Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Maryland employs 32,560 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 Maryland, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in Maryland, 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 | Physicists | $174,390 | $166,770 | 1,200 | $83/hr |
| 2 | Political Scientists | $153,380 | $148,440 | 100 | $73/hr |
| 3 | Economists | $144,680 | $146,600 | 1,130 | $69/hr |
| 4 | Hydrologists | $143,010 | $145,970 | 90 | $68/hr |
| 5 | Chemists | $140,670 | $139,100 | 2,480 | $67/hr |
| 6 | Astronomers | $132,620 | $144,760 | 980 | $63/hr |
| 7 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $128,800 | $127,180 | 750 | $61/hr |
| 8 | Historians | $120,580 | $115,840 | 50 | $57/hr |
| 9 | Geographers | $114,920 | $109,820 | 210 | $55/hr |
| 10 | Materials Scientists | $112,400 | $113,450 | 270 | $54/hr |
| 11 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $110,510 | $114,240 | 390 | $53/hr |
| 12 | School Psychologists | $109,700 | $111,560 | 1,520 | $52/hr |
| 13 | Microbiologists | $108,470 | $114,990 | 1,590 | $52/hr |
| 14 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $107,500 | $104,320 | 250 | $51/hr |
| 15 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $106,000 | $115,930 | 6,760 | $50/hr |
| 16 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $102,090 | $104,970 | 30 | $49/hr |
| 17 | Epidemiologists | $101,830 | $105,540 | 600 | $48/hr |
| 18 | Sociologists | $100,660 | $100,930 | 50 | $48/hr |
| 19 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $100,650 | $104,090 | 690 | $48/hr |
| 20 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $93,330 | $100,610 | 270 | $44/hr |
| 21 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $91,820 | $95,580 | 2,160 | $44/hr |
| 22 | Urban and Regional Planners | $88,570 | $96,740 | 900 | $42/hr |
| 23 | Foresters | $86,100 | $80,200 | 120 | $41/hr |
| 24 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $85,020 | $97,590 | 200 | $40/hr |
| 25 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $84,190 | $93,100 | 1,760 | $40/hr |
| 26 | Survey Researchers | $84,030 | $92,410 | 390 | $40/hr |
| 27 | Conservation Scientists | $83,290 | $89,820 | 470 | $40/hr |
| 28 | Forensic Science Technicians | $82,140 | $88,980 | 460 | $39/hr |
| 29 | Animal Scientists | $77,750 | $91,580 | 190 | $37/hr |
| 30 | Hydrologic Technicians | $67,520 | $68,890 | 50 | $32/hr |
| 31 | Social Science Research Assistants | $65,550 | $73,310 | 700 | $31/hr |
| 32 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $64,980 | $66,050 | 130 | $31/hr |
| 33 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $64,670 | $71,130 | 280 | $31/hr |
| 34 | Food Science Technicians | $57,880 | $60,600 | 280 | $27/hr |
| 35 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | $61,430 | 580 | $26/hr |
| 36 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $54,160 | $69,160 | 220 | $26/hr |
| 37 | Biological Technicians | $52,900 | $59,080 | 3,470 | $25/hr |
| 38 | Agricultural Technicians | $49,680 | $54,390 | 200 | $23/hr |
| 39 | Chemical Technicians | $49,280 | $53,990 | 590 | $23/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Maryland:
Maryland has 39 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 32,560 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in Maryland is Physicists with a median salary of $174,390/year.
The average median salary across 39 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in Maryland is $96,175/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in Maryland range from $33,550 (entry-level) to $219,450 (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 Maryland. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources