Career field
Science & Research careers
Life, physical, and social science occupations grounded in research and analysis. CampusPin lists 48 science & research occupations, with median pay ranging from $46,790 to $166,290 per year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). Median pay is occupation-wide, not a starting wage or a guarantee.
Occupations in this field
- Physicists$166,290
- Political scientists$139,380
- Astronomers$132,170
- Physical scientists, all other$117,960
- Psychologists, all other$117,580
- Economists$115,440
- Industrial-organizational psychologists$109,840
- Nuclear technicians$104,240
- Materials scientists$104,160
- Biochemists and biophysicists$103,650
- Sociologists$101,690
- Medical scientists, except epidemiologists$100,590
- Social scientists and related workers, all other$100,340
- Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers$99,240
- Atmospheric and space scientists$97,450
- Geographers$97,200
- Clinical and counseling psychologists$95,830
- Biological scientists, all other$93,330
- Hydrologists$92,060
- Life scientists, all other$87,800
- Microbiologists$87,330
- School psychologists$86,930
- Food scientists and technologists$85,310
- Chemists$84,150
- Epidemiologists$83,980
- Occupational health and safety specialists$83,910
- Urban and regional planners$83,720
- Environmental scientists and specialists, including health$80,060
- Animal scientists$79,120
- Historians$74,050
- Zoologists and wildlife biologists$72,860
- Soil and plant scientists$71,410
- Foresters$70,660
- Conservation scientists$67,950
- Forensic science technicians$67,440
- Anthropologists and archeologists$64,910
- Survey researchers$63,380
- Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other$60,130
- Hydrologic technicians$58,570
- Occupational health and safety technicians$58,440
- Social science research assistants$58,040
- Chemical technicians$57,790
- Forest and conservation technicians$54,310
- Biological technicians$52,000
- Environmental science and protection technicians, including health$49,490
- Food science technicians$49,430
- Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians$48,390
- Agricultural technicians$46,790
Majors that lead into this field
CampusPin majors whose program maps to occupations in this field via the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk.
Occupation data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (Employment Projections); wages are 2024 and projections cover 2024–2034. Figures are national, not institution-specific, and projections are estimates, not guarantees.