The average salary for a scientist in California is around $44,960 per year.
Avg Salary
Scientists earn an average yearly salary of $44,960.
Wages typically start from $29,066 and go up to $159,922.
38% above national average Updated in 2017
Scientist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level scientist earnings begin at:
$76.89 per hour
$159,922 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$36.20 per hour
$75,303 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level scientist earnings begin at:
$21.62 per hour
$44,960 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$15.95 per hour
$33,183 per year
10th percentile
Starting level scientist earnings begin at:
$13.97 per hour
$29,066 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $94,553 |
| New Jersey | $87,997 |
| Connecticut | $86,938 |
| Delaware | $84,106 |
| Massachusetts | $83,691 |
| New Hampshire | $82,421 |
| Virginia | $81,690 |
| New York | $81,407 |
| Alaska | $81,231 |
| Colorado | $80,514 |
| Rhode Island | $79,724 |
| Hawaii | $79,417 |
| Illinois | $77,949 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,837 |
| New Mexico | $77,603 |
| Washington | $77,513 |
| Nevada | $77,402 |
| Oklahoma | $75,474 |
| Arizona | $74,734 |
| Georgia | $74,328 |
| Oregon | $74,174 |
| Texas | $74,130 |
| Michigan | $73,762 |
| Florida | $73,608 |
| Ohio | $73,383 |
| Minnesota | $72,879 |
| Mississippi | $72,771 |
| Guam | $72,445 |
| North Carolina | $72,356 |
| North Dakota | $70,845 |
| Nebraska | $70,811 |
| Alabama | $70,051 |
| Idaho | $69,762 |
| Iowa | $69,412 |
| Wyoming | $69,311 |
| Tennessee | $69,271 |
| Utah | $69,106 |
| Vermont | $68,737 |
| South Carolina | $68,702 |
| Montana | $68,654 |
| Wisconsin | $68,510 |
| Louisiana | $67,341 |
| Maine | $67,110 |
| Missouri | $66,306 |
| Indiana | $65,851 |
| Arkansas | $64,947 |
| West Virginia | $64,497 |
| Kentucky | $63,999 |
| Kansas | $63,762 |
| South Dakota | $59,719 |
| Puerto Rico | $54,194 |
| California | $44,960 |
| District of Columbia | $101,742 |
How do scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Scientists earn 72% more than similar careers in California.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Chemist salary | $46K |
| Psychologist salary | $47K |
| Urban planner salary | $47K |
| Biochemist salary | $43K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)