Occupations · Life, Physical, and Social Science
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 19-1042.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 70% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $129,230 | 15,330 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $102,440 | 10,640 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $142,540 | 6,870 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $128,470 | 6,600 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $100,960 | 6,370 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $101,500 | 6,230 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $76,860 | 6,040 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $112,120 | 5,830 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $128,270 | 4,240 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $78,560 | 3,760 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $97,970 | 3,540 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $94,040 | 2,050 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Doctoral or professional degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
- Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
- Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
- Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds.
- Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- Study animal and human health and physiological processes.
- Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
- Write applications for research grants.
- Investigate cause, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission of diseases or parasites.
- Use equipment such as atomic absorption spectrometers, electron microscopes, flow cytometers, or chromatography systems.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2021-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2021-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Write applications for research grants.
O*NET 25.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 4 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 10
No longer listed 6
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| physiologist | 2131.4.10 | close |
| immunologist | 2131.6 | close |
| toxicologist | 2131.4.12 | broader |
| specialist biomedical scientist | 2131.4.11 | broader |
| biomedical scientist advanced | 2131.4.3 | broader |
| biomedical scientist | 3212.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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