Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Salary

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,615/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.

The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical scientists, except epidemiologists typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,427/month.

Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $80K here vs. $103K nationally.

Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -23%.

The median is $79,900 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,780, and experienced medical scientists, except epidemiologists can clear $259,990. The mean (average) is $144,940, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,117/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,615/month, which eats 31.6% 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.

Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median medical scientists, except epidemiologists salary is worth about $79,900 in national-average purchasing power.

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.