Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Washington employs 40,750 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 40 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 Washington, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in Washington, 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 | Political Scientists | $147,060 | $143,510 | 110 | $70/hr |
| 2 | Physicists | $134,790 | $149,060 | 450 | $64/hr |
| 3 | Materials Scientists | $127,250 | $139,140 | 290 | $61/hr |
| 4 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $115,240 | $137,530 | 1,270 | $55/hr |
| 5 | Geographers | $112,260 | $113,420 | 40 | $53/hr |
| 6 | Economists | $109,300 | $120,550 | 450 | $52/hr |
| 7 | School Psychologists | $108,780 | $112,640 | 1,420 | $52/hr |
| 8 | Epidemiologists | $108,240 | $118,440 | 1,010 | $52/hr |
| 9 | Nuclear Technicians | $108,200 | $108,370 | 90 | $52/hr |
| 10 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $105,680 | $117,840 | 6,150 | $50/hr |
| 11 | Hydrologists | $105,600 | $123,510 | 350 | $50/hr |
| 12 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $105,020 | $117,140 | 840 | $50/hr |
| 13 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $104,910 | $93,120 | 570 | $50/hr |
| 14 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $102,920 | $106,620 | 3,570 | $49/hr |
| 15 | Urban and Regional Planners | $100,990 | $101,590 | 3,180 | $48/hr |
| 16 | Historians | $99,720 | $96,270 | 30 | $47/hr |
| 17 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $98,840 | $98,000 | 270 | $47/hr |
| 18 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $98,300 | $103,580 | 4,470 | $47/hr |
| 19 | Chemists | $97,420 | $104,480 | 2,280 | $46/hr |
| 20 | Sociologists | $97,170 | $103,430 | 130 | $46/hr |
| 21 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $94,990 | $101,900 | 250 | $45/hr |
| 22 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $94,400 | $113,120 | 190 | $45/hr |
| 23 | Hydrologic Technicians | $85,240 | $80,970 | 70 | $40/hr |
| 24 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $83,780 | $91,970 | 1,840 | $40/hr |
| 25 | Animal Scientists | $83,160 | $86,440 | 40 | $39/hr |
| 26 | Forensic Science Technicians | $81,310 | $85,260 | 390 | $39/hr |
| 27 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $79,970 | $89,180 | 520 | $38/hr |
| 28 | Foresters | $78,460 | $84,550 | 950 | $37/hr |
| 29 | Conservation Scientists | $78,450 | $81,300 | 1,270 | $37/hr |
| 30 | Microbiologists | $77,690 | $84,170 | 340 | $37/hr |
| 31 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $74,790 | $81,460 | 260 | $35/hr |
| 32 | Survey Researchers | $69,590 | $75,960 | 130 | $33/hr |
| 33 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $67,160 | $77,500 | 850 | $32/hr |
| 34 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $63,910 | $62,290 | N/A | $30/hr |
| 35 | Chemical Technicians | $62,100 | $64,580 | 730 | $29/hr |
| 36 | Food Science Technicians | $62,070 | $65,120 | 660 | $29/hr |
| 37 | Biological Technicians | $60,800 | $60,770 | 3,210 | $29/hr |
| 38 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,160 | $59,950 | 1,160 | $26/hr |
| 39 | Social Science Research Assistants | $50,420 | $56,120 | 450 | $24/hr |
| 40 | Agricultural Technicians | $48,220 | $49,920 | 470 | $23/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Washington:
Washington has 40 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 40,750 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in Washington is Political Scientists with a median salary of $147,060/year.
The average median salary across 40 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in Washington is $90,959/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in Washington range from $38,480 (entry-level) to $238,430 (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 Washington. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources