Life Scientists, All Other Salary
Life Scientists, All Others in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA make a median of $73,670 a year, or about $35.42 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.65), that's roughly $74,678 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,493/month, about 30.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $74K get you in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Harrisburg-Carlisle’s Regional Price Parity (98.65). 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 life scientists, all others
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What this looks like in Harrisburg-Carlisle
Pay for life scientists, all other in Harrisburg-Carlisle runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $94K. Rent runs $1,493/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for life scientists, all others in metros near Harrisburg-Carlisle, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $96K | $94K |
| Pittsburgh | $82K | $86K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $101K | $89K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $106K | $101K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Entry-level life scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Life Scientists, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Life Scientists, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $169K | +81% | N/A |
| District of Columbia | $168K | +79% | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $125K | +34% | 100 |
| Arizona | $123K | +31% | N/A |
| Oregon | $113K | +21% | 160 |
| Alabama | $111K | +18% | 50 |
| Maryland | $110K | +17% | 420 |
| Tennessee | $109K | +16% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $104K | +11% | 110 |
| California | $103K | +10% | 860 |
| Washington | $100K | +7% | 240 |
| Florida | $92K | -2% | 80 |
| New York | $87K | -7% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $85K | -9% | N/A |
| Georgia | $84K | -10% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | -11% | 290 |
| Alaska | $82K | -12% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $82K | -13% | 90 |
| Virginia | $82K | -13% | 350 |
| Texas | $81K | -13% | 510 |
| Missouri | $80K | -15% | 190 |
| Louisiana | $76K | -18% | 430 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -19% | 100 |
| Hawaii | $72K | -23% | 50 |
| Indiana | $69K | -26% | 30 |
| Idaho | $69K | -26% | 80 |
| Colorado | $66K | -29% | 40 |
| Illinois | $66K | -29% | 160 |
| Minnesota | $65K | -31% | N/A |
| Iowa | $64K | -31% | 110 |
| Michigan | $64K | -32% | 90 |
| Ohio | $63K | -33% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 32 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track life scientists, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Harrisburg-Carlisle numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a life scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 30.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for life scientists, all others in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life scientists, all others typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,144/month. At HUD’s $1,493/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is life scientists, all other a high-paying job in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $74K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Harrisburg-Carlisle compare to the national average for life scientists, all others?
Harrisburg-Carlisle pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do life scientists, all others make in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
The median is $73,670 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,400, and experienced life scientists, all others can clear $107,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,829/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 30.9% 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 life scientists, all other salary go in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Harrisburg-Carlisle has a Regional Price Parity of 98.65 (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 life scientists, all other salary is worth about $74,678 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do life 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.