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Industries with Fastest Life Scientists Salary Growth

These industries raised Life Scientists salaries the most from 2019 to 2024. Useful for deciding which industry to work in or switch to for better pay growth.

68
Industries with Growth
+62.9%
Highest Growth
+20.5%
Average Growth
17
Industries with Decline

Top 15 Industries for Salary Growth

Life Scientists salary increase from 2019 to 2024

All 68 Industries with Salary Growth

Rank Industry 2019 Salary 2024 Salary $ Increase % Growth
1 Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods $81,350 $132,540 +$51,190 +62.9%
2 Legal Services $150,470 $237,120 +$86,650 +57.6%
3 Other Amusement and Recreation Industries $48,970 $75,030 +$26,060 +53.2%
4 Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) $107,330 $163,710 +$56,380 +52.5%
5 Hydroelectric Power Generation $72,110 $100,330 +$28,220 +39.1%
6 Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing $90,300 $125,420 +$35,120 +38.9%
7 Paper Manufacturing $59,090 $81,750 +$22,660 +38.3%
8 Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) $70,710 $97,770 +$27,060 +38.3%
9 Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals $75,490 $103,730 +$28,240 +37.4%
10 Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing $90,150 $122,660 +$32,510 +36.1%
11 Social Assistance $55,880 $76,020 +$20,140 +36.0%
12 Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills $60,220 $81,750 +$21,530 +35.8%
13 Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) $73,340 $98,590 +$25,250 +34.4%
14 Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals $99,640 $133,050 +$33,410 +33.5%
15 Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) $72,810 $95,590 +$22,780 +31.3%
16 Animal Food Manufacturing $67,740 $88,580 +$20,840 +30.8%
17 Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing $66,620 $86,100 +$19,480 +29.2%
18 Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) $61,040 $78,800 +$17,760 +29.1%
19 Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities $92,280 $118,140 +$25,860 +28.0%
20 Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods $96,720 $123,120 +$26,400 +27.3%
21 Hospitals $83,800 $106,280 +$22,480 +26.8%
22 Other Food Manufacturing $69,230 $86,590 +$17,360 +25.1%
23 Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers $68,210 $85,210 +$17,000 +24.9%
24 Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing $66,010 $82,050 +$16,040 +24.3%
25 Engineering Services $69,410 $85,560 +$16,150 +23.3%
26 Utilities $80,460 $98,810 +$18,350 +22.8%
27 Outpatient Care Centers $113,360 $138,340 +$24,980 +22.0%
28 Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing $68,450 $81,960 +$13,510 +19.7%
29 Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories $80,180 $95,310 +$15,130 +18.9%
30 Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing $90,330 $107,100 +$16,770 +18.6%
31 Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services $60,670 $71,690 +$11,020 +18.2%
32 Miscellaneous Manufacturing $90,710 $107,100 +$16,390 +18.1%
33 Logging $64,100 $75,450 +$11,350 +17.7%
34 Forestry and Logging $64,100 $75,450 +$11,350 +17.7%
35 Beverage Manufacturing $61,490 $72,220 +$10,730 +17.4%
36 Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing $61,790 $72,300 +$10,510 +17.0%
37 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers $105,530 $123,230 +$17,700 +16.8%
38 Food Manufacturing $67,840 $79,040 +$11,200 +16.5%
39 Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers $67,420 $78,060 +$10,640 +15.8%
40 Other Wood Product Manufacturing $61,060 $70,200 +$9,140 +15.0%
41 Wood Product Manufacturing $68,380 $78,290 +$9,910 +14.5%
42 Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing $68,670 $78,300 +$9,630 +14.0%
43 Sawmills and Wood Preservation $69,160 $77,870 +$8,710 +12.6%
44 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services $91,930 $103,240 +$11,310 +12.3%
45 Other Schools and Instruction $48,620 $54,320 +$5,700 +11.7%
46 Scientific Research and Development Services $96,590 $107,360 +$10,770 +11.2%
47 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences $96,650 $107,260 +$10,610 +11.0%
48 Employment Services $80,100 $88,890 +$8,790 +11.0%
49 Management of Companies and Enterprises $94,130 $104,350 +$10,220 +10.9%
50 General Medical and Surgical Hospitals $84,460 $93,610 +$9,150 +10.8%
51 Dairy Product Manufacturing $62,840 $69,430 +$6,590 +10.5%
52 Administrative and Support Services $78,270 $86,090 +$7,820 +10.0%
53 Ambulatory Health Care Services $88,820 $97,380 +$8,560 +9.6%
54 Other Ambulatory Health Care Services $78,110 $85,540 +$7,430 +9.5%
55 Temporary Help Services $79,160 $86,530 +$7,370 +9.3%
56 Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools $62,000 $66,780 +$4,780 +7.7%
57 Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services $75,440 $80,420 +$4,980 +6.6%
58 Civic and Social Organizations $46,720 $49,670 +$2,950 +6.3%
59 Educational Services $61,970 $65,670 +$3,700 +6.0%
60 Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation $82,810 $87,420 +$4,610 +5.6%
61 Support Activities for Crop Production $61,380 $64,790 +$3,410 +5.6%
62 Grain and Oilseed Milling $78,020 $82,100 +$4,080 +5.2%
63 Chemical Manufacturing $96,660 $101,100 +$4,440 +4.6%
64 Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing $98,070 $101,600 +$3,530 +3.6%
65 Junior Colleges $56,450 $58,270 +$1,820 +3.2%
66 Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry $61,760 $63,140 +$1,380 +2.2%
67 Social Advocacy Organizations $61,700 $62,310 +$610 +1.0%
68 Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging $72,240 $72,780 +$540 +0.7%

17 Industries with Salary Decline

Rank Industry 2019 Salary 2024 Salary $ Decrease % Decline
1 Veterinary Services $148,900 $78,380 -$70,520 -47.4%
2 Offices of Other Health Practitioners $77,210 $46,870 -$30,340 -39.3%
3 Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations $103,760 $71,340 -$32,420 -31.2%
4 Elementary and Secondary Schools $66,930 $46,790 -$20,140 -30.1%
5 Educational Support Services $55,020 $42,730 -$12,290 -22.3%
6 Warehousing and Storage $74,600 $66,570 -$8,030 -10.8%
7 Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries $65,930 $59,990 -$5,940 -9.0%
8 Computer Systems Design and Related Services $104,090 $97,050 -$7,040 -6.8%
9 Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) $70,630 $67,070 -$3,560 -5.0%
10 Services to Buildings and Dwellings $68,540 $66,680 -$1,860 -2.7%
11 Grantmaking and Giving Services $94,350 $92,210 -$2,140 -2.3%
12 Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions $50,910 $49,780 -$1,130 -2.2%
13 Landscaping Services $67,460 $66,420 -$1,040 -1.5%
14 Animal Slaughtering and Processing $61,440 $60,620 -$820 -1.3%
15 Offices of Physicians $83,800 $82,770 -$1,030 -1.2%
16 Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations $65,230 $64,440 -$790 -1.2%
17 Support Activities for Animal Production $62,030 $61,760 -$270 -0.4%

About This Data

Salary growth is calculated by comparing the median annual wage for Life Scientists in each industry between 2019 and 2024, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Growth percentage = (2024 median - 2019 median) / 2019 median × 100.

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