Biological Scientists, All Other Salary
In Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, biological scientists, all others earn $95,600 at the median, or about $45.96 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $140K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $90,685 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 32% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $96K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About biological scientists, all others
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What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Biological scientists, all other pay in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro tracks closely to the national median, $96K locally vs. $99K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,922/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for biological scientists, all others in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bend | $83K | $81K |
| Corvallis | $93K | $89K |
| Eugene-Springfield | $76K | $75K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $94K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level biological scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $140K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Biological Scientists, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Biological Scientists, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $122K | +23% | 4,970 |
| California | $114K | +15% | 11,880 |
| Delaware | $113K | +15% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $112K | +13% | 170 |
| Washington | $108K | +9% | 2,620 |
| Massachusetts | $107K | +8% | 2,930 |
| Alaska | $107K | +8% | 370 |
| New Jersey | $105K | +6% | 540 |
| Maine | $105K | +6% | 340 |
| New York | $104K | +5% | 2,520 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | +3% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $101K | +2% | 1,810 |
| North Carolina | $100K | +1% | 2,780 |
| Georgia | $97K | -2% | 1,230 |
| Virginia | $96K | -3% | 1,650 |
| Hawaii | $96K | -3% | 370 |
| Ohio | $96K | -3% | 610 |
| Colorado | $94K | -5% | 850 |
| Utah | $93K | -6% | 590 |
| South Carolina | $92K | -7% | 240 |
| Wyoming | $92K | -7% | 170 |
| Montana | $92K | -7% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $91K | -8% | 320 |
| Arizona | $90K | -9% | 760 |
| Alabama | $87K | -12% | 340 |
| Oregon | $86K | -13% | 700 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -14% | 230 |
| District of Columbia | $85K | -14% | 850 |
| Indiana | $85K | -15% | 640 |
| New Mexico | $84K | -15% | 420 |
| Florida | $84K | -15% | 1,920 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | -15% | 310 |
| Idaho | $83K | -16% | 430 |
| Nebraska | $83K | -16% | 240 |
| Iowa | $83K | -16% | 550 |
| Illinois | $83K | -16% | 1,300 |
| Michigan | $82K | -18% | 860 |
| Texas | $81K | -18% | 2,480 |
| Tennessee | $81K | -19% | 420 |
| Oklahoma | $80K | -19% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -20% | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | -21% | 740 |
| Vermont | $78K | -21% | 90 |
| Minnesota | $76K | -23% | 750 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -23% | 360 |
| Kansas | $76K | -23% | 760 |
| Nevada | $74K | -25% | 410 |
| South Dakota | $74K | -25% | 170 |
| Louisiana | $70K | -30% | 580 |
| Missouri | $63K | -36% | 1,120 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track biological scientists, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a biological scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 34% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for biological scientists, all others in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological scientists, all others typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,004/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is biological scientists, all other a high-paying job in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $96K locally vs. $99K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for biological scientists, all others?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $99K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do biological scientists, all others make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $95,600 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,740, and experienced biological scientists, all others can clear $140,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,650/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 34% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a biological scientists, all other salary go in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median biological scientists, all other salary is worth about $90,685 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do biological scientists, all others get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.