Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Pennsylvania employs 52,930 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 38 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 Pennsylvania, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in Pennsylvania, 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 | $210,990 | $191,120 | 230 | $101/hr |
| 2 | Political Scientists | $140,020 | $136,350 | 70 | $67/hr |
| 3 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $134,090 | $137,680 | 2,750 | $64/hr |
| 4 | Nuclear Technicians | $124,070 | $121,060 | 310 | $59/hr |
| 5 | Economists | $115,000 | $117,370 | 560 | $55/hr |
| 6 | Materials Scientists | $106,920 | $107,370 | 100 | $51/hr |
| 7 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $99,190 | $120,600 | 12,630 | $47/hr |
| 8 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $91,870 | $108,710 | 3,140 | $44/hr |
| 9 | Hydrologists | $91,730 | $93,500 | 160 | $44/hr |
| 10 | Epidemiologists | $87,860 | $99,910 | 360 | $42/hr |
| 11 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $87,050 | $93,480 | 4,890 | $41/hr |
| 12 | Microbiologists | $84,650 | $86,370 | 670 | $40/hr |
| 13 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $84,180 | $92,830 | 910 | $40/hr |
| 14 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $83,380 | $86,640 | 400 | $40/hr |
| 15 | School Psychologists | $82,190 | $87,220 | 2,600 | $39/hr |
| 16 | Urban and Regional Planners | $80,810 | $81,790 | 860 | $38/hr |
| 17 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $79,660 | $76,250 | 130 | $38/hr |
| 18 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $78,540 | $78,660 | 200 | $37/hr |
| 19 | Foresters | $78,280 | $80,550 | 310 | $37/hr |
| 20 | Animal Scientists | $77,660 | $90,580 | 90 | $37/hr |
| 21 | Chemists | $77,090 | $87,990 | 6,800 | $37/hr |
| 22 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $76,110 | $82,270 | 3,020 | $36/hr |
| 23 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $75,890 | $88,930 | 160 | $36/hr |
| 24 | Historians | $71,970 | $78,210 | 70 | $34/hr |
| 25 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $70,550 | $78,720 | 200 | $33/hr |
| 26 | Hydrologic Technicians | $65,420 | $71,260 | 100 | $31/hr |
| 27 | Survey Researchers | $63,310 | $57,090 | N/A | $30/hr |
| 28 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $61,640 | $64,210 | 1,020 | $29/hr |
| 29 | Forensic Science Technicians | $61,580 | $67,610 | 360 | $29/hr |
| 30 | Conservation Scientists | $61,480 | $63,760 | 900 | $29/hr |
| 31 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $60,650 | $65,320 | 1,180 | $29/hr |
| 32 | Chemical Technicians | $59,420 | $62,260 | 2,710 | $28/hr |
| 33 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $57,370 | $59,770 | 420 | $27/hr |
| 34 | Biological Technicians | $54,950 | $59,630 | 2,820 | $26/hr |
| 35 | Social Science Research Assistants | $54,610 | $60,080 | 860 | $26/hr |
| 36 | Agricultural Technicians | $48,800 | $54,750 | 110 | $23/hr |
| 37 | Food Science Technicians | $48,060 | $49,820 | 590 | $23/hr |
| 38 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $47,380 | $49,520 | 240 | $22/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania has 38 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 52,930 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in Pennsylvania is Physicists with a median salary of $210,990/year.
The average median salary across 38 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in Pennsylvania is $82,485/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in Pennsylvania range from $18,180 (entry-level) to $261,820 (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 Pennsylvania. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources