Medical scientists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Medical scientists in the United States earn a median salary of $103,410 per year — about $50 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 165K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +9%.
AI & Automation Risk
Medical scientists perform high-level knowledge work including data analysis, grant writing, and literature reviews, all of which are highly susceptible to AI augmentation and automation. While physical laboratory work and clinical trials provide a buffer, the core of the profession is shifting toward computational biology and AI-driven drug discovery, significantly increasing productivity and reshaping research methodologies.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KSBEST VALUE | $162,810 | Below avg (85.8) | $189,669 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $162,230 | Average (101.1) | $160,468 |
| Vallejo, CA | $168,860 | Above avg (109.4) | $154,409 |
| Chico, CA | $155,470 | Above avg (104.7) | $148,427 |
| Syracuse, NY | $138,940 | Below avg (95.7) | $145,157 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $159,300 | Above avg (113.1) | $140,900 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $138,090 | Average (100.7) | $137,137 |
| Modesto, CA | $143,760 | Above avg (105.1) | $136,749 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $160,180 | Above avg (117.6) | $136,264 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $145,340 | Above avg (110.3) | $131,824 |
| Fresno, CA | $137,080 | Above avg (104.0) | $131,803 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area | $140,300 | Above avg (107.0) | $131,108 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $133,870 | Average (102.4) | $130,709 |
| Boulder, CO | $130,310 | Average (100.6) | $129,515 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $132,110 | Average (102.4) | $129,028 |