Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
District of Columbia employs 12,380 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 23 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Life, Physical & Social Science industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Life, Physical & Social Science in District of Columbia, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in District of Columbia, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Economists | $167,590 | $175,100 | 3,000 | $80/hr |
| 2 | Physicists | $157,040 | $156,320 | 480 | $75/hr |
| 3 | Political Scientists | $152,530 | $154,300 | 3,070 | $73/hr |
| 4 | Chemists | $149,860 | $148,840 | 280 | $72/hr |
| 5 | Materials Scientists | $137,600 | $141,040 | N/A | $66/hr |
| 6 | Urban and Regional Planners | $137,000 | $135,050 | 120 | $65/hr |
| 7 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $132,620 | $133,190 | 1,270 | $63/hr |
| 8 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $120,090 | $121,400 | 70 | $57/hr |
| 9 | Historians | $118,290 | $113,140 | 250 | $56/hr |
| 10 | Epidemiologists | $112,370 | $122,860 | 90 | $54/hr |
| 11 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $111,530 | $115,070 | 280 | $53/hr |
| 12 | School Psychologists | $107,500 | $115,760 | 250 | $51/hr |
| 13 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $107,140 | $110,880 | 60 | $51/hr |
| 14 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $107,050 | $117,980 | 140 | $51/hr |
| 15 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $107,000 | $127,690 | 220 | $51/hr |
| 16 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $103,860 | $143,270 | 70 | $49/hr |
| 17 | Survey Researchers | $102,390 | $121,060 | 150 | $49/hr |
| 18 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $101,940 | $119,310 | 670 | $49/hr |
| 19 | Conservation Scientists | $99,400 | $99,050 | 110 | $47/hr |
| 20 | Foresters | $74,710 | $82,930 | N/A | $35/hr |
| 21 | Social Science Research Assistants | $65,330 | $72,920 | 1,560 | $31/hr |
| 22 | Biological Technicians | $64,770 | $61,520 | 210 | $31/hr |
| 23 | Chemical Technicians | $56,530 | $55,130 | 30 | $27/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across District of Columbia:
District of Columbia has 23 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 12,380 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in District of Columbia is Economists with a median salary of $167,590/year.
The average median salary across 23 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in District of Columbia is $112,789/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in District of Columbia range from $38,670 (entry-level) to $324,950 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Life, Physical & Social Science occupations use SOC prefix 19. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 19* in District of Columbia. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources