How Much Money Does a Biological Scientist Make?
Biological scientists perform research on living organisms to solve health disorders, improve agricultural processes, and prevent and resolve environmental problems. Employment in this broad occupation is likely to experience faster-than-average growth until at least 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The bureau categorizes these scientists into four classifications for analyzing salary data.
Other People Are Reading
-
Biochemists and Biophysicists
-
Biochemists and biophysicists have the highest average salary of the four BLS classifications for biological scientists. Biochemists research the chemical activity and composition of organisms, while biophysicists analyze associations between biological processes and physics. Their average salary as of May 2009 was $42.57 per hour, equaling $88,550 per year, according to the bureau. The middle 50 percent were earning $59,950 to $108,010 per year, and the top 10 percent had annual salaries of $138,820 and higher. These figures are the most current available from BLS as of March 2011.
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
-
Zoologists and wildlife biologists conduct research on animal life, behavior, health and genetics. The average salary of these scientists in 2009 was $60,670 per year. Zoologists and wildlife biologists in the middle 50-percent range were making $44,830 to $71,990. Most of these scientists work for state and local governments, but the average salaries with these two employers are significantly different. Zoologists and wildlife biologists working for the federal government were earning $75,690 on average per year, while those employed with state government agencies had an average annual salary of $53,290.
-
Microbiologists
-
Microbiologists analyze microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. They work to fight disease and to solve problems in the environment, agriculture and the food supply. The average salary for microbiologists in 2009 was $71,980 per year. Their middle 50-percent salary range was $49,750 to $89,110 per year. While the federal government employs many types of biological scientists, it pays microbiologists the most on average, at $97,640 per year as of 2009, according to the BLS.
Other Biological Scientists
-
The fourth U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics category includes all other biological scientists, such as marine biologists, limnologists, botanists, ecologists and physiologists. The average salary for this group of scientists in 2009 was $33.38 per hour, or $69,430 per year, with the middle 50 percent earning $66,510 to $81,650 per year.
-
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Biological Scientists
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Biochemists and Biophysicists - Occupational Employment and Wages
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists - Occupational Employment and Wages
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Microbiologists - Occupational Employment and Wages
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Biological Scientists, All Other - Occupational Employment and Wages
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
