Life Scientists, All Other Salary
Life Scientists, All Others in Pittsburgh, PA make a median of $81,540 a year, or about $39.2 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $86,131 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 24.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $82K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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 Pittsburgh
Pay for life scientists, all other in Pittsburgh runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,299/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Pittsburgh can be a reasonable trade-off for life scientists, all others who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for life scientists, all others in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $96K | $94K |
| 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, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level life scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $45K 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 Pittsburgh numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a life scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for life scientists, all others in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life scientists, all others typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,703/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Pittsburgh?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $82K here vs. $94K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for life scientists, all others?
Pittsburgh pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do life scientists, all others make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $81,540 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,710, and experienced life scientists, all others can clear $107,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,271/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 24.6% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $86,131 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.