Salaries of PhD Neuroscientists

Neuroscientists attempt to map the functions of the brain and nervous system.

Neuroscientists are biological scientists who study the nervous system and its functions. They are concerned with topics such as how the nervous system is affected by environmental factors or even how it can be fused with technology. Salaries for neuroscientists can vary greatly, because it is an interdisciplinary branch of biology that relies upon the input of biochemists, biophysicists, microbiologists and other biologists as well. Those holding a Ph.D may teach at the university level or work in medical or biological laboratories.

Average Salary

Average salaries for neuroscientists vary based on the specific biological discipline in which the scientist works. For example, college professors in the biology field made an average salary of $86,570 a year in 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau also indicates that microbiologists averaged $72,030 a year, while biochemists and biophysicists made $86,580, and all other biologists brought in an average of $71,310.

Pay Scale

The pay scale for neurological scientists also vary by biological specialty. The BLS indicates that biochemists and biophysicists had salaries similar to those of college biology professors. These scientists had salaries ranging from just above $40,000 to about $142,000 a year for biochemists and biophysicists and $153,500 a year for biology professors as of 2010. Microbiologists and all other biologists had salaries ranging from about $39,000 a year to $116,000 for microbiologists and $102,000 for all other biologists.

Employers

Salaries for neuroscientists are affected by who they work for. Biology professors working in colleges and universities made an average salary of $90,890, whereas those working in the scientific research and development field earned an average of $140,600 in 2010, according to the BLS. Microbiologists in medical and diagnostic laboratories averaged $82,860 a year, while those in the pharmaceutical industry made $68,770. Biochemists and biophysicists working in physicians' offices made the highest of all biologists, at an average of $199,020 a year.

Job Outlook

The job forecast for those in the field of biological science research appears favorable, based on projections made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period from 2008 to 2018. The bureau forecasts 21 percent job growth in the field during this time. College professors will see a slower rate of growth at 15 percent.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Biological Scientists
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: 19-1021 Biochemists and Biophysicists
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: 19-1029 Biological Scientists, All Other
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: 19-1022 Microbiologists
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Teachers — Postsecondary
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: 25-1042 Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary