38

A Concise Look at Occupations in the 

Life and Physical Sciences

By John I. Jones

John I. Jones is an economist in the Division of Occupation Employment 

Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some of the most exciting discoveries in recent years 

have come out of research in the life and physical sciences. From bioengineered crops to new medical treatments, a plethora of new products and technologies have been 

spawned by people working in these fields. This article uses 

Occupational Employment Statistics data to examine employment and wages of life and physical scientists. Following 

a national overview of these occupations, the paper looks at 

the distribution of employment for all life and physical science occupations across industries, as well as inter-industry 

wage differentials for these occupations. Finally, the last section examines state-level employment and wage information 

for selected life and physical science occupations.

National Overview of the Life and Physical Science 

Occupations

The life sciences are those branches of science, such as biology, medicine, and ecology that focus on living organisms 

and their organization, life processes, and relationships to 

each other and their environment. The physical sciences, on 

the other hand, focus on energy and non-living matter, and include such scientific fields as physics, chemistry, astronomy, 

and geology. Occupations in these fields are listed in table 

1, along with their employment and mean wages. Among 

the life sciences occupations, medical scientists, except epidemiologists, is the largest occupation, with employment of 

73,670, followed by biochemists and biophysicists, with employment of 17,690. At the other end of the scale, the smallest 

occupations are animal scientists with employment of 3,000 

and epidemiologists with employment of 3,630. The physical 

science occupations with the most employment are chemists, 

with employment of 76,540, and environmental scientists 

and specialists, including health, with employment of 72,000. 

Some of the smallest occupations in the physical science are 

astronomers with employment of 970 and atmospheric and 

space scientists with employment of 7,050.

Average wages for all of the life and physical science occupations are above average. These high wages reflect the 

high educational requirements for these occupations. The 

highest average hourly mean wage in the life sciences group 

is $36.21 ($75,320 annually) for biochemists and biophysicists. This is nearly twice the national average. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists, have the next highest wage, 

with an hourly mean of $33.24 ($69,140 annually). In the 

physical sciences group, the leading average hourly wage of 

$48.64 ($101,120 annually) belongs to astronomers. This is 

over two and half times the national average. The next highest average hourly wage belongs to physicists, whose wage 

is $43.98 ($91,480 annually). Conversely, the lowest average wage in the life sciences group is that of animal scientists, with an hourly wage of $22.88 ($47,590 annually). The 

lowest average hourly wage for the physical sciences group 

is that of environmental scientists and specialists, including 

health, with a wage of $27.63 ($57,470 annually).

Employment and wages by industry

Employment of these occupations is concentrated in a few 

industries. Table 2 shows the industries with the highest 

employment for both groups. Tables 3 through 8 show the 

employment and wages for the life and physical science occupations for six selected industries. Scientific research and 

development services is the industry that employs the highest 

numbers of both types of scientists. Federal government, colleges and universities, state government, and pharmaceutical 

and medicine manufacturing also employ large numbers of 

both types of scientists. All of these industries employ several 

different types of scientists, although employment tends to 

be concentrated in a few occupations. Every occupation in 

the life and physical sciences has employment in the government, and almost all are found in scientific research and 

development services. Government is the largest employer of 

over half of the occupations, including: soil and plant scientists; zoologists and wildlife biologists; all other biological 

scientists; conservation scientists; foresters; epidemiologists; 

astronomers; atmospheric and space scientists; environmental scientists and specialists, including health; hydrologists, 
39

and all other physical scientists. Science employment in state 

and local government is concentrated in environmental scientists and specialists, including health.

The three largest employers of environmental scientists and 

specialists, including health, are state government (18,300), 

management and technical consulting services (14,510), and 

architectural and engineering services (10,790). Different 

levels of government represent 3 of the 5 largest employers 

of this occupation. Local government (10,230) ranks fourth 

in employment, while federal government (5,170) ranks fifth. 

These rankings may reflect the rise in safety and environmental awareness and regulation in American society, as well 

as government’s central role in regulatory issues.1 Similarly, 

government is also the largest employer of conservation scientists, zoologists and wildlife biologists, and foresters accounting for 86, 63, and 60 percent of the occupation’s employment respectively. 

The occupations that aren’t concentrated in government 

tend to be concentrated in three industries: scientific research 

and development services, colleges and universities, and 

pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing. For example, 

over three-quarters of biochemists and biophysicists are employed in three industries: scientific research and development services (8,110 workers), pharmaceutical and medicine 

manufacturing (4,260 workers), and colleges and universities 

(1,140 workers). No other industry has employment of more 

than 1,000 in this occupation. High employment does not always translate into high pay, however, given that colleges and 

universities have one of the lowest average wages for this 

occupation out of all industries, at $23.22 per hour. Scientific 

research and development services have a much higher mean 

wage of $37.34 per hour, while of the three industries, the 

highest average wage is found in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, with an hourly mean of $39.06. This may 

reflect the high potential profit levels in this industry, which 

have been shown to be correlated with high wages.2

Scientific research and development services, colleges and 

universities, and pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing are also the three largest employers of medical scientists, 

except epidemiologists, reflecting the research orientation of 

these industries. Occupational employment is 21,600 in scientific research and development services, 20,290 in colleges 

and universities, and 10,350 in pharmaceutical and medicine 

manufacturing. There are six other industries that have an 

employment of greater than 1,000 in this occupation. Mean 

hourly wages for medical scientists, except epidemiologists, 

show considerable inter-industry variation, ranging from $26 

to $48. Hourly means for the leading three industries are 

$36.15 (scientific research and development services), $26.04 

(colleges and universities), and $39.06 (pharmaceutical and 

medicine manufacturing). As with biochemists and biophysicists, higher wages appear to be correlated with higher profits, while colleges and universities rank last in terms of wages 

among the 25 industries employing this occupation.

Physicists are primarily employed in three industries: scientific research and development services (5,320), federal 

government (3,210), and colleges and universities (2,030). 

No other 4-digit NAICS industry has employment over 1,000 

for this occupation. The average hourly wages for the leading three industries are $44.18 (scientific research and development services), $48.69 (federal government), and $31.35 

(colleges and universities).

The leading three industries for chemists are similar to 

other scientists, however they may be found in a greater 

number of 4-digit NAICS industries than all other life and 

physical science occupations. The leading three industries in 

employment are pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing (12,920), scientific research and development services 

(12,890), and architectural and engineering services (9,890). 

These industries account for less than 47 percent of employment in this occupation. The average hourly wages for the 

leading three industries are $29.93 (pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing), $34.14 (scientific research and development services), and $24.80 (architectural and engineering 

services). One of the highest paid industries for chemists is 

the federal government, which employs 5,560 workers with 

an average hourly wage of $41.29. 

State Employment and Wage Estimates

Employment and wages for life and physical scientists vary 

considerably across states. States with the highest shares 

of employment in life science occupations include Alaska, 

Maryland, the District of Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Wyoming. States with the highest concentrations 

of physical scientists include New Mexico, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Alaska, Wyoming, Colorado, and Maryland. The employment can largely be explained by looking 

at the shares of the science specialties in each state. For example, Delaware has the highest concentration of chemists, 

and Alaska has the highest concentration of environmental 

scientists. Tables 9 through 12 show state-level employment 

and wage information for the 2 largest life and physical science occupations. Wages for environmental scientists and 

specialists, including health, range from $18.91 in Mississippi to nearly $39 in the District of Columbia. California, with 

an employment of 8,970, is the state with the highest employment for this occupation. However, relative to total state 

employment it is the less populated states that have a larger 

share of employment, with Alaska, the District of Columbia, 

Montana, and Washington having the highest employment 

shares in this occupation. 

Average wages for chemists range from $20.47 in South 

Dakota to $38.77 in Maryland. The states with the highest 

1

 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 

Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Environmental Scientists 

and Hydrologists , on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos050.htm 

(visited September 05, 2006). 2

 “The Fortune 500,” Fortune, April 15, 2002, p. F26.
40

paid chemists, including Maryland, the District of Columbia, 

Indiana, Massachusetts, and Delaware are also among the 

states with the highest concentration of this occupation.

California, New York, Massachusetts, and North Carolina 

have the highest employment of biochemists and biophysicists, while Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey have 

the highest concentrations. Average hourly wages vary from 

$20.63 in Louisiana to $50.42 in Indiana. 

Finally, medical scientists, except epidemiologists, have a 

state average hourly wage range of $20.45 in Mississippi to 

$46.91 in Nevada; of the highest-paying states, New Jersey is 

the largest employer, with 3,680 workers.

It is interesting to note that the District of Columbia has 

one of the highest employment concentrations for each of the 

four occupations listed. Another interesting finding is that 

Alaska is ranked first in percent employment for environmental scientists and specialists, including health, although 

it is not among the states with the highest concentrations of 

the other occupations. This is due to strong employment of 

this occupation by federal, state, and local governments in 

Alaska.

Conclusion 

In summary, the life and physical science occupations are 

generally higher paid than the average of all occupations, 

due to the education and skill required to work in these professions. All of the occupations have employment in government with some having the majority of their respective 

employment from government. For other occupations, the 

dominant employers were scientific research and development services, colleges and universities, and pharmaceutical 

and medicine manufacturing, reflecting the focus of these 

industries and occupations on innovation and research. The 

geographic distribution of employment for these occupations 

is determined by the industries that employ them. For more 

information about other occupations in the life and physical 

sciences, please visit the OES homepage at http://www.bls.

gov/oes/home.htm.

Table 1. National Employment and Wages for the Life and Physical Sciences

Average 

Occupation Employment hourly

wage

Life Scientists 

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists....................................... 73,670 $33.24

Biological scientists, all other........................................................... 26,200 30.61

Biochemists and biophysicists ......................................................... 17,690 36.21

Zoologists and wildlife biologists...................................................... 16,440 26.58

Conservation scientists .................................................................... 15,540 26.27

Microbiologists ................................................................................. 15,250 30.46

Life scientists, all other..................................................................... 12,790 31.04

Foresters.......................................................................................... 10,750 24.53

Soil and plant scientists.................................................................... 10,100 27.90

Food scientists and technologists .................................................... 7,570 27.33

Epidemiologists................................................................................ 3,630 27.09

Animal scientists .............................................................................. 3,000 22.88

Physical Scientists 

Chemists .......................................................................................... 76,540 30.51

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health............... 72,000 27.63

Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers....................... 27,430 38.46

Physical scientists, all other............................................................. 23,800 40.57

Physicists ......................................................................................... 15,160 43.98

Hydrologists ..................................................................................... 8,360 32.33

Materials scientists........................................................................... 7,880 35.74

Atmospheric and space scientists.................................................... 7,050 35.11

Astronomers..................................................................................... 970 48.73
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Table 2. Employment by Industry for the Life and Physical Science Groups

Industry Employment 

Life Scientists 

Scientific research and development services.............. 45,530

Federal government...................................................... 37,200

Colleges and universities .............................................. 32,530

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing ............... 21,480

State government.......................................................... 18,330

General medical and surgical hospitals ........................ 8,610

Local government.......................................................... 6,950

Management and technical consulting services............ 4,540

Management of companies and enterprises................. 3,300

Architectural and engineering services ......................... 3,270

Physical Scientists

Scientific research and development services.............. 32,220

Architectural and engineering services ......................... 31,890

Federal government...................................................... 28,900

State government.......................................................... 26,680

Management and technical consulting services............ 22,550

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing ............... 14,480

Local government.......................................................... 13,030

Colleges and universities .............................................. 12,750

Oil and gas extraction ................................................... 6,000

Table 3. Scientific research and development services, Life and Physical Science Occupations 

by Employment 

Average 

Occupation Employment hourly

wage

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists ........................................... 21,600 $36.15

Chemists ............................................................................................... 12,890 34.14

Biochemists and biophysicists .............................................................. 8,110 37.34

Physical scientists, all other.................................................................. 6,360 45.45

Physicists .............................................................................................. 5,320 44.18

Microbiologists ...................................................................................... 4,130 32.53

Zoologists and wildlife biologists........................................................... 3,040 28.46

Biological scientists, all other................................................................ 2,860 32.45

Life scientists, all other.......................................................................... 2,810 35.83

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health.................... 2,800 32.45

Materials scientists................................................................................ 2,680 36.55

Soil and plant scientists ........................................................................ 1,360 27.45

Atmospheric and space scientists......................................................... 1,240 37.44

Food scientists and technologists ......................................................... 930 32.75

Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers ........................... 590 33.75

Epidemiologists..................................................................................... 290 36.57

Conservation scientists ......................................................................... 200 29.75

Animal scientists ................................................................................... 190 26.46
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Table 4. Federal government (OES designation), Life and Physical Science Occupations by 

Employment

Biological scientists, all other................................................................. 15,760 $32.00

Conservation scientists.......................................................................... 7,630 29.66

Physical scientists, all other................................................................... 6,930 43.73

Chemists................................................................................................ 5,560 41.29

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health .................... 5,170 36.62

Zoologists and wildlife biologists ........................................................... 4,100 33.03

Physicists............................................................................................... 3,210 48.69

Atmospheric and space scientists ......................................................... 2,660 38.78

Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers............................ 2,630 41.40

Soil and plant scientists......................................................................... 2,510 33.75

Foresters ............................................................................................... 2,410 29.80

Hydrologists........................................................................................... 2,250 36.08

Microbiologists....................................................................................... 2,210 39.96

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists............................................ 2,040 45.99

Astronomers .......................................................................................... 420 55.43

Biochemists and biophysicists............................................................... 400 41.11

Food scientists and technologists.......................................................... 150 39.28

Materials scientists ................................................................................ 80 51.61

Average 

Occupation Employment hourly

wage

Average 

Occupation Employment hourly

wage

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists............................................ 20,290 $26.04

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health .................... 3,500 22.35

Physical scientists, all other................................................................... 2,990 28.31

Biological scientists, all other................................................................. 2,650 21.95

Animal scientists.................................................................................... 2,150 20.97

Life scientists, all other.......................................................................... 2,120 25.48

Physicists............................................................................................... 2,030 31.35

Chemists................................................................................................ 1,820 21.86

Soil and plant scientists......................................................................... 1,510 24.70

Biochemists and biophysicists............................................................... 1,140 23.22

Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers............................ 1,140 28.26

Microbiologists....................................................................................... 1,030 23.77

Zoologists and wildlife biologists ........................................................... 600 23.11

Atmospheric and space scientists ......................................................... 480 31.13

Materials scientists ................................................................................ 440 25.79

Food scientists and technologists.......................................................... 370 24.05

Epidemiologists ..................................................................................... 320 24.07

Astronomers .......................................................................................... 290 40.30

Conservation scientists.......................................................................... 180 23.49

Hydrologists........................................................................................... 60 27.39

Table 5. Colleges and Universities, Life and Physical Science Occupations by Employment
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Table 6. State government (OES designation), Life and Physical Science Occupations by 

Employment

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health .................... 18,300 $23.69

Zoologists and wildlife biologists ........................................................... 5,930 22.45

Foresters ............................................................................................... 2,980 21.50

Conservation scientists.......................................................................... 2,930 23.72

Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers............................ 2,630 24.67

Chemists................................................................................................ 2,170 23.05

Physical scientists, all other................................................................... 1,650 32.15

Life scientists, all other.......................................................................... 1,430 27.83

Hydrologists........................................................................................... 1,400 25.09

Microbiologists....................................................................................... 1,370 21.93

Epidemiologists ..................................................................................... 1,320 24.24

Biological scientists, all other................................................................. 740 25.56

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists............................................ 600 26.65

Soil and plant scientists......................................................................... 430 24.73

Biochemists and biophysicists............................................................... 300 20.68

Physicists............................................................................................... 280 28.04

Food scientists and technologists.......................................................... 160 23.68

Animal scientists.................................................................................... 130 27.23

Average 

Occupation Employment hourly

wage

Table 7. Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing, Life and Physical Science Occupations by 

Employment

 Chemists................................................................................................ 12,920 $29.93

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists............................................ 10,350 39.06

Biochemists and biophysicists............................................................... 4,260 39.06

Microbiologists....................................................................................... 3,390 29.59

Biological scientists, all other................................................................. 1,700 32.88

Life scientists, all other.......................................................................... 1,680 36.74

Materials scientists ................................................................................ 950 31.78

Physical scientists, all other................................................................... 140 31.81

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health .................... 110 36.49

Food scientists and technologists.......................................................... 40 21.61

Average 

Occupation Employment hourly

wage
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Table 8. Local government (OES designation), Life and Physical Science Occupations by 

Employment

 

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health .................... 10,230 $25.35

Conservation scientists.......................................................................... 2,760 20.21

Chemists................................................................................................ 1,880 26.43

Foresters ............................................................................................... 1,110 23.36

Epidemiologists ..................................................................................... 870 24.93

Hydrologists........................................................................................... 520 30.52

Soil and plant scientists......................................................................... 510 22.72

Microbiologists....................................................................................... 500 27.14

Zoologists and wildlife biologists ........................................................... 340 25.27

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists............................................ 310 35.38

Biological scientists, all other................................................................. 240 27.32

Physical scientists, all other................................................................... 240 29.00

Life scientists, all other.......................................................................... 190 24.16

Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers............................ 110 29.86

Animal scientists.................................................................................... 60 22.14

Food scientists and technologists.......................................................... 50 22.54

Physicists............................................................................................... 40 27.99

Biochemists and biophysicists............................................................... 30 32.18

Average 

Occupation Employment hourly

wage

Table 9. Environmental Scientists and Specialists, including Health by State Percent Employment

Average Annual Percent State hourly mean Employment employment

wage wage

Alaska................................................ $28.19 $58,630 630 0.210

District of Columbia ........................... 38.81 80,730 1,210 0.199

Montana............................................. 20.10 41,810 630 0.152

Washington........................................ 30.20 62,810 3,330 0.125

Idaho.................................................. 27.02 56,210 700 0.118

Maine................................................. 22.51 46,820 600 0.101

Hawaii................................................ 26.52 55,150 560 0.095

Vermont ............................................. 25.42 52,870 270 0.092

Virginia............................................... 31.90 66,360 3,160 0.089

Wyoming............................................ 22.84 47,510 220 0.088

Massachusetts................................... 34.72 72,210 2,360 0.075

Colorado............................................ 33.29 69,230 1,560 0.073

California ........................................... 31.39 65,290 8,970 0.06

Nevada .............................................. 34.28 71,310 520 0.044

National....................................... 27.63 57,470 72,000 1.000

Table 10. Chemists by State Percent Employment

Delaware ........................................... $35.15 $73,120 1,360 0.327

New Jersey........................................ 31.49 65,490 4,970 0.127

Maryland............................................ 38.77 80,640 3,140 0.126

Maryland............................................ 38.77 80,640 3,140 0.126

Massachusetts................................... 35.17 73,160 2,850 0.091

District of Columbia ........................... 37.03 77,020 540 0.089

Indiana............................................... 36.46 75,840 2,410 0.083

National....................................... 30.51 63,470 76,540 1.000

Average Annual Percent State hourly mean Employment employment

wage wage
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Table 12. Medical Scientists, except Epidemiologists by State Percent Employment

Massachusetts................................... $35.93 $74,740 4,800 0.153

District of Columbia ........................... 34.47 71,690 880 0.144

Connecticut........................................ 39.77 82,710 2,270 0.138

Washington........................................ 33.45 69,580 3,300 0.124

Pennsylvania ..................................... 31.58 65,680 6,480 0.116

Maryland............................................ 35.37 73,560 2,820 0.113

California ........................................... 36.02 74,920 15,470 0.105

New Jersey........................................ 40.08 83,370 3,680 0.094

Oklahoma .......................................... 21.70 45,140 1,170 0.080

Missouri ............................................. 28.80 59,910 1,940 0.073

National....................................... 33.24 69,140 73,670 1.000

*does not include non-releasable states 

Average Annual Percent State hourly mean Employment employment

wage wage

Table 11. Biochemists and Biophysicists by State Percent Employment

Connecticut........................................ $44.37 $92,290 830 0.050

Massachusetts................................... 44.15 91,840 1,520 0.048

New Jersey........................................ 40.16 83,520 1,140 0.029

District of Columbia ........................... 27.19 56,560 140 0.023

California ........................................... 36.72 76,380 3,390 0.023

Indiana............................................... 50.42 104,870 660 0.023

National....................................... 36.21 75,320 17,690 1.000

*does not include non-releasable states 

Average Annual Percent State hourly mean Employment employment

wage wage