Life Scientist Salaries Reported

Compensation of Life Scientists - 2005

PUBLISHED: August 2005

Summary of the 983-page Compensation of Life Scientists - 2005 survey report from Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc.  The following describes the national median total cash compensation for 18 benchmark jobs, and the factors affecting salary (metropolitan area, type of employer, primary area of specialization, length of experience, and level of professional responsibility):

Download Free, Working Demo of the findpay Program for Life Scientists

The median annual income reported in a recent survey of the compensation of life scientists was $69,000, according to Dr. Steven Langer, President of Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc., Crete, IL. The composite highest-income practitioner in this field (salary plus cash bonus and/or cash profit sharing), taking into account the size of the organization, is a College/University Department Head (11-12 month appointment - tenured) with a median income of $153,450. Far toward the other end of the income spectrum, Laboratory Technicians have a median annual income of $35,000.

E-mail invitations to participate in the survey were sent to subscribers of The Scientist Magazine, to registrants on The Scientist web site who identified themselves as U.S.-based professional life scientists and to members of the American Society for Microbiology and the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. An invitation to participate was also printed in The Scientist. Usable responses were received from over 12,000 individuals. The results are contained in the in-depth, 983-page survey report, Compensation of Life Scientists - 2005, available for $495.00  through our On-Line Order Form or from Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc., Dept. NET, 548 First St., Crete, IL 60417 (708/672-4200).

Now, we also offer a findpay program to locate and analyze all the information from the printed report and more quickly and easily on your Windows computer for $990.00; both the software and the printed report are available for $1,245.00. With the findpay software, you can analyze all the survey results, or produce results unavailable in the printed report. Computer software can only be returned for exchange if defective, but you can download and review a free working demo of the findpay program (limited to a single variable at a time) with all the data from the recent survey here.

The middle-50% median total cash compensation of some of the jobs included in the survey report are:

Income data are reported by region, state, and metropolitan area; type of employer; size of organization; level of education; length of experience; primary area of specialization; primary job activity; level of professional responsibility; industry or service of employer; gender; age; years since highest degree; level of supervisory/managerial responsibility; and numerous cross-tabs of the variables.

The highest median incomes are found in the Mobile (AL), Johnson City/Kingsport (TN), Wilmington (DE), New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia, and Kalamazoo (MI) areas (all between $101,325 and $94,500). The lowest are found in the Tallahassee (FL), Greenville/Spartanburg (SC), Columbia (SC) and Tampa/St. Petersburg/Bradenton/Sarasota (FL) areas (all between $50,000 and $52,000).

Compensation varies considerably from one type of employer to another. Median incomes are highest in law firms, health practitioners' offices, and pharmaceutical manufacturing firms ($175,000, $130,000, and $95,000 respectively); and lowest in primary schools ($48,600), secondary schools ($49,500), and state governments ($53,000).

Life scientists with under one year of professional experience have a median income of $35,000, as opposed to the 30-plus-year veteran with a median income of $106,764.

By primary area of specialization, the highest median incomes are found in nosocomial infections, pathology/infectious diseases, and radiation (all between $135,000 and $98,375). The lowest are found in bacterial virology, mycology, and wildlife biology (all between $45,000 and $49,602).

Those life scientists with no supervisory responsibility have a median income of $52,000. For those supervising 10 or more professional & sub-professional employees, it is $126,000.

the 983-page survey report, Compensation of Life Scientists - 2005, described on this page for $495, with charges for shipping & handling (and IL sales tax, if applicable). The report is IN STOCK and can be shipped out within two business days. The mean, median, 1st and 3rd quartile, and 1st and 9th decile data for base salary, bonus/commission/profit sharing, and total annual cash compensation are reported for many demographic variables, including geographic location, type and size of employer, etc. To purchase the report, use our On-Line Order Form, call 708/672-4200, email, fax, or write per the information at the bottom of this page.

See other salary and benefits survey reports in science