Research Scientist Salary in 2026
The median annual salary for a Research Scientist is $117,960 per year. Job growth is projected at 0.6% over the next decade.
How Much Do Research Scientists Make?
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $117,960 |
| 10-Year Job Growth | 0.6% |
| Total Employment | 22,580 |
| Typical Education | Bachelor's degree |
| SOC Code | 19-2099 |
Which Skills Increase Research Scientist Pay?
Research Scientists with these high-demand tools and technologies typically command higher salaries.
Geographic information system GIS systemsPythonAdobe Creative Cloud softwareAmazon DynamoDBAmazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2Amazon RedshiftAmazon Simple Storage Service S3Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormationAmazon Web Services AWS softwareAnsible software
Full skills breakdown →
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the average salary for a Research Scientist?
- The median annual salary for a Research Scientist is $117,960 per year, based on the most recent national wage survey data.
- Is Research Scientist a growing career?
- Employment for Research Scientist roles is projected to grow 0.6% over the 2024–2034 decade. Total employment is currently 22,580 workers nationally.
- What skills increase Research Scientist pay?
- Research Scientists who demonstrate skills like Geographic information system GIS systems, Python, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Amazon DynamoDB typically command higher salaries. Certifications and advanced tools expertise can further boost compensation.
Salary and employment figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES May 2024) and Employment Projections 2024–2034. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.