Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
SOC major group 19-0000: 48 detailed occupations, 48 with a published national median (May 2025). The group employs 1,473,260 people nationally.
The group as a whole
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $23.28 | $29.99 | $39.68 | $55.03 | $74.92 | $45.48 | 1,473,260 |
| Annual | $48,420 | $62,380 | $82,530 | $114,460 | $155,830 | $94,600 | ||
Every occupation in the group, by median annual wage
| Occupation | SOC | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 19-3032 | $93.24 | $193,950 | $170,230 | 790 |
| Physicists | 19-2012 | $82.81 | $172,250 | $171,180 | 20,430 |
| Political Scientists | 19-3094 | $68.31 | $142,080 | $142,510 | 5,540 |
| Astronomers | 19-2011 | $61.94 | $128,820 | $132,920 | 2,120 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | 19-1021 | $61.26 | $127,410 | $129,840 | 33,830 |
| Economists | 19-3011 | $59.96 | $124,720 | $142,130 | 17,790 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | 19-2099 | $58.93 | $122,570 | $129,230 | 22,300 |
| Materials Scientists | 19-2032 | $56.63 | $117,790 | $126,180 | 8,470 |
| Psychologists, All Other | 19-3039 | $53.29 | $110,840 | $111,210 | 18,820 |
| Nuclear Technicians | 19-4051 | $53.00 | $110,240 | $108,940 | 6,470 |
| Sociologists | 19-3041 | $50.98 | $106,030 | $114,920 | 2,260 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 19-1042 | $49.72 | $103,410 | $116,840 | 172,340 |
| Geographers | 19-3092 | $49.06 | $102,040 | $102,350 | 1,400 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 19-2042 | $49.00 | $101,920 | $116,150 | 23,470 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | 19-3099 | $48.61 | $101,110 | $107,690 | 37,100 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 19-3033 | $48.36 | $100,580 | $112,750 | 75,990 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | 19-2021 | $47.63 | $99,070 | $106,110 | 10,000 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 19-1029 | $47.56 | $98,920 | $106,330 | 55,850 |
| Hydrologists | 19-2043 | $46.44 | $96,600 | $103,600 | 5,850 |
| School Psychologists | 19-3034 | $46.15 | $95,990 | $99,160 | 63,940 |
| Life Scientists, All Other | 19-1099 | $45.07 | $93,750 | $107,860 | 7,460 |
| Chemists | 19-2031 | $43.87 | $91,240 | $100,450 | 82,770 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | 19-5011 | $43.34 | $90,150 | $93,860 | 140,610 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | 19-3051 | $42.94 | $89,320 | $94,750 | 44,230 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 19-1012 | $42.65 | $88,720 | $95,360 | 13,060 |
| Microbiologists | 19-1022 | $42.30 | $87,990 | $97,600 | 18,940 |
| Epidemiologists | 19-1041 | $41.93 | $87,220 | $97,890 | 12,090 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 19-2041 | $39.53 | $82,220 | $91,680 | 89,250 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 19-1013 | $37.91 | $78,850 | $87,720 | 15,730 |
| Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | 19-1023 | $36.91 | $76,780 | $83,020 | 18,120 |
| Historians | 19-3093 | $36.90 | $76,750 | $81,240 | 3,450 |
| Foresters | 19-1032 | $36.73 | $76,400 | $79,170 | 10,430 |
| Conservation Scientists | 19-1031 | $35.10 | $73,010 | $77,130 | 25,950 |
| Forensic Science Technicians | 19-4092 | $34.65 | $72,060 | $79,200 | 19,120 |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists | 19-3091 | $34.02 | $70,770 | $75,620 | 8,990 |
| Survey Researchers | 19-3022 | $33.40 | $69,460 | $79,580 | 8,290 |
| Animal Scientists | 19-1011 | $33.14 | $68,940 | $88,350 | 3,100 |
| Hydrologic Technicians | 19-4044 | $31.15 | $64,790 | $69,530 | 2,840 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | 19-4099 | $29.94 | $62,280 | $66,280 | 73,910 |
| Social Science Research Assistants | 19-4061 | $29.81 | $61,990 | $66,140 | 30,640 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | 19-5012 | $29.59 | $61,560 | $68,120 | 30,590 |
| Chemical Technicians | 19-4031 | $29.03 | $60,390 | $63,900 | 57,540 |
| Biological Technicians | 19-4021 | $27.65 | $57,510 | $61,380 | 69,620 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | 19-4042 | $26.49 | $55,090 | $60,800 | 34,670 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | 19-4071 | $26.23 | $54,560 | $59,060 | 30,410 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | 19-4043 | $25.65 | $53,350 | $61,870 | 6,980 |
| Food Science Technicians | 19-4013 | $25.06 | $52,130 | $56,660 | 14,600 |
| Agricultural Technicians | 19-4012 | $23.86 | $49,630 | $53,840 | 15,130 |
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: National OEWS estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.