Life Scientists, All Other Salary
Life Scientists, All Others in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA make a median of $80,120 a year, or about $38.52 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $155K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $71,606 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 59.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 life scientists, all others
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What this looks like in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Pay for life scientists, all other in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $94K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 58.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for life scientists, all others.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for life scientists, all others in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $105K | $92K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $135K | $117K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $125K | $114K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $101K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level life scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $155K or more, a $93K 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a life scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 58.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life scientists, all others typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,718/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $80K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for life scientists, all others?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do life scientists, all others make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $80,120 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,960, and experienced life scientists, all others can clear $154,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,097/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 58.9% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 life scientists, all other salary is worth about $71,606 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.