists 121,000 6,000 D D 112,000 16,500 83,000 18,500 122,000 6,000 D D 120,000 12,500
Postsecondary teachers, economics 105,000 3,500 102,000 15,500 104,000 12,000 D D 112,000 5,500 103,000 2,500 92,000 3,000
Postsecondary teachers, political science 85,000 3,500 D D 82,000 12,500 D D 85,000 3,000 84,000 4,000 71,000 2,000
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 78,000 2,000 D D 81,000 4,500 S S 80,000 3,000 75,000 1,500 69,000 2,000
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 78,000 2,000 D D 90,000 2,000 82,000 4,500 79,000 2,000 75,000 2,500 72,000 4,000
Sociologists/anthropologists 102,000 5,500 D D 102,000 5,500 101,000 23,500 100,000 7,500 81,000 9,000 112,000 18,500
Other social scientists 100,000 3,000 103,000 8,000 109,000 6,000 99,000 13,000 100,000 2,000 94,000 22,500 106,000 11,500
Engineering occupations 125,000 1,500 130,000 6,000 130,000 2,000 119,000 5,500 125,000 500 104,000 1,500 119,000 1,000
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 144,000 5,500 139,000 8,500 149,000 2,000 D D 144,000 4,500 S S 150,000 19,500
Chemical engineers 129,000 2,000 131,000 10,000 148,000 8,500 92,000 11,500 128,000 2,500 S S 126,000 5,000
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 105,000 4,500 95,000 9,000 106,000 7,000 113,000 8,500 108,000 5,000 * * 103,000 9,000
Electrical engineers 140,000 2,000 135,000 4,000 148,000 4,000 118,000 29,500 140,000 1,500 D D 125,000 4,500
Industrial engineersd 128,000 4,500 117,000 13,000 136,000 10,500 D D 128,000 2,500 D D 143,000 12,000
Mechanical engineers 119,000 1,000 119,000 7,000 129,000 1,500 137,000 31,000 119,000 2,500 S S 110,000 10,500
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 105,000 2,000 89,000 2,500 110,000 3,000 96,000 6,500 110,000 2,000 103,000 2,500 91,000 6,000
Other engineers 125,000 2,000 120,000 2,000 133,000 3,500 120,000 9,000 125,000 2,000 133,000 20,000 119,000 3,500
S&E-related occupations 121,000 3,000 129,000 5,000 140,000 500 140,000 9,000 125,000 2,500 90,000 500 103,000 4,000
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 121,000 4,000 98,000 7,500 123,000 4,500 140,000 8,000 119,000 4,000 120,000 7,500 104,000 6,500
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 100,000 2,500 116,000 46,500 108,000 5,000 149,000 12,000 100,000 1,000 92,000 2,000 82,000 2,500
S&E managers, including health 155,000 4,000 160,000 16,000 155,000 3,500 164,000 18,500 157,000 3,500 130,000 27,000 140,000 19,000
S&E precollege teachers 63,000 2,500 59,000 16,000 63,000 4,000 S S 62,000 2,000 63,000 2,500 54,000 2,000
S&E technicians and technologists 109,000 5,500 119,000 8,500 123,000 15,000 46,000 5,000 112,000 8,000 D D 67,000 22,500
Other S&E-related occupations 130,000 14,000 103,000 31,500 99,000 27,000 130,000 20,500 141,000 18,500 D D D D
Non-S&E occupations 130,000 1,500 125,000 9,500 145,000 2,500 130,000 4,000 136,000 4,000 89,000 2,000 110,000 5,000
Arts/humanities-related occupations 85,000 3,000 D D 90,000 2,000 85,000 3,000 84,000 6,000 74,000 18,500 76,000 8,000
Management-related occupations 129,000 4,500 152,000 5,500 125,000 4,500 148,000 10,500 134,000 8,500 115,000 20,500 116,000 11,000
Non-S&E managers 168,000 4,000 132,000 9,500 168,000 4,000 149,000 4,000 180,000 5,500 120,000 11,500 159,000 2,000
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 94,000 2,000 90,000 29,000 99,000 3,500 106,000 15,500 97,000 2,500 90,000 2,000 73,000 6,000
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 74,000 3,000 D D 74,000 5,500 86,000 9,500 80,000 13,000 70,000 4,500 69,000 12,500
Sales/marketing occupations 120,000 2,500 113,000 13,000 121,000 5,000 119,000 25,000 127,000 8,000 101,000 23,000 108,000 3,000
Social service–related occupations 64,000 1,000 D D 58,000 7,000 71,000 7,500 71,000 10,500 65,000 3,500 51,000 5,500
Other non-S&E occupations 121,000 7,000 80,000 12,500 124,000 10,500 164,000 6,000 103,000 8,000 71,000 19,500 75,000 2,500
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 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 broken out separately.
d 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. 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 2017.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients: 2017.