How much does a Researcher make?

Updated Dec 9, 2023

Experience

Industry

Total Pay Range
$60K - $109K/yr
Base Pay
$56K - $100K/yr
Additional Pay
$5K - $9K/yr

$80K

/yr
$60K$109K
Most Likely Range

The estimated total pay for a Researcher is $80,208 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $74,123 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $6,085 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $60K-$109K/yr?

Related Job Titles

For Researcher

Some related job titles are Research Analyst Salaries with median pay of $84,191, Research Engineer Salaries with median pay of $152,709, User Experience Researcher Salaries with median pay of $116,833, Research Associate Salaries with median pay of $80,189.

Top Paying Companies

For a Researcher in United States

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Researcher in United States. Employers include Meta, NVIDIA and Microsoft.

1
Meta
Meta
$270,116/yr
3K open jobs
2
NVIDIA
$214,642/yr
6
Adobe
$182,738/yr
8
Apple
$158,445/yr
9
Shell
$155,909/yr
See pay for all companies for a Researcher in United StatesView data as table

Top Paying Companies

For Researcher in United States

1Meta$270,116
2NVIDIA$214,642
3Microsoft$200,356
4Boston Consulting Group$191,908
5Intel Corporation$185,709
6Adobe$182,738
7Bridgewater Associates$178,699
8Apple$158,445
9Shell$155,909
10Genentech$151,692

What are total pay estimates for a Researcher at different companies?

or
Sort:
Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
Caltech (California)
4.4
ResearcherSee 414 salaries from this location

$61,262

 / yr
Microsoft
4.3
ResearcherSee 370 salaries from this location

$200,356

 / yr
Microsoft
4.3
ResearchSee 201 salaries from this location

$17,731

 / mo
University of Minnesota
4.2
ResearcherSee 150 salaries from this location

$60,015

 / yr
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4
ResearcherSee 129 salaries from this location

$82,558

 / yr
General Motors (GM)
4
ResearcherSee 128 salaries from this location

$119,649

 / yr
American Institutes for Research
3.9
ResearcherSee 121 salaries from this location

$67,570

 / yr

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University of Michigan
4.3
ResearcherSee 83 salaries from this location

$60,461

 / yr
IBM
3.9
ResearchSee 82 salaries from this location

$67

 / hr
Mathematica
3.9
ResearcherSee 80 salaries from this location

$68,770

 / yr
MIT
4.4
ResearcherSee 77 salaries from this location

$62,308

 / yr
UCLA
4.2
ResearcherSee 73 salaries from this location

$66,481

 / yr
Columbia University
4.1
ResearcherSee 69 salaries from this location

$65,113

 / yr
Meta
3.9
ResearchSee 66 salaries from this location

$20,621

 / mo
Procter & Gamble
4.1
ResearcherSee 65 salaries from this location

$110,635

 / yr
Forrester
3.1
ResearcherSee 60 salaries from this location

$98,646

 / yr
Battelle
3.8
ResearcherSee 60 salaries from this location

$88,841

 / yr
Stanford University
4.3
ResearcherSee 58 salaries from this location

$65,318

 / yr
Harvard University
4.3
ResearcherSee 57 salaries from this location

$64,927

 / yr
NYU (New York University)
4.3
ResearcherSee 52 salaries from this location

$68,045

 / yr
Download as data table

Researcher Salaries

Job TitleSalary
Caltech (California) Researcher salaries - 414 salaries reported$61,262/yr
Microsoft Researcher salaries - 370 salaries reported$200,356/yr
Microsoft Research salaries - 201 salaries reported$17,731/mo
University of Minnesota Researcher salaries - 150 salaries reported$60,015/yr
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Researcher salaries - 129 salaries reported$82,558/yr
General Motors (GM) Researcher salaries - 128 salaries reported$119,649/yr
American Institutes for Research Researcher salaries - 121 salaries reported$67,570/yr
University of Michigan Researcher salaries - 83 salaries reported$60,461/yr
IBM Research salaries - 82 salaries reported$67/hr
Mathematica Researcher salaries - 80 salaries reported$68,770/yr
MIT Researcher salaries - 77 salaries reported$62,308/yr
UCLA Researcher salaries - 73 salaries reported$66,481/yr
Columbia University Researcher salaries - 69 salaries reported$65,113/yr
Meta Research salaries - 66 salaries reported$20,621/mo
Procter & Gamble Researcher salaries - 65 salaries reported$110,635/yr
Forrester Researcher salaries - 60 salaries reported$98,646/yr
Battelle Researcher salaries - 60 salaries reported$88,841/yr
Stanford University Researcher salaries - 58 salaries reported$65,318/yr
Harvard University Researcher salaries - 57 salaries reported$64,927/yr
NYU (New York University) Researcher salaries - 52 salaries reported$68,045/yr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 4,860

Top Paying Industries

For a Researcher in United States

The top 5 paying industries for a Researcher in United States are Financial Services with a median total pay of $132,670, Information Technology with a median total pay of $113,492, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $110,885, Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $109,131, and Manufacturing with a median total pay of $103,280.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Financial ServicesFinancial Services$132,670

    52% Higher than other industries

  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$113,492

    43% Higher than other industries

  • Energy, Mining & UtilitiesEnergy, Mining & Utilities$110,885

    42% Higher than other industries

  • Aerospace & DefenseAerospace & Defense$109,131

    41% Higher than other industries

  • ManufacturingManufacturing$103,280

    38% Higher than other industries

Financial Services

Top paying companies in Financial Services for Researcher are Bridgewater Associates, Point72, and Dimensional Fund Advisors.

Bridgewater AssociatesBridgewater Associates$178,699/yr
Point72Point72$147,818/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Research & Science?

Research and science jobs offer pay well above the national average. Increased demand for STEM workers is increasing salaries in research and science. Jobs in these fields, however, often require higher education at the graduate level and/or specialized training. While domain-specific expertise gives workers in these fields access to very specialized jobs, there are also many employers who hire STEM workers for their general data and technology skills.

Recent Salaries Shared

For researcher

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Undergraduate Researcher

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$20

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Researcher

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$23,700

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Research Assisrant

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$55,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Researcher

United States of America

 | 10-14 years

$50,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

10-14 years
Yesterday
Researcher

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$21

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Researcher

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$20

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Product Researcher

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$80,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Doctoral Researcher

United States of America

 | 4-6 years

$2,800

/mo

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Undergraduate Researcher

United States of America

 | 1-3 years

$14

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday

Researcher pay FAQ

The average salary for a Researcher is $80,208 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 10026 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Researcher employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Researcher in United States is $108,710 per year.

The lowest salary for a Researcher in United States is $60,156 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Researcher or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Researcher.

The pay for researchers varies by field of expertise. Researchers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) or business-related fields typically command higher pay than researchers in humanities-related fields. This group can earn salaries into the six-figure range. The pay gap reflects differences in demand, as fewer private sector firms compete to hire humanities researchers.

Powered by Glassdoor Economic Research

Approximately 72% of researchers are happy with their salary, according to Glassdoor's statistics. Advanced education, industry-specific training and certifications, published works, and the potential of an extra $6,085.22 each year may qualify a researcher's salary as good.

As you gain experience through your career as a researcher, it's likely that your total pay will increase. The average yearly salary for a researcher is $74,123.13, although actual earnings depend greatly on specific areas of expertise. A researcher's salary can vary from $46,520.85 to $142,512.00, with those in senior or leadership positions typically earning an amount toward the higher end of the scale.

Do you want to earn more while working as a researcher? Here are several tips to help you make a higher salary. Work toward a higher academic degree in your chosen research field, attend industry-related conferences, and complete professional training. You should also develop your essential skills, such as data analysis, communication, and leadership. IT proficiency is highly desirable, and you should be confident at reporting your findings both orally and in written reports. Taking on extra responsibilities such as management of a team or laboratory, mentoring new researchers, and involvement in webinars may also help increase your salary.

If you're starting a new job as a researcher, draw attention to previous research projects and internships during your salary negotiations. Research the company's revenue and tailor your negotiation strategy accordingly. Let the recruiter open with the initial offer then counter and ask for more than you wish to receive, with the aim of agreeing to a salary somewhere between the two figures. When seeking a raise in your current salary as a researcher, highlight impactful research projects that you've worked on, contributions to publications, and participation in professional conferences. Additionally, provide examples of when you've taken a leadership or training role within your team or organization.

Additional Resources

Researcher Job Description Template

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