Life, Physical, and Social Science Jobs — US Salaries
48 occupations · about 1,473,280 US workers · top-paid Industrial-Organizational Psychologists at $193,950 — BLS OEWS May 2025.
How much do life, physical, and social science jobs pay in the US?
The Life, Physical, and Social Science field (SOC 19) covers 48 detailed US occupations employing about 1,473,280 people. Median pay across its 48 priced occupations runs from $49,630 to $193,950 a year, with Industrial-Organizational Psychologists the highest-paid at $193,950 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The US all-occupations median is $50,980. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Occupations
48
in this field
US workers
1,473,280
total employment
Top median
$193,950
highest-paid job
Lowest median
$49,630
of priced jobs
Every life, physical, and social science occupation, by median pay
| Occupation | Median | Mean | US workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsSOC 19-3032 | $193,950 | $170,230 | 790 |
| PhysicistsSOC 19-2012 | $172,250 | $171,180 | 20,430 |
| Political ScientistsSOC 19-3094 | $142,080 | $142,510 | 5,540 |
| AstronomersSOC 19-2011 | $128,820 | $132,920 | 2,120 |
| Biochemists and BiophysicistsSOC 19-1021 | $127,410 | $129,840 | 33,830 |
| EconomistsSOC 19-3011 | $124,720 | $142,130 | 17,790 |
| Physical Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-2099 | $122,570 | $129,230 | 22,300 |
| Materials ScientistsSOC 19-2032 | $117,790 | $126,180 | 8,470 |
| Psychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 | $110,840 | $111,210 | 18,820 |
| Nuclear TechniciansSOC 19-4051 | $110,240 | $108,940 | 6,470 |
| SociologistsSOC 19-3041 | $106,030 | $114,920 | 2,260 |
| Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 | $103,410 | $116,840 | 172,340 |
| GeographersSOC 19-3092 | $102,040 | $102,350 | 1,400 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersSOC 19-2042 | $101,920 | $116,150 | 23,470 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 19-3099 | $101,110 | $107,690 | 37,100 |
| Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsSOC 19-3033 | $100,580 | $112,750 | 75,990 |
| Atmospheric and Space ScientistsSOC 19-2021 | $99,070 | $106,110 | 10,000 |
| Biological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 | $98,920 | $106,330 | 55,850 |
| HydrologistsSOC 19-2043 | $96,600 | $103,600 | 5,850 |
| School PsychologistsSOC 19-3034 | $95,990 | $99,160 | 63,940 |
| Life Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1099 | $93,750 | $107,860 | 7,460 |
| ChemistsSOC 19-2031 | $91,240 | $100,450 | 82,770 |
| Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsSOC 19-5011 | $90,150 | $93,860 | 140,610 |
| Urban and Regional PlannersSOC 19-3051 | $89,320 | $94,750 | 44,230 |
| Food Scientists and TechnologistsSOC 19-1012 | $88,720 | $95,360 | 13,060 |
| MicrobiologistsSOC 19-1022 | $87,990 | $97,600 | 18,940 |
| EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1041 | $87,220 | $97,890 | 12,090 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthSOC 19-2041 | $82,220 | $91,680 | 89,250 |
| Soil and Plant ScientistsSOC 19-1013 | $78,850 | $87,720 | 15,730 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife BiologistsSOC 19-1023 | $76,780 | $83,020 | 18,120 |
| HistoriansSOC 19-3093 | $76,750 | $81,240 | 3,450 |
| ForestersSOC 19-1032 | $76,400 | $79,170 | 10,430 |
| Conservation ScientistsSOC 19-1031 | $73,010 | $77,130 | 25,950 |
| Forensic Science TechniciansSOC 19-4092 | $72,060 | $79,200 | 19,120 |
| Anthropologists and ArcheologistsSOC 19-3091 | $70,770 | $75,620 | 8,990 |
| Survey ResearchersSOC 19-3022 | $69,460 | $79,580 | 8,290 |
| Animal ScientistsSOC 19-1011 | $68,940 | $88,350 | 3,100 |
| Hydrologic TechniciansSOC 19-4044 | $64,790 | $69,530 | 2,840 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherSOC 19-4099 | $62,280 | $66,280 | 73,910 |
| Social Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 | $61,990 | $66,140 | 30,640 |
| Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansSOC 19-5012 | $61,560 | $68,120 | 30,590 |
| Chemical TechniciansSOC 19-4031 | $60,390 | $63,900 | 57,540 |
| Biological TechniciansSOC 19-4021 | $57,510 | $61,380 | 69,620 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthSOC 19-4042 | $55,090 | $60,800 | 34,670 |
| Forest and Conservation TechniciansSOC 19-4071 | $54,560 | $59,060 | 30,410 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic TechniciansSOC 19-4043 | $53,350 | $61,870 | 6,980 |
| Food Science TechniciansSOC 19-4013 | $52,130 | $56,660 | 14,600 |
| Agricultural TechniciansSOC 19-4012 | $49,630 | $53,840 | 15,130 |
Suppressed BLS cells are shown as “—”, never estimated. Click any occupation for its full salary breakdown and national rank.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the highest-paying life, physical, and social science job in the US?
- Among Life, Physical, and Social Science occupations, Industrial-Organizational Psychologists have the highest published national median wage at $193,950 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many people work in life, physical, and social science jobs in the US?
- About 1,473,280 US workers are employed across the 48 occupations in the Life, Physical, and Social Science field (SOC 19), summing the published BLS OEWS May 2025 employment estimates for each member occupation.
- What jobs are in the life, physical, and social science field?
- The Life, Physical, and Social Science field is SOC major group 19. It includes occupations such as Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, Physicists, Political Scientists, Astronomers, Biochemists and Biophysicists, and 43 more. Every occupation whose 6-digit SOC code starts with 19 belongs to this field.
- Where does this life, physical, and social science salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—".
Compare other occupational fields
Find life, physical, and social science jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which life, physical, and social science roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC major group 19 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Grouped by official US SOC 2018 major group and published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All occupational fields