Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Tennessee employs 18,600 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 34 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 Tennessee, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in Tennessee, 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 | $165,010 | $171,070 | 240 | $79/hr |
| 2 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $134,560 | $150,580 | 60 | $64/hr |
| 3 | Economists | $117,650 | $123,810 | 80 | $56/hr |
| 4 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $102,720 | $108,390 | 4,020 | $49/hr |
| 5 | Epidemiologists | $97,310 | $103,390 | 220 | $46/hr |
| 6 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $96,190 | $104,300 | 230 | $46/hr |
| 7 | Nuclear Technicians | $91,980 | $94,200 | 110 | $44/hr |
| 8 | Chemists | $87,930 | $88,400 | 960 | $42/hr |
| 9 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $81,760 | $84,820 | 70 | $39/hr |
| 10 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $81,190 | $82,020 | 2,690 | $39/hr |
| 11 | Urban and Regional Planners | $78,970 | $81,750 | 310 | $37/hr |
| 12 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $77,870 | $84,130 | 230 | $37/hr |
| 13 | Microbiologists | $77,630 | $87,520 | 210 | $37/hr |
| 14 | School Psychologists | $76,850 | $77,390 | 900 | $36/hr |
| 15 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $76,840 | $84,680 | 1,230 | $36/hr |
| 16 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $76,820 | $84,350 | 1,180 | $36/hr |
| 17 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $73,570 | $75,360 | 310 | $35/hr |
| 18 | Foresters | $71,990 | $73,270 | 120 | $34/hr |
| 19 | Historians | $71,080 | $71,860 | 40 | $34/hr |
| 20 | Conservation Scientists | $70,500 | $75,250 | 250 | $33/hr |
| 21 | Forensic Science Technicians | $70,500 | $75,770 | 300 | $33/hr |
| 22 | Materials Scientists | $69,010 | $81,300 | 60 | $33/hr |
| 23 | Survey Researchers | $66,900 | $71,030 | 210 | $32/hr |
| 24 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $63,050 | $65,040 | 110 | $30/hr |
| 25 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $61,950 | $72,540 | 370 | $29/hr |
| 26 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $60,310 | $63,970 | 160 | $29/hr |
| 27 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $56,960 | $57,650 | 320 | $27/hr |
| 28 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $55,090 | $58,560 | 310 | $26/hr |
| 29 | Chemical Technicians | $54,840 | $58,170 | 1,470 | $26/hr |
| 30 | Biological Technicians | $50,840 | $57,910 | 1,240 | $24/hr |
| 31 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $47,940 | $51,720 | 390 | $23/hr |
| 32 | Social Science Research Assistants | $46,410 | $47,860 | 140 | $22/hr |
| 33 | Agricultural Technicians | $45,130 | $47,740 | 60 | $21/hr |
| 34 | Hydrologic Technicians | $30,780 | $48,770 | N/A | $14/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Tennessee:
Tennessee has 34 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 18,600 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in Tennessee is Physicists with a median salary of $165,010/year.
The average median salary across 34 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in Tennessee is $76,121/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in Tennessee range from $27,730 (entry-level) to $239,850 (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 Tennessee. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources