Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020
19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (Major Group)
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations comprises the following occupations:
Animal Scientists;
Food Scientists and Technologists;
Soil and Plant Scientists;
Biochemists and Biophysicists;
Microbiologists;
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists;
Biological Scientists, All Other;
Conservation Scientists;
Foresters;
Epidemiologists;
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists;
Life Scientists, All Other;
Astronomers;
Physicists;
Atmospheric and Space Scientists;
Chemists;
Materials Scientists;
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health;
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers;
Hydrologists;
Physical Scientists, All Other;
Economists;
Survey Researchers;
Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists;
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists;
Psychologists, All Other;
Sociologists;
Urban and Regional Planners;
Anthropologists and Archeologists;
Geographers;
Historians;
Political Scientists;
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other;
Agricultural and Food Science Technicians;
Biological Technicians;
Chemical Technicians;
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health;
Geological and Hydrologic Technicians;
Nuclear Technicians;
Social Science Research Assistants;
Forest and Conservation Technicians;
Forensic Science Technicians;
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other;
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists;
Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
National estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Industry profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Geographic profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
National estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 1,296,060 |
0.7 % |
$ 38.15 |
$ 79,360 |
0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 17.76 |
$ 24.05 |
$ 33.54 |
$ 47.60 |
$ 63.64 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 36,930 |
$ 50,020 |
$ 69,760 |
$ 99,010 |
$ 132,370 |
Industry profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
197,820 |
26.29 |
$ 44.44 |
$ 92,430 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
144,220 |
6.93 |
$ 42.00 |
$ 87,350 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
125,010 |
4.12 |
$ 30.63 |
$ 63,710 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
94,070 |
1.74 |
$ 33.86 |
$ 70,420 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
87,790 |
3.99 |
$ 31.60 |
$ 65,730 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
197,820 |
26.29 |
$ 44.44 |
$ 92,430 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing |
44,030 |
14.77 |
$ 39.42 |
$ 81,990 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) |
26,700 |
7.43 |
$ 35.67 |
$ 74,190 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
144,220 |
6.93 |
$ 42.00 |
$ 87,350 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) |
9,340 |
5.47 |
$ 32.89 |
$ 68,400 |
Top paying industries for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
Geographic profile for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
188,940 |
11.50 |
1.23 |
$ 43.66 |
$ 90,800 |
| Texas |
103,830 |
8.58 |
0.92 |
$ 36.32 |
$ 75,550 |
| New York |
68,440 |
7.87 |
0.85 |
$ 39.00 |
$ 81,110 |
| Massachusetts |
55,850 |
16.67 |
1.79 |
$ 44.76 |
$ 93,110 |
| Pennsylvania |
50,410 |
9.15 |
0.98 |
$ 36.31 |
$ 75,530 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
24,340 |
35.42 |
3.80 |
$ 53.70 |
$ 111,700 |
| Alaska |
6,700 |
22.62 |
2.43 |
$ 37.48 |
$ 77,950 |
| Montana |
8,480 |
18.62 |
2.00 |
$ 28.92 |
$ 60,160 |
| Maryland |
44,020 |
17.45 |
1.87 |
$ 46.08 |
$ 95,840 |
| Wyoming |
4,410 |
16.84 |
1.81 |
$ 31.37 |
$ 65,250 |
Top paying states for Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
24,340 |
35.42 |
3.80 |
$ 53.70 |
$ 111,700 |
| Maryland |
44,020 |
17.45 |
1.87 |
$ 46.08 |
$ 95,840 |
| Massachusetts |
55,850 |
16.67 |
1.79 |
$ 44.76 |
$ 93,110 |
| New Jersey |
41,230 |
10.90 |
1.17 |
$ 43.74 |
$ 90,980 |
| California |
188,940 |
11.50 |
1.23 |
$ 43.66 |
$ 90,800 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
72,700 |
8.23 |
0.88 |
$ 43.02 |
$ 89,480 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
62,720 |
20.75 |
2.23 |
$ 52.76 |
$ 109,740 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
48,800 |
8.38 |
0.90 |
$ 43.50 |
$ 90,480 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
48,610 |
18.68 |
2.01 |
$ 45.59 |
$ 94,820 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
40,600 |
17.42 |
1.87 |
$ 51.53 |
$ 107,190 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
33,040 |
11.13 |
1.19 |
$ 42.07 |
$ 87,500 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
32,180 |
7.38 |
0.79 |
$ 37.98 |
$ 78,990 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
29,670 |
11.00 |
1.18 |
$ 42.00 |
$ 87,360 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
25,170 |
17.98 |
1.93 |
$ 41.69 |
$ 86,720 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
23,940 |
6.67 |
0.72 |
$ 35.38 |
$ 73,580 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Midland, MI |
1,210 |
39.09 |
4.20 |
$ 44.48 |
$ 92,520 |
| Corvallis, OR |
1,240 |
35.29 |
3.79 |
$ 31.09 |
$ 64,670 |
| Fairbanks, AK |
1,070 |
34.74 |
3.73 |
$ 34.79 |
$ 72,360 |
| Boulder, CO |
6,280 |
34.63 |
3.72 |
$ 49.37 |
$ 102,690 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX |
3,680 |
33.95 |
3.64 |
$ 24.90 |
$ 51,790 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA |
2,850 |
33.64 |
3.61 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Idaho Falls, ID |
2,270 |
33.04 |
3.55 |
$ 33.13 |
$ 68,920 |
| Ithaca, NY |
1,480 |
32.23 |
3.46 |
$ 33.13 |
$ 68,910 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA |
3,650 |
32.04 |
3.44 |
$ 43.75 |
$ 90,990 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC |
9,730 |
31.40 |
3.37 |
$ 38.94 |
$ 80,990 |
United States Department of Labor
