Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Illinois employs 38,760 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 39 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 Illinois, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in Illinois, 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 | Sociologists | $140,770 | $143,940 | N/A | $67/hr |
| 2 | Physicists | $137,140 | $139,780 | 1,590 | $65/hr |
| 3 | Materials Scientists | $125,850 | $129,980 | 380 | $60/hr |
| 4 | Forensic Science Technicians | $124,790 | $108,760 | 370 | $60/hr |
| 5 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $112,280 | $147,860 | 110 | $53/hr |
| 6 | Nuclear Technicians | $110,390 | $105,680 | 780 | $53/hr |
| 7 | Political Scientists | $103,780 | $104,460 | 110 | $49/hr |
| 8 | Epidemiologists | $102,720 | $97,690 | 240 | $49/hr |
| 9 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $98,270 | $99,170 | 2,900 | $47/hr |
| 10 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $96,950 | $109,290 | 410 | $46/hr |
| 11 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $94,340 | $103,030 | 780 | $45/hr |
| 12 | Geographers | $92,640 | $92,160 | 40 | $44/hr |
| 13 | Microbiologists | $92,050 | $93,850 | 1,470 | $44/hr |
| 14 | Urban and Regional Planners | $91,360 | $97,270 | 1,140 | $43/hr |
| 15 | Historians | $89,670 | $90,280 | N/A | $43/hr |
| 16 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $87,010 | $102,640 | 150 | $41/hr |
| 17 | Chemists | $85,230 | $98,420 | 3,040 | $40/hr |
| 18 | School Psychologists | $84,690 | $93,700 | 3,590 | $40/hr |
| 19 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $83,750 | $95,590 | 5,810 | $40/hr |
| 20 | Hydrologists | $83,720 | $92,640 | 100 | $40/hr |
| 21 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $82,330 | $93,230 | 4,700 | $39/hr |
| 22 | Foresters | $82,160 | $86,700 | 220 | $39/hr |
| 23 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $81,590 | $92,260 | 1,550 | $39/hr |
| 24 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $79,780 | $82,210 | 250 | $38/hr |
| 25 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $79,490 | $89,520 | 820 | $38/hr |
| 26 | Conservation Scientists | $69,590 | $75,750 | 730 | $33/hr |
| 27 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $65,960 | $74,570 | 1,790 | $31/hr |
| 28 | Social Science Research Assistants | $64,890 | $69,900 | 250 | $31/hr |
| 29 | Chemical Technicians | $61,890 | $65,850 | 1,320 | $29/hr |
| 30 | Food Science Technicians | $60,820 | $68,480 | 290 | $29/hr |
| 31 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $59,930 | $65,490 | 980 | $28/hr |
| 32 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $59,560 | $65,610 | 140 | $28/hr |
| 33 | Biological Technicians | $55,790 | $56,790 | 790 | $26/hr |
| 34 | Survey Researchers | $54,080 | $75,800 | 320 | $26/hr |
| 35 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,280 | $56,200 | 80 | $25/hr |
| 36 | Hydrologic Technicians | $52,870 | $58,510 | N/A | $25/hr |
| 37 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $52,790 | $55,010 | 820 | $25/hr |
| 38 | Animal Scientists | $47,930 | $50,640 | N/A | $23/hr |
| 39 | Agricultural Technicians | $46,410 | $50,960 | 700 | $22/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Illinois:
Illinois has 39 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 38,760 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in Illinois is Sociologists with a median salary of $140,770/year.
The average median salary across 39 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in Illinois is $83,296/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in Illinois range from $33,070 (entry-level) to $229,480 (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 Illinois. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources