Applied Scientist Salary

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Technology Headhunters uses BLS OEWS data to answer this pay question. The median pay for Applied Scientist in the United States is $140,300 a year, and the middle half of workers earned between $103,570 and $188,700 (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 15-1221).

Broader occupation

BLS does not report this exact title. The figures shown are for SOC 15-1221, Computer and Information Research Scientists. BLS reports Computer and Information Research Scientists as a broader occupation. It does not separate Applied Scientist, technology stack, seniority, certifications or employer sector. These figures are not a title-specific offer range.

BLS publishes one set of figures for SOC 15-1221. Other titles in our taxonomy map to it and show the same numbers. Percentiles describe all workers in the occupation. They are not experience levels.

Annual wage percentiles
Measure	Per year
10th percentile	$82,200
25th percentile	$103,570
Median	$140,300
75th percentile	$188,700
90th percentile	$230,630
Mean	$153,930

Hourly wage percentiles
Measure	Per hour
10th percentile	$39.52
25th percentile	$49.79
Median	$67.45
75th percentile	$90.72
90th percentile	$110.88
Mean	$74.00

A figure shown as "or more" is top-coded. BLS does not publish exact wages at or above $239,200 a year or $115.00 an hour.

BLS estimates 37,200 people work in this occupation nationally.

Target metros

Applied Scientist pay in target metros, May 2025
Metro	Median	P25 to P75	Employment	LQ
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$132,680	$93,320 to $188,030	110	0.16
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$109,660	$91,240 to $145,950	120	0.34
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$116,470	$94,270 to $181,430	250	0.73
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$128,370	$128,370 to $162,910	280	1.55
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$170,890	$129,990 to $252,670	2,100	0.93
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$170,890	$129,990 to $252,670	2,100	0.93
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$135,630	$104,260 to $170,140	490	0.45

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 15-1221 Computer and Information Research Scientists, the United States. Released 2026-05-15. Methodology and mapping notes.

These are BLS survey-based wage estimates, not observed individual offers or a modeled technology-title range. A broader occupation or proxy is not separate pay data for your job title.

Recruiter's read

Qualitative view from the search team. Not BLS data.

This title is broader than the BLS occupation, so the published range is a starting point. The skills you need may sit above or below it, so compare with live offers before you commit. Talk to us if your search needs more than a published range can tell you.

Questions answered by BLS data

What is the median pay for Applied Scientist?

BLS reports a median of $140,300 a year for SOC 15-1221, Computer and Information Research Scientists, in the United States (May 2025). Half of workers earned less and half earned more.

What is the pay range for Applied Scientist?

10% of workers in this occupation earned less than $82,200. 10% earned more than $230,630.

How many Applied Scientist jobs are there?

BLS estimates 37,200 workers in SOC 15-1221 nationally in May 2025.

Does BLS publish this exact job title?

Not exactly. Applied Scientist is shown using SOC 15-1221, Computer and Information Research Scientists, a broader occupation. BLS reports Computer and Information Research Scientists as a broader occupation. It does not separate Applied Scientist, technology stack, seniority, certifications or employer sector. These figures are not a title-specific offer range.

Which of our target metros reports the highest median for Applied Scientist?

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ , at $170,890 a year (May 2025).

Are percentiles the same as experience levels?

No. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than that amount. BLS does not report pay by experience.

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What changed between the published releases?

These are BLS survey estimates for SOC 15-1221, Computer and Information Research Scientists. They are not a projection or a comparison of the same individual workers.

United States median, annual wages
Reference period	Median
May 2024	$140,910
May 2025	$140,300

How do published wages differ by industry?

These national rows describe private establishments in BLS four-digit industry groups. Industry names are shown as BLS publishes them. They do not include government establishments. An industry figure is still an occupation estimate, not a quote for this exact title.

View the published industry table

Computer and Information Research Scientists national industry wages, May 2025, annual
Industry	NAICS	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile	Mean	Employment
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	334100	$133,190	$158,930	$189,350	$164,570	280
Communications Equipment Manufacturing	334200	$172,740	$213,160	$216,370	$204,470	70
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	334400	$168,190	$204,510	$345,000	$234,270	690
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	334500	$158,970	$182,000	$212,510	$181,530	520
Software Publishers	513200	$170,180	$211,270	$267,060	$212,430	1300
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers	516200	Not published by BLS	Not published by BLS	Not published by BLS	Not published by BLS	450
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services	518200	$154,990	$196,770	$257,830	$201,970	600
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services	519200	$212,710	$222,230	$298,720	$235,950	1330
Insurance Carriers	524100	$119,020	$164,980	$232,750	$169,860	70
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	541200	$82,500	$104,500	$134,930	$107,170	1190
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	541300	$100,190	$134,310	$192,190	$152,160	1130
Computer Systems Design and Related Services	541500	$129,990	$162,760	$211,750	$175,000	6480
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	541600	$104,670	$128,370	$166,650	$142,730	750
Scientific Research and Development Services	541700	$102,630	$142,740	$198,260	$155,010	5660
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	541800	$62,890	$73,360	$75,610	$73,890	30
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	541900	$131,620	$165,550	$190,750	$156,400	Not published by BLS
Management of Companies and Enterprises	551100	$134,000	$163,290	$202,540	$170,050	530
Employment Services	561300	$99,050	$144,920	$207,040	$160,520	500

What should you check outside the wage figure?

For this technology hire, compare the cash work covered by the occupation before judging an offer. Keep discretionary bonuses separate. BLS does not list equity or RSUs in its wage definition. We do not assign stock awards a cash value or add them to these wages.

Remote pay bands are an employer decision. These figures have no remote-work or cost-of-living adjustment. The published metro and state rows describe the BLS area, not a remote candidate's personal pay expectations.

Compare all published metro medians for this occupation · Read the mapping and data method

These are BLS survey-based wage estimates, not observed individual offers or a modeled technology-title range. A broader occupation or proxy is not separate pay data for your job title.

What do these figures mean for Applied Scientist in United States?

Technology Headhunters uses the May 2025 occupation-wide wage distribution to discuss Applied Scientist in United States. The Applied Scientist comparison uses a $140,300 median for Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) in United States. That $140,300 point divides the published distribution for Applied Scientist in United States; it is not a quote from a candidate. Before using $140,300 for Applied Scientist in United States, compare the BLS occupation with the work you need done.

For Applied Scientist in United States, the published middle band runs from $103,570 at P25 to $188,700 at P75. The middle-band width in this Applied Scientist in United States comparison is $85,130. The $103,570 and $188,700 markers for Applied Scientist in United States describe workers across the BLS occupation, rather than the price of a junior and a senior hire. Using this United States band for Applied Scientist requires checking the responsibilities first.

The lower published marker for Applied Scientist in United States is $82,200 at P10, and the upper marker is $230,630 at P90. Those Applied Scientist in United States values do not identify an exact percentile for an amount between them. If the $230,630 marker for Applied Scientist in United States says “or more,” it is a lower bound from the May 2025 release. A suppressed Applied Scientist in United States cell means BLS did not publish that estimate, not that the opening has no cash-pay cost.

The national $140,300 median for Applied Scientist in United States combines workers in the BLS occupation across reported locations. A remote Applied Scientist opening still needs a stated work-location policy; this Applied Scientist in United States national cell does not supply a remote-pay formula. A Applied Scientist in United States title may cover a narrower set of duties than Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221). For Applied Scientist in United States, keep that scope difference visible when comparing a candidate's cash-pay expectations with the $140,300 national marker.

For Applied Scientist in United States, two configured target markets with published medians are Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, at $132,680; Tampa-St. For Applied Scientist in United States, petersburg-Clearwater, FL, at $109,660. These Applied Scientist in United States comparisons use the same SOC 15-1221 as the national table. The target-market selection for Applied Scientist in United States is not a ranking of the nearest metros or the highest pay. Read each Applied Scientist in United States market's full row before comparing it with the $140,300 national median.

A comparable May 2024 median is not available for this Applied Scientist in United States selection, so no release-to-release difference is calculated. The $140,300 May 2025 median for Applied Scientist in United States stands on its own reference period. A missing prior Applied Scientist in United States cell does not establish growth, decline or unchanged pay. Keep the United States area and SOC 15-1221 labels attached when sharing this Applied Scientist in United States result.

The published mean for Applied Scientist in United States is $153,930, alongside the $140,300 median. The mean-minus-median difference for Applied Scientist in United States is $13,630. The mean and median for Applied Scientist in United States summarize the same occupation differently; neither is a recommended starting salary. Do not choose the higher Applied Scientist in United States summary simply to describe a stronger candidate, since the May 2025 table does not tie either summary to interview quality.

A complete Applied Scientist in United States offer needs terms the Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221) wage cell cannot price. Keep equity and RSUs separate from the $140,300 Applied Scientist in United States comparison. Check the BLS include-and-exclude definition when discussing on-call terms or shift differential for Applied Scientist in United States; a job-specific arrangement is not another published percentile. For Applied Scientist in United States, spell out the reporting line and work-location expectations alongside cash pay rather than presenting $140,300 as the complete package.

The BLS employment estimate attached to Applied Scientist in United States is 37,200 for Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221). That Applied Scientist in United States estimate describes employment in the surveyed occupation, not candidates available for your opening. Workers counted in the United States estimate for Applied Scientist are not a ready-made shortlist. Use the May 2025 Applied Scientist in United States employment row to understand the occupation's reported presence, while keeping the search for an individual hire separate.

Which national industries report pay for Applied Scientist in United States?

The table below gives released national industry medians for Computer and Information Research Scientists (SOC 15-1221), selected for this Applied Scientist in United States discussion. These Applied Scientist industry rows are national cuts, not industry-specific wages for United States.

National industry rows for Applied Scientist in United States, BLS May 2025
BLS industry	NAICS	Published median	Employment
Software Publishers	513200	$211,270	1,300
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services	518200	$196,770	600
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	523000	$166,880	60
Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	524000	$164,980	80
Insurance Carriers	524100	$164,980	70
Management of Companies and Enterprises	551100	$163,290	530

Questions about Applied Scientist in United States

Which occupation prices Applied Scientist in United States?

The Applied Scientist in United States figures use Computer and Information Research Scientists, SOC 15-1221. BLS does not release an exact rate for an employer's particular Applied Scientist opening in United States.

Does the Applied Scientist in United States band price seniority?

The $103,570 to $188,700 band describes the published occupation distribution for Applied Scientist in United States. It is not a junior-to-senior ladder for Applied Scientist in United States.

Can I treat the May 2025 Applied Scientist in United States median as a complete offer?

The $140,300 wage cell for Applied Scientist in United States starts a cash-pay comparison. Benefits and equity for Applied Scientist in United States need a separate discussion from this BLS cell.

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