Pay by state · 47 areas
Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists Salary by State (2026)
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists earn the most in California at $136,990 a year and the least in Mississippi at $54,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $103,410. The table below covers 45 states, DC and Puerto Rico, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $136,990California
- National median
- $103,410BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $54,040Mississippi
- Areas reporting
- 47of 54 OEWS areas
Top and bottom
Highest- and lowest-paying states for medical scientists, except epidemiologists
Ranked on the state median among the 45 reporting states and DC. Territories are in the full table but not ranked here.
Highest median pay
- 1California$136,990
- 2New Jersey$129,280
- 3Massachusetts$128,210
- 4Connecticut$116,990
- 5Arizona$116,820
Lowest median pay
- 1Mississippi$54,040
- 2North Dakota$64,470
- 3Vermont$66,500
- 4New Mexico$67,100
- 5Alabama$68,490
All states
Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of medical scientists, except epidemiologists OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CACalifornia | $136,990 | $109,570 | $162,020 | 29,830 | $123,727 |
| 2 | NJNew Jersey | $129,280 | $95,520 | $164,930 | 6,120 | $118,818 |
| 3 | MAMassachusetts | $128,210 | $97,520 | $167,940 | 17,100 | $121,231 |
| 4 | CTConnecticut | $116,990 | $85,070 | $140,420 | 2,410 | $112,914 |
| 5 | AZArizona | $116,820 | $81,840 | $136,260 | 2,190 | $116,034 |
| 6 | OROregon | $111,030 | $83,680 | $168,280 | 1,030 | $107,420 |
| 7 | MDMaryland | $106,000 | $83,020 | $133,400 | 6,760 | $100,992 |
| 8 | WAWashington | $105,680 | $80,950 | $135,900 | 6,150 | $98,754 |
| 9 | AKAlaska | $104,930 | $96,760 | $151,360 | 260 | $102,512 |
| 10 | RIRhode Island | $103,370 | $81,720 | $136,340 | 670 | $101,066 |
| 11 | NCNorth Carolina | $102,980 | $79,780 | $134,560 | 5,730 | $109,175 |
| 12 | TNTennessee | $102,720 | $81,720 | $129,940 | 4,020 | $111,810 |
| 13 | MOMissouri | $102,540 | $78,780 | $134,390 | 3,650 | $112,908 |
| 14 | MTMontana | $101,950 | $78,820 | $104,660 | 320 | $107,718 |
| 15 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $101,940 | $78,160 | $131,810 | 670 | $92,756 |
| 16 | NHNew Hampshire | $100,650 | $83,080 | $112,890 | 210 | $96,626 |
| 17 | DEDelaware | $100,190 | $74,130 | $149,010 | 270 | $100,383 |
| 18 | PAPennsylvania | $99,190 | $76,660 | $160,500 | 12,630 | $101,658 |
| 19 | NVNevada | $98,560 | $86,470 | $106,300 | 530 | $98,581 |
| 20 | FLFlorida | $94,940 | $78,510 | $143,920 | 6,490 | $91,806 |
| 21 | MEMaine | $93,730 | $73,860 | $185,940 | 100 | $96,579 |
| 22 | VAVirginia | $93,620 | $77,120 | $134,940 | 4,560 | $92,598 |
| 23 | GAGeorgia | $92,450 | $76,630 | $126,880 | 1,910 | $96,009 |
| 24 | MNMinnesota | $89,950 | $81,780 | $105,670 | 6,760 | $91,208 |
| 25 | NYNew York | $87,760 | $80,960 | $130,510 | 7,690 | $81,319 |
| 26 | KSKansas | $84,490 | $72,700 | $126,440 | 1,070 | $93,807 |
| 27 | MIMichigan | $84,310 | $68,470 | $95,870 | 2,370 | $87,625 |
| 28 | OHOhio | $83,910 | $66,690 | $105,690 | 4,840 | $90,446 |
| 29 | IAIowa | $83,850 | $67,190 | $104,020 | 1,060 | $95,542 |
| 30 | IDIdaho | $83,010 | $76,270 | $102,740 | 380 | $86,927 |
| 31 | UTUtah | $82,940 | $69,220 | $108,460 | 1,560 | $83,893 |
| 32 | WVWest Virginia | $82,690 | $72,350 | $106,710 | 330 | $92,394 |
| 33 | WIWisconsin | $82,530 | $69,400 | $101,140 | 2,970 | $87,709 |
| 34 | ILIllinois | $82,330 | $65,570 | $104,700 | 4,700 | $82,365 |
| 35 | INIndiana | $81,110 | $68,540 | $110,460 | 2,010 | $86,908 |
| 36 | NENebraska | $80,970 | $66,080 | $93,250 | 620 | $89,864 |
| 37 | SDSouth Dakota | $80,890 | $64,420 | $89,220 | 140 | $91,312 |
| 38 | TXTexas | $80,470 | $67,010 | $106,110 | 11,920 | $82,910 |
| 39 | KYKentucky | $77,580 | $65,020 | $95,240 | 670 | $86,048 |
| 40 | OKOklahoma | $76,480 | $66,410 | $92,410 | 920 | $87,064 |
| 41 | ARArkansas | $72,530 | $64,200 | $94,590 | 230 | $83,428 |
| 42 | ALAlabama | $68,490 | $60,950 | $82,900 | N/A | $77,108 |
| 43 | NMNew Mexico | $67,100 | $53,230 | $84,280 | 340 | $72,767 |
| 44 | VTVermont | $66,500 | $66,500 | $83,450 | 110 | $67,886 |
| 45 | NDNorth Dakota | $64,470 | $60,950 | $82,220 | 250 | $72,472 |
| 46 | MSMississippi | $54,040 | $41,360 | $72,120 | 440 | $62,149 |
| 47 | PRPuerto Rico | $49,650 | $39,000 | $99,890 | 80 | N/A |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For medical scientists, except epidemiologists, the adjustment does not change the leader: California is first on raw pay and still first once prices are taken into account, at $123,727.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays medical scientists, except epidemiologists the most?
California reports the highest median wage for medical scientists, except epidemiologists at $136,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by New Jersey ($129,280) and Massachusetts ($128,210).
Which state pays medical scientists, except epidemiologists the least?
Among the 45 reporting states and DC, Mississippi reports the lowest median for medical scientists, except epidemiologists at $54,040 a year, $82,950 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Among the territories, Puerto Rico reports $49,650.
In which states do medical scientists, except epidemiologists earn over $100,000?
17 of the 45 reporting states and DC have a median of $100,000 or more (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The highest is California; the lowest of them is Delaware at $100,190. The rest report less, down to $54,040 in Mississippi.
Is the highest-paying state the best for medical scientists, except epidemiologists after cost of living?
Yes. California stays first after dividing each state median by its BEA Regional Price Parity, at $123,727 in national-average dollars from a raw $136,990. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; the adjustment is NueCareer's calculation.