Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Virginia employs 31,610 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 37 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 Virginia, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in Virginia, 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 | $145,040 | $159,320 | 940 | $69/hr |
| 2 | Economists | $137,590 | $144,880 | 950 | $66/hr |
| 3 | Hydrologists | $132,080 | $119,240 | 40 | $63/hr |
| 4 | Astronomers | $128,930 | $132,650 | N/A | $61/hr |
| 5 | Materials Scientists | $124,150 | $124,880 | 100 | $59/hr |
| 6 | Geographers | $108,020 | $112,100 | 130 | $51/hr |
| 7 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $105,780 | $126,950 | 70 | $50/hr |
| 8 | Historians | $101,920 | $107,970 | 180 | $49/hr |
| 9 | Nuclear Technicians | $98,930 | $105,290 | 680 | $47/hr |
| 10 | Chemists | $96,650 | $104,120 | 1,640 | $46/hr |
| 11 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $93,620 | $127,300 | 4,560 | $45/hr |
| 12 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $93,590 | $100,340 | 70 | $45/hr |
| 13 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,800 | $95,070 | 3,910 | $43/hr |
| 14 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $88,390 | $105,120 | 300 | $42/hr |
| 15 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $86,520 | $98,460 | 2,140 | $41/hr |
| 16 | Urban and Regional Planners | $86,030 | $93,700 | 1,740 | $41/hr |
| 17 | School Psychologists | $85,670 | $93,390 | 1,200 | $41/hr |
| 18 | Epidemiologists | $84,930 | $94,760 | 220 | $40/hr |
| 19 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $83,880 | $111,970 | 350 | $40/hr |
| 20 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,230 | $90,500 | 2,850 | $39/hr |
| 21 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $80,230 | $81,400 | 320 | $38/hr |
| 22 | Microbiologists | $77,820 | $94,580 | 280 | $37/hr |
| 23 | Conservation Scientists | $77,380 | $92,610 | 480 | $37/hr |
| 24 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $73,920 | $78,520 | 140 | $35/hr |
| 25 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $72,340 | $76,780 | 290 | $34/hr |
| 26 | Foresters | $71,990 | $73,870 | 340 | $34/hr |
| 27 | Forensic Science Technicians | $68,900 | $80,370 | 770 | $33/hr |
| 28 | Food Science Technicians | $65,360 | $65,500 | 150 | $31/hr |
| 29 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $62,380 | $67,650 | 840 | $29/hr |
| 30 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $59,290 | $68,800 | N/A | $28/hr |
| 31 | Biological Technicians | $53,360 | $57,850 | 1,820 | $25/hr |
| 32 | Social Science Research Assistants | $53,260 | $59,810 | 700 | $25/hr |
| 33 | Hydrologic Technicians | $52,190 | $58,930 | 40 | $25/hr |
| 34 | Chemical Technicians | $51,850 | $55,460 | 1,370 | $24/hr |
| 35 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $49,960 | $53,270 | 380 | $24/hr |
| 36 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $49,430 | $55,560 | 1,450 | $23/hr |
| 37 | Agricultural Technicians | $41,210 | $47,290 | 170 | $19/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Virginia:
Virginia has 37 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 31,610 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in Virginia is Physicists with a median salary of $145,040/year.
The average median salary across 37 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in Virginia is $84,206/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in Virginia range from $31,900 (entry-level) to $238,570 (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 Virginia. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources