Explore Careers

Medical Scientist

O*NET-SOC: 19-1042.00

Healthcare

Conducts biomedical research to advance knowledge of life processes and diseases, designing clinical trials, analyzing biological data, and developing new treatments, drugs, or medical devices.

See your fit

Take the quiz to see how you match

Take the Quiz

$101K

Median Salary

+10%

Growing

Doctoral Degree

Min. Education

Moderate Balance

Work-Life Balance

About This Role Medical scientists conduct research to understand how diseases develop and to find new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat them. They spend much of their time in laboratories running experiments: growing cells in controlled environments, testing how those cells respond to potential drugs, and analysing the results using specialised instruments and software.

A typical morning might involve preparing samples, setting up an experiment to test whether a compound slows the growth of cancer cells, and monitoring equipment, while the afternoon is spent analysing data, reading published studies to stay current, and writing up findings.

A Day in the Life

8:00 AM

Lab setup and quality checks

Calibrate instruments, prepare chemical solutions, and run diagnostic checks on equipment to ensure accurate results.

8:30 AM

Cell culture maintenance

Check on cells growing in the incubator, divide healthy cultures into new containers, and count samples to track growth.

10:00 AM

Run experiments

Set up test plates, apply drug compounds to cell samples at different doses, and place them in the incubator to observe effects.

12:00 PM

Lunch and data review

Take a break, then begin importing results from the morning's experiments into analysis software to check initial trends.

1:00 PM

Data analysis

Use statistical software to look for patterns in the data, create charts showing how cells responded to different treatments.

3:00 PM

Plan next experiments

Design the next round of tests based on today's results, select the right materials, and place orders for supplies.

4:30 PM

Team meeting

Present preliminary findings to the research group, discuss unexpected results, and brainstorm solutions together.

6:00 PM

Clean up and log results

Collect final samples, record all procedures and observations in the lab notebook, and secure equipment before leaving.

Tools & Technologies

• Analytics & Science

• IBM SPSS Statistics

• SAS
• The MathWorks MATLAB

• BioArray Software Environment BASE

• Medical Scientists HybridAI

• Programming Languages
• R

• Python

• Operating Systems

• Linux

• UNIX

• Spreadsheets

• Microsoft Excel

• Office Suites

• Microsoft Office

• Development Tools

• Microsoft Visual Basic
• Integrated development environment IDE software

• National Instruments LabVIEW

Salary Details

Salary Distribution

Salary distribution for Medical Scientist: 10th percentile $62K, 25th $77K, median $101K, 75th $134K, 90th $168K Median $62K $77K $101K $134K $168K

Most professionals earn between $77K and $134K

Medical Scientist salary percentile distribution Percentile Salary 10th $62K 25th $77K 50th (Median) $101K 75th $134K 90th $168K

Salary by State

Medical Scientist salary by state map

Medical Scientist salary by state State Median Salary Salary Range California $131K $80K - $169K Massachusetts $129K $80K - $183K Connecticut $128K $65K - $210K New Jersey $127K $77K - $213K District of Columbia $111K $69K - $192K Maine $108K $54K - $220K Rhode Island $104K $61K - $231K North Carolina $104K $59K - $200K Maryland $104K $67K - $172K Arizona $102K $66K - $171K Washington $101K $64K - $164K Alaska $101K $76K - $233K Nevada $101K $82K - $213K Oregon $100K $65K - $184K Pennsylvania $99K $61K - $179K Florida $98K $62K - $218K Delaware $98K $64K - $178K Missouri $97K $62K - $172K Kansas $96K $61K - $158K Tennessee $96K $60K - $153K Virginia $95K $62K - $193K Georgia $94K $66K - $173K New Hampshire $92K $66K - $153K South Carolina $88K $49K - $217K Iowa $85K $63K - $132K New York $85K $67K - $169K West Virginia $84K $65K - $228K Minnesota $83K $61K - $138K Michigan $81K $62K - $164K Wisconsin $81K $53K - $129K Ohio $79K $51K - $138K Oklahoma $79K $55K - $152K Utah $79K $60K - $131K Illinois $78K $49K - $158K Texas $78K $61K - $135K Indiana $77K $57K - $131K South Dakota $77K $61K - $122K Colorado $77K $51K - $147K Nebraska $76K $50K - $106K North Dakota $76K $45K - $148K Idaho $76K $49K - $101K Kentucky $73K $52K - $152K Vermont $67K $63K - $169K Montana $67K $50K - $112K Alabama $66K $48K - $119K Arkansas $65K $54K - $118K New Mexico $61K $37K - $132K Mississippi $49K $40K - $78K

Medical Scientist salary by state State Median Salary Salary Range California $131K $80K - $169K Massachusetts $129K $80K - $183K Connecticut $128K $65K - $210K New Jersey $127K $77K - $213K District of Columbia $111K $69K - $192K Maine $108K $54K - $220K Rhode Island $104K $61K - $231K North Carolina $104K $59K - $200K Maryland $104K $67K - $172K Arizona $102K $66K - $171K Washington $101K $64K - $164K Alaska $101K $76K - $233K Nevada $101K $82K - $213K Oregon $100K $65K - $184K Pennsylvania $99K $61K - $179K Florida $98K $62K - $218K Delaware $98K $64K - $178K Missouri $97K $62K - $172K Kansas $96K $61K - $158K Tennessee $96K $60K - $153K Virginia $95K $62K - $193K Georgia $94K $66K - $173K New Hampshire $92K $66K - $153K South Carolina $88K $49K - $217K Iowa $85K $63K - $132K New York $85K $67K - $169K West Virginia $84K $65K - $228K Minnesota $83K $61K - $138K Michigan $81K $62K - $164K Wisconsin $81K $53K - $129K Ohio $79K $51K - $138K Oklahoma $79K $55K - $152K Utah $79K $60K - $131K Illinois $78K $49K - $158K Texas $78K $61K - $135K Indiana $77K $57K - $131K South Dakota $77K $61K - $122K Colorado $77K $51K - $147K Nebraska $76K $50K - $106K North Dakota $76K $45K - $148K Idaho $76K $49K - $101K Kentucky $73K $52K - $152K Vermont $67K $63K - $169K Montana $67K $50K - $112K Alabama $66K $48K - $119K Arkansas $65K $54K - $118K New Mexico $61K $37K - $132K Mississippi $49K $40K - $78K

Lower ($49K-$90K)Middle (~$90K)Higher ($90K-$131K)

Highest Paying States

• 1.California$131K
• 2.Massachusetts$129K
• 3.Connecticut$128K
• 4.New Jersey$127K
• 5.District of Columbia$111K

Lowest Paying States

• 1.Mississippi$49K
• 2.New Mexico$61K
• 3.Arkansas$65K
• 4.Alabama$66K
• 5.Montana$67K

Certifications, Training & Memberships

Recommended

Medical Laboratory Scientist MLS (ASCP)

American Society for Clinical Pathology

Certification

Certifies competency in lab techniques for medical research and diagnostics.

Professional Memberships

Professional Membership

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Membership

Provides access to journals, conferences, and networking in biomedical sciences.

Work Environment

Remote Work Hybrid (Remote + Office)

Work Setting Traditional office / indoor

Physical Activity Moderate physical activity

Social Interaction Highly collaborative — frequent team interaction

Schedule Extended hours common

Your Skills & Attributes

Skills & Competencies Matches (40)

• Speaking

Strong Match

• Science

Strong Match

• Active Learning

Strong Match

• Reading Comprehension

Strong Match

• Active Listening

Strong Match

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Medical Scientist a good career?

Medical Scientist can be a rewarding career choice. Based on current data, the median salary is $101K and job outlook is growing (10% projected growth). Whether it's a good fit depends on your skills, interests, and values — take our quiz to find out how well you match.

What degree do you need to become a Medical Scientist?

The typical education requirement for a Medical Scientist is a Doctoral Degree. However, requirements can vary by employer and specialization. Some professionals enter the field with alternative credentials or relevant work experience.

How long does it take to become a Medical Scientist?

Becoming a Medical Scientist typically requires about 8-10 years of higher education (including undergraduate and graduate studies). Additional time may be needed for certifications, internships, or on-the-job training depending on the specific role and employer requirements.

What is the work-life balance like for a Medical Scientist?

The work-life balance for a Medical Scientist is moderate, with some periods requiring extended hours or flexibility. Individual experiences vary based on employer, specialization, seniority level, and geographic location.

What is the job outlook for Medical Scientist?

The job outlook for Medical Scientist is growing. Employment is projected to grow by 10% over the coming decade. Labor market conditions can vary by region and specialization.

Find Medical Scientist Jobs

Google Jobs

(opens in new tab)

Aggregated listings from across the web

Search Medical Scientist jobs

Indeed

(opens in new tab)

One of the largest job search engines

Search Medical Scientist jobs

LinkedIn

(opens in new tab)

Professional network job listings

Search Medical Scientist jobs

Related Careers

Use arrow keys or swipe to scroll through related career cards

Healthcare

Clinical Psychologist

Diagnoses and treats mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders through observation, interviews, and psychological tests, providing psychotherapy and developing treatment plans to help individuals cope with life challenges.

Healthcare

Dental Assistant

Assists dentists during procedures, prepares patients for treatment, sterilizes instruments, takes X-rays, manages patient records, and provides basic chairside care in dental offices.

Healthcare

Dental Hygienist

Cleans teeth, examines patients for signs of oral diseases, provides preventive dental care, takes dental X-rays, and educates patients on proper oral hygiene practices.

Healthcare

Dentist

Diagnoses and treats diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. Examines patients, takes X-rays, fills cavities, extracts teeth, and fits prosthetics such as dentures and crowns.

Healthcare

Dietitian and Nutritionist

Plans and conducts food service or nutritional programs to help people lead healthy lives, advising on dietary modifications for disease management, wellness promotion, and public health.