Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (Major Group)

This major group comprises the following occupations: Animal Scientists ; Food Scientists and Technologists ; Soil and Plant Scientists ; Biochemists and Biophysicists ; Microbiologists ; Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists ; Biological Scientists, All Other ; Conservation Scientists ; Foresters ; Epidemiologists ; Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists ; Life Scientists, All Other ; Astronomers ; Physicists ; Atmospheric and Space Scientists ; Chemists ; Materials Scientists ; Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health ; Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ; Hydrologists ; Physical Scientists, All Other ; Economists ; Survey Researchers ; Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists ; Industrial-Organizational Psychologists ; Psychologists, All Other ; Sociologists ; Urban and Regional Planners ; Anthropologists and Archeologists ; Geographers ; Historians ; Political Scientists ; Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other ; Agricultural and Food Science Technicians ; Biological Technicians ; Chemical Technicians ; Geological and Petroleum Technicians ; Nuclear Technicians ; Social Science Research Assistants ; Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health ; Forensic Science Technicians ; Forest and Conservation Technicians ; Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this major group:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
1,064,510 0.8 % $31.92 $66,390 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $14.89 $19.94 $28.14 $39.78 $53.92
Annual Wage (2) $30,980 $41,470 $58,530 $82,740 $112,150

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 159,440 25.98 $36.02 $74,920
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 145,200 7.13 $35.23 $73,270
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 117,070 4.13 $25.19 $52,400
State Government (OES Designation) 82,300 3.58 $26.78 $55,710
Local Government (OES Designation) 78,940 1.41 $28.12 $58,500

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 159,440 25.98 $36.02 $74,920
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 54,960 19.47 $35.88 $74,620
Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing 4,610 8.16 $29.29 $60,920
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 145,200 7.13 $35.23 $73,270
Oil and Gas Extraction 10,880 7.02 $51.30 $106,700

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 430 2.20 $58.42 $121,520
Depository Credit Intermediation 70 (7) $55.58 $115,600
Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage 150 0.03 $51.59 $107,310
Nondepository Credit Intermediation 40 0.01 $51.43 $106,980
Oil and Gas Extraction 10,880 7.02 $51.30 $106,700

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 158,450 11.32 1.35 $35.37 $73,570
Texas 75,380 7.47 0.89 $31.83 $66,200
New York 65,400 7.84 0.94 $31.28 $65,070
Massachusetts 43,590 13.98 1.67 $35.43 $73,700
Pennsylvania 41,430 7.56 0.90 $32.02 $66,610




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 18,770 29.36 3.51 $47.33 $98,440
Alaska 6,250 20.29 2.42 $29.91 $62,210
Montana 7,880 18.58 2.22 $22.72 $47,250
New Mexico 12,880 16.56 1.98 $34.58 $71,930
Idaho 9,480 15.94 1.90 $24.34 $50,630




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 18,770 29.36 3.51 $47.33 $98,440
Maryland 36,280 14.74 1.76 $39.97 $83,140
New Jersey 34,270 9.09 1.09 $37.45 $77,890
Virginia 27,210 7.71 0.92 $37.08 $77,130
Illinois 33,940 6.14 0.73 $35.57 $73,990

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 37,380 16.33 1.95 $45.95 $95,570
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 30,650 8.03 0.96 $33.14 $68,920
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 30,430 6.11 0.73 $34.48 $71,720
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 29,910 18.04 2.15 $35.75 $74,350
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 24,440 19.73 2.36 $36.84 $76,630
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 24,410 9.77 1.17 $37.19 $77,360
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 20,900 11.58 1.38 $36.46 $75,840
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 20,570 5.81 0.69 $35.87 $74,620
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 17,950 13.34 1.59 $32.86 $68,350
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 16,330 17.21 2.06 $41.05 $85,390




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Durham, NC 10,420 39.03 4.66 $36.74 $76,410
College Station-Bryan, TX 3,390 36.64 4.38 $22.35 $46,480
Ames, IA 1,420 36.26 4.33 $26.86 $55,870
Fairbanks, AK 1,200 34.38 4.10 $26.63 $55,390
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 3,130 32.51 3.88 $36.35 $75,600
Olympia, WA 2,700 28.72 3.43 $29.93 $62,260
Boulder, CO 4,330 28.49 3.40 $39.06 $81,240
Bethesda-Frederick-Gaithersburg, MD Metropolitan Division 15,590 28.26 3.37 $43.78 $91,070
Ithaca, NY 1,240 25.19 3.01 $24.55 $51,070
Flagstaff, AZ 1,350 24.40 2.91 $26.15 $54,390