Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Missouri employs 18,720 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 35 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 Missouri, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in Missouri, 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 | $140,460 | $156,130 | 90 | $67/hr |
| 2 | Economists | $117,010 | $134,000 | 280 | $56/hr |
| 3 | Hydrologists | $116,100 | $110,030 | 50 | $55/hr |
| 4 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $114,230 | $108,510 | 160 | $54/hr |
| 5 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $105,930 | $103,780 | 390 | $50/hr |
| 6 | Nuclear Technicians | $104,580 | $100,580 | 150 | $50/hr |
| 7 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $102,540 | $108,870 | 3,650 | $49/hr |
| 8 | Geographers | $102,040 | $100,980 | 40 | $49/hr |
| 9 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $99,410 | $99,190 | 840 | $47/hr |
| 10 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $83,390 | $91,250 | 260 | $40/hr |
| 11 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $83,090 | $88,140 | 2,660 | $39/hr |
| 12 | Chemists | $82,800 | $92,000 | 1,640 | $39/hr |
| 13 | Urban and Regional Planners | $80,720 | $83,680 | 440 | $38/hr |
| 14 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $79,550 | $90,910 | 290 | $38/hr |
| 15 | Hydrologic Technicians | $79,440 | $75,300 | 40 | $38/hr |
| 16 | Microbiologists | $78,590 | $94,410 | 140 | $37/hr |
| 17 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $76,400 | $83,160 | 120 | $36/hr |
| 18 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $76,080 | $83,970 | 220 | $36/hr |
| 19 | School Psychologists | $70,290 | $74,370 | 520 | $33/hr |
| 20 | Chemical Technicians | $68,550 | $70,700 | 720 | $32/hr |
| 21 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $66,930 | $76,000 | 80 | $32/hr |
| 22 | Epidemiologists | $66,890 | $71,890 | 120 | $32/hr |
| 23 | Survey Researchers | $66,460 | $64,590 | 130 | $31/hr |
| 24 | Social Science Research Assistants | $65,940 | $61,550 | 750 | $31/hr |
| 25 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $64,490 | $72,160 | 270 | $31/hr |
| 26 | Historians | $64,230 | $70,360 | 50 | $30/hr |
| 27 | Foresters | $63,220 | $67,030 | 120 | $30/hr |
| 28 | Conservation Scientists | $63,130 | $67,070 | 600 | $30/hr |
| 29 | Forensic Science Technicians | $62,750 | $66,900 | 350 | $30/hr |
| 30 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $61,050 | $66,360 | 1,380 | $29/hr |
| 31 | Food Science Technicians | $59,570 | $62,180 | 150 | $28/hr |
| 32 | Agricultural Technicians | $54,060 | $57,590 | 420 | $25/hr |
| 33 | Biological Technicians | $50,640 | $56,470 | 620 | $24/hr |
| 34 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $50,340 | $55,130 | 380 | $24/hr |
| 35 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $33,920 | $42,900 | 600 | $16/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Missouri:
Missouri has 35 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 18,720 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in Missouri is Physicists with a median salary of $140,460/year.
The average median salary across 35 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in Missouri is $78,709/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in Missouri range from $29,270 (entry-level) to $276,590 (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 Missouri. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources