Biological Scientists, All Other Salary
In Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, biological scientists, all others earn $79,780 at the median, or about $38.35 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $79,076 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,977/month, about 35.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Pay for biological scientists, all other in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $99K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,977/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for biological scientists, all others.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for biological scientists, all others in metros near Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tallahassee | $57K | $60K |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $90K | $93K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $98K | $85K |
| Jacksonville | $84K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level biological scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $106K 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a biological scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological scientists, all others typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,496/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $80K here vs. $99K nationally.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for biological scientists, all others?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $99K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — below the national median.
How much do biological scientists, all others make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $79,780 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,600, and experienced biological scientists, all others can clear $147,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,376/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 36.8% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $79,076 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.