The average salary for a scientist in Virginia is around $98,109 per year.
Avg Salary
Scientists earn an average yearly salary of $98,109.
Wages typically start from $64,310 and go up to $158,125.
42% above national average Updated in 2025
Scientist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level scientist earnings begin at:
$76.02 per hour
$158,125 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$60.64 per hour
$126,123 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level scientist earnings begin at:
$47.17 per hour
$98,109 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$37.82 per hour
$78,662 per year
10th percentile
Starting level scientist earnings begin at:
$30.92 per hour
$64,310 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $99,351 |
| Virginia | $98,109 |
| Colorado | $96,654 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,942 |
| New Hampshire | $95,537 |
| Florida | $95,080 |
| Delaware | $95,073 |
| North Carolina | $94,482 |
| Maine | $93,777 |
| Hawaii | $93,112 |
| Texas | $92,444 |
| Utah | $92,433 |
| Minnesota | $91,120 |
| New Mexico | $91,046 |
| Idaho | $90,982 |
| Illinois | $90,920 |
| Mississippi | $90,302 |
| Arizona | $89,711 |
| Georgia | $89,686 |
| Wisconsin | $89,228 |
| Nevada | $88,887 |
| Iowa | $87,866 |
| Tennessee | $87,730 |
| Ohio | $87,452 |
| Montana | $87,280 |
| Oklahoma | $86,912 |
| Missouri | $86,474 |
| Michigan | $86,210 |
| Kentucky | $86,146 |
| Wyoming | $86,099 |
| North Dakota | $86,070 |
| Louisiana | $85,797 |
| Alabama | $85,518 |
| South Carolina | $85,420 |
| Vermont | $84,927 |
| Indiana | $83,769 |
| Kansas | $83,441 |
| Nebraska | $82,020 |
| Arkansas | $80,035 |
| West Virginia | $78,766 |
| South Dakota | $76,975 |
| Puerto Rico | $62,806 |
| Guam | $49,750 |
| California | $119,602 |
| Massachusetts | $117,881 |
| District of Columbia | $115,003 |
| Maryland | $110,038 |
| Connecticut | $108,001 |
| Rhode Island | $107,377 |
| New Jersey | $105,434 |
| Oregon | $103,488 |
| Washington | $102,230 |
| Alaska | $100,515 |
How do scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Scientists earn 6% less than similar careers in Virginia. On average, they make less than biochemists but more than geneticists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biochemist salary | $106K |
| Materials scientist salary | $124K |
| Biostatistician salary | $115K |
| Hydrologist salary | $132K |
| Geographer salary | $108K |
| Scientist salary | $98K |
| Geologist salary | $88K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $96K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $96K |
| Geneticist salary | $96K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)