Biological Scientists, All Other Salary
In Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, biological scientists, all others earn $90,020 at the median, or about $43.28 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $117K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $91,913 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $90K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Biological scientists, all other pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk tracks closely to the national median, $90K locally vs. $99K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,713/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville | $87K | $88K |
| Richmond | $77K | $79K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $115K | $106K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $99K | $101K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level biological scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $117K or more, a $62K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a biological scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 30.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological scientists, all others typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,318/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $90K locally vs. $99K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for biological scientists, all others?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $99K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — below the national median.
How much do biological scientists, all others make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $90,020 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,300, and experienced biological scientists, all others can clear $116,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,588/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 30.7% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median biological scientists, all other salary is worth about $91,913 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.