Back to Data Tables
Excel icon Download to excel

Table 73-2. Median annual salaries of U.S. residing full-time employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and primary 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 110,000 500 129,000 2,500 136,000 2,500 115,000 2,000 115,000 500 79,000 1,000 106,000 3,000
Science occupations 100,000 500 129,000 1,500 119,000 2,000 100,000 500 106,000 1,500 75,000 1,500 98,000 3,500
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 94,000 1,500 77,000 9,500 113,000 3,000 111,000 6,000 95,000 1,000 75,000 1,500 99,000 3,500
Agricultural/food scientists 104,000 2,500 64,000 15,000 115,000 3,000 105,000 5,500 100,000 3,500 66,000 23,000 101,000 14,000
Biochemists/biophysicists 88,000 4,000 S S 108,000 3,500 89,000 44,500 79,000 6,000 D D 68,000 27,500
Biological scientists 80,000 2,500 60,000 5,500 99,000 4,000 97,000 12,500 77,000 3,000 72,000 14,500 91,000 10,000
Forestry/conservation scientists 87,000 4,500 * * 90,000 18,500 61,000 10,000 85,000 3,500 S S 98,000 20,000
Medical scientists 105,000 2,500 72,000 6,000 123,000 5,000 120,000 14,000 100,000 2,000 123,000 10,000 111,000 16,000
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 95,000 3,000 D D 133,000 19,000 120,000 15,500 101,000 2,500 82,000 3,000 85,000 6,000
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 86,000 1,500 D D 100,000 6,000 113,000 9,000 111,000 4,500 72,000 1,000 86,000 19,500
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 100,000 500 98,000 9,500 120,000 3,500 99,000 5,500 93,000 4,000 87,000 11,000 99,000 2,000
Computer/information scientists 130,000 2,000 130,000 3,500 140,000 4,500 102,000 18,000 143,000 4,000 91,000 4,000 110,000 4,500
Computer/information scientists 136,000 3,500 131,000 3,500 143,000 5,500 115,000 32,000 145,000 4,000 81,000 9,000 111,000 4,500
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 102,000 3,000 93,000 8,500 119,000 15,000 S S 120,000 6,000 92,000 4,000 S S
Mathematical scientists 105,000 2,000 119,000 4,000 134,000 6,500 133,000 22,000 120,000 1,500 77,000 2,000 97,000 6,000
Mathematical scientists 129,000 4,000 119,000 4,000 149,000 4,000 136,000 20,000 126,000 5,500 S S 127,000 14,000
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 83,000 2,000 D D 100,000 7,500 D D 100,000 2,500 77,000 2,000 79,000 9,000
Physical scientists 100,000 500 97,000 4,500 120,000 1,500 148,000 4,500 112,000 2,500 72,000 1,000 96,000 6,500
Chemists, except biochemists 115,000 1,500 D D 117,000 4,500 140,000 13,000 115,000 2,500 76,000 17,500 95,000 9,000
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 106,000 4,500 93,000 5,000 124,000 3,500 98,000 8,000 103,000 4,500 109,000 23,000 111,000 10,000
Physicists/astronomers 122,000 4,000 95,000 9,500 147,000 9,000 167,000 20,000 120,000 4,000 D D 85,000 24,000
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 75,000 2,000 D D 93,000 6,000 D D 92,000 5,000 70,000 1,000 D D
Postsecondary teachers, physics 92,000 3,000 D D 122,000 19,000 151,000 9,000 110,000 2,000 75,000 1,500 92,000 13,000
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 88,000 3,000 D D 117,000 8,000 D D 105,000 4,000 75,000 3,500 S S
Other physical scientists 116,000 5,000 109,000 12,500 128,000 15,000 154,000 17,000 115,000 5,500 D D 94,000 23,000
Psychologists 93,000 2,000 D D 100,000 2,500 100,000 500 99,000 2,500 75,000 1,500 80,000 10,500
Psychologists. 100,000 500 D D 100,000 7,000 100,000 500 100,000 3,000 84,000 10,500 94,000 3,500
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 83,000 2,000 D D 94,000 4,500 98,000 12,500 98,000 4,000 75,000 2,000 70,000 2,500
Social scientists 92,000 1,500 95,000 7,500 119,000 6,500 138,000 11,000 107,000 3,500 79,000 1,500 90,000 16,000
Economists 137,000 3,500 102,000 12,000 158,000 12,500 178,000 12,000 128,000 4,000 D D 125,000 15,500
Political scientists 121,000 6,000 D D 95,000 21,000 D D 123,000 5,000 D D D D
Postsecondary teachers, economics 105,000 3,500 D D 145,000 12,000 D D 129,000 5,500 95,000 2,500 123,000 24,000
Postsecondary teachers, political science 85,000 3,500 D D 109,000 16,500 D D 87,000 3,000 80,000 5,500 D D
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 78,000 2,000 D D 92,000 8,000 D D 96,000 5,500 73,000 3,000 82,000 19,000
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 78,000 2,000 D D 107,000 6,000 S S 84,000 1,000 73,000 2,000 85,000 7,500
Sociologists/anthropologists 102,000 5,500 D D 102,000 6,000 D D 101,000 9,000 D D 113,000 38,500
Other social scientists 100,000 3,000 D D 110,000 10,500 99,000 32,000 99,000 2,500 100,000 29,500 119,000 11,500
Engineering occupations 125,000 1,500 130,000 4,500 136,000 4,500 117,000 5,000 125,000 1,500 98,000 2,500 119,000 1,500
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 144,000 5,500 134,000 7,000 151,000 8,000 D D 143,000 6,000 D D 157,000 18,000
Chemical engineers 129,000 2,000 137,000 14,500 145,000 8,500 D D 127,000 3,000 D D 149,000 17,000
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 105,000 4,500 81,000 26,000 95,000 8,500 112,000 14,000 106,000 6,000 D D 104,000 10,000
Electrical engineers 140,000 2,000 134,000 6,000 149,000 5,500 135,000 31,500 140,000 1,000 S S 118,000 11,500
Industrial engineersd 128,000 4,500 D D 144,000 8,500 D D 128,000 8,500 D D D D
Mechanical engineers 119,000 1,000 136,000 15,000 130,000 5,500 D D 118,000 2,500 D D 119,000 21,500
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 105,000 2,000 D D 126,000 4,500 D D 112,000 4,000 97,000 2,500 111,000 13,000
Other engineers 125,000 2,000 123,000 7,000 140,000 4,500 117,000 4,500 124,000 3,500 139,000 49,000 116,000 4,500
S&E-related occupations 121,000 3,000 119,000 6,000 152,000 4,500 149,000 5,500 124,000 3,500 80,000 1,000 109,000 2,500
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 121,000 4,000 81,000 5,500 120,000 4,000 143,000 7,500 117,000 6,000 98,000 10,000 103,000 6,000
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 100,000 2,500 D D 129,000 9,500 189,000 9,500 105,000 2,500 86,000 2,000 99,000 13,000
S&E managers, including health 155,000 4,000 133,000 12,000 160,000 2,000 190,000 17,000 143,000 4,000 S S 137,000 26,500
S&E precollege teachers 63,000 2,500 D D D D D D D D 62,000 3,000 S S
S&E technicians and technologists 109,000 5,500 113,000 13,000 135,000 16,000 D D 96,000 13,000 D D 54,000 12,500
Other S&E-related occupations 130,000 14,000 S S S S 136,000 6,000 145,000 26,500 D D D D
Non-S&E occupations 130,000 1,500 115,000 11,000 149,000 1,000 139,000 8,000 138,000 5,000 81,000 3,000 105,000 6,500
Arts/humanities-related occupations 85,000 3,000 D D 94,000 8,000 84,000 4,000 81,000 4,000 91,000 19,500 72,000 8,000
Management-related occupations 129,000 4,500 137,000 25,000 125,000 6,500 148,000 5,500 131,000 10,000 124,000 51,500 111,000 11,500
Non-S&E managers 168,000 4,000 125,000 11,500 170,000 3,000 148,000 3,000 172,000 5,500 114,000 14,500 154,000 9,500
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 94,000 2,000 D D 114,000 3,500 98,000 19,000 121,000 6,000 85,000 2,500 90,000 29,500
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 74,000 3,000 D D 91,000 7,500 96,000 28,500 89,000 12,500 69,000 9,000 57,000 21,500
Sales/marketing occupations 120,000 2,500 97,000 16,500 122,000 6,000 187,000 43,000 121,000 4,500 D D 111,000 2,000
Social service–related occupations 64,000 1,000 D D 55,000 10,500 70,000 7,500 112,000 41,000 59,000 7,000 47,000 13,000
Other non-S&E occupations 121,000 7,000 S S 71,000 9,500 168,000 7,000 98,000 11,000 74,000 31,500 75,000 6,500
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 not 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?" 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.