National Salary Info » Biological Scientists

Highest Paying Industries for Biological Scientists

The top 81 highest paying industries for biological scientists (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $124,770, professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers is the highest paying industry for biological scientists. It is followed by merchant wholesalers, durable goods industry (average annual salary $124,770). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of biological scientists in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 81 Highest Paying Industries for Biological Scientists

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$124,770	$79,830	n/a
2	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$124,770	$79,830	n/a
3	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$105,060	$53,490	1,640
4	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$102,860	$55,490	770
5	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$101,050	$53,650	920
6	Wholesale Trade	$100,000	$55,010	1,170
7	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$91,060	$57,360	160
8	Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers	$90,240	$46,410	150
9	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$88,880	$54,430	90
10	Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing	$86,470	$46,350	520
11	Offices of Physicians	$84,900	$33,860	170
12	Utilities	$84,610	$50,550	60
13	Transportation and Warehousing	$83,810	$65,550	n/a
14	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$81,980	$44,480	29,120
15	Scientific Research and Development Services	$81,970	$44,490	29,320
16	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$81,670	$52,060	400
17	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$81,010	$51,850	390
18	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$80,310	$45,530	n/a
19	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$79,320	$39,000	9,610
20	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Local government owned	$78,900	$50,220	70
21	Hospitals - Local government owned	$78,900	$50,220	70
22	Chemical Manufacturing	$78,640	$39,760	11,200
23	Temporary Help Services	$78,290	$37,480	1,210
24	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$78,100	$43,190	35,470
25	Manufacturing	$77,880	$40,130	12,460
26	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$77,730	$45,950	500
27	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$77,650	$45,970	500
28	Administrative and Support Services	$77,590	$37,680	1,270
29	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$77,480	$44,550	1,240
30	Employment Services	$77,380	$37,630	1,270
31	Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories	$77,300	$46,170	980
32	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$77,240	$37,740	1,280
33	Federal government, including USPS	$76,460	$51,120	22,940
34	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$76,460	$51,120	22,940
35	Health Care and Social Assistance	$75,600	$45,030	2,310
36	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$75,410	$48,320	940
37	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$74,990	$48,210	850
38	Hospitals - Privately owned	$74,900	$47,850	880
39	Outpatient Care Centers	$74,160	$44,100	70
40	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$73,290	$45,670	1,050
41	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$72,890	$45,150	860
42	Engineering Services	$71,900	$43,430	970
43	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$69,600	$40,800	34,070
44	Federal, State, and Local Government	$69,600	$40,800	34,070
45	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$67,770	$40,010	44,650
46	Other Food Manufacturing	$67,060	$42,970	70
47	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$63,370	$37,900	2,300
48	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$62,790	$39,360	2,360
49	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$62,750	$38,850	2,150
50	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$61,450	$40,620	3,660
51	Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing	$61,310	$34,930	180
52	Grantmaking and Giving Services	$59,990	$43,490	n/a
53	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$59,830	$39,800	40
54	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$59,170	$38,700	10,270
55	Educational Services - State government owned	$59,160	$38,700	10,270
56	Testing Laboratories	$58,260	$34,280	1,320
57	Educational Services - Local government owned	$58,150	$41,890	140
58	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Local government owned	$58,020	$41,960	130
59	Beverage Manufacturing	$57,990	$39,460	40
60	Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries	$57,900	$50,300	80
61	Support Activities for Animal Production	$57,900	$23,530	40
62	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$57,610	$38,850	13,080
63	Educational Services	$57,580	$38,820	13,130
64	State government, including schools and hospitals	$55,300	$37,510	19,360
65	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$53,330	$39,060	2,680
66	Educational Services - Privately owned	$53,240	$38,920	2,720
67	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$52,720	$36,290	8,980
68	Hospitals - State government owned	$51,420	$41,870	110
69	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$51,290	$33,580	630
70	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$51,290	$33,580	630
71	Social Advocacy Organizations	$50,830	$33,460	580
72	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$50,700	$41,420	110
73	Food Manufacturing	$49,580	$39,010	260
74	Other schools and instruction - Privately owned	$48,830	$34,960	40
75	Other Schools and Instruction	$48,830	$34,960	40
76	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$46,890	$27,990	790
77	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$46,560	$34,080	90
78	Animal Slaughtering and Processing	$45,220	$34,550	90
79	Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions	$44,880	$27,520	710
80	Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry	$43,470	$26,620	60
81	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	$43,470	$26,620	60