Life Scientists, All Other Salary
Life Scientists, All Others in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD make a median of $96,030 a year, or about $46.17 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $179K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $93,642 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,810/month, or 29.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Life scientists, all other pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $96K locally vs. $94K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,810/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) 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 life scientists, all others in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $82K | $86K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $74K | $75K |
| 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, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level life scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $179K or more, a $102K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a life scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 29.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for life scientists, all others in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life scientists, all others typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,564/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $96K locally vs. $94K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for life scientists, all others?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do life scientists, all others make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $96,030 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,060, and experienced life scientists, all others can clear $178,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,083/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 29.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a life scientists, all other salary go in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 life scientists, all other salary is worth about $93,642 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.