CCollegeMatcher

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

US occupation · SOC 19-1042

Job titles people report: Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist), Clinical Pharmacologist, Clinical Research Scientist, Medical Researcher, Physician Scientist, Research Scientist, Researcher, Scientist, Study Director, Toxicologist

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025
$103,410
Half earn more, half earn less
Middle half earn
$79,840 – $139,380
25th to 75th percentile
People employed, May 2025
172,340
Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
Projected change, 2025–35
+12.6%
Growing at twice the all-jobs rate or more (7%+)
Openings a year (projected)
10,500
New jobs plus replacing people who leave
Typical education to enter
Doctoral or professional degree
BLS
  • All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
  • Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
  • Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities.

Main tasks

  • Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
  • Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
  • Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
  • Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
  • Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
  • Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
  • Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
  • Write applications for research grants.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)
Doctoral or professional degree
O*NET Job Zone 5
Extensive preparation
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Interests it suits

The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.

  • Investigative: research, analysis and solving problems with ideas
  • Realistic: hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
  • Conventional: organising information, records and procedures

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 210 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Biology & Life Sciences

  • Biomedical Sciences, General
  • Biochemistry
  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Molecular Biochemistry
  • Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
  • Anatomy
  • Developmental Biology and Embryology
37 more programmes
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology and Anatomy
  • Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
  • Virology
  • Parasitology
  • Immunology
  • Microbiology and Immunology
  • Infectious Disease and Global Health
  • Human/Medical Genetics
  • Physiology, General
  • Molecular Physiology
  • Cell Physiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Reproductive Biology
  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology
  • Vision Science/Physiological Optics
  • Pathology/Experimental Pathology
  • Oncology and Cancer Biology
  • Aerospace Physiology and Medicine
  • Biomechanics
  • Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Pharmacology
  • Neuropharmacology
  • Toxicology
  • Molecular Toxicology
  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology, Other
  • Biostatistics
  • Epidemiology
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Neuroanatomy
  • Neurobiology and Anatomy
  • Neurobiology and Behavior
  • Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Other

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Biology & Life Sciences at the Major step.

Where many students take biology & life sciences

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Health & Nursing

  • Medical Science/Scientist
  • Clinical and Translational Science
  • Tropical Medicine
  • Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies, Other
  • Pharmaceutics and Drug Design
  • Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
  • Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
1 more programmes
  • Environmental Health

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Health & Nursing at the Major step.

Where many students take health & nursing

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Psychology

  • Psychopharmacology

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Psychology at the Major step.

Where many students take psychology

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Social Sciences

  • Forensic Anthropology

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Social Sciences at the Major step.

Where many students take social sciences

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Other fields

Our college matcher doesn't offer these fields as a major, so we can't suggest colleges for them here.

Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs

  • Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Program, General
  • Diagnostic Radiology/Nuclear Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Emergency Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program
  • Family Medicine/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Family Medicine/Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Family Medicine/Preventive Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Family Medicine/Psychiatry Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program
144 more programmes
  • Internal Medicine/Dermatology Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine/Critical Care Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Family Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Neurology Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Internal Medicine/Psychiatry Combined Specialty Program
  • Medical Genetics and Genomics/Maternal-Fetal Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Pediatrics/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program
  • Pediatrics/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program
  • Pediatrics/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program
  • Pediatrics/Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Combined Specialty Program
  • Pediatrics/Psychology/Child-Adolescent Psychology Combined Specialty Program
  • Psychiatry/Neurology Combined Specialty Program
  • Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility/Medical Genetics and Genomics Combined Specialty Program
  • Combined Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Integrative Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Medical Toxicology Fellowship Program
  • Neuromuscular Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Pain Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Sports Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Surgery of the Hand Fellowship Program
  • Telemedicine Fellowship Program
  • Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Women's Health Fellowship Program
  • Multiple-Pathway Medical Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Program
  • Allergy and Immunology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Anesthesiology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Dermatopathology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship Program
  • Dermatology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Disaster Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Emergency Medical Services Fellowship Program
  • Emergency Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Family Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program
  • Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Fellowship Program
  • Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
  • Hematology Fellowship Program
  • Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program
  • Infectious Disease Fellowship Program
  • Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program
  • Nephrology Fellowship Program
  • Medical Oncology Fellowship Program
  • Pulmonary Disease Fellowship Program
  • Rheumatology Fellowship Program
  • Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Program
  • Internal Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Clinical Biochemical Genetics Residency Program
  • Clinical Genetics and Genomics Residency Program
  • Laboratory Genetics and Genomics Residency Program
  • Medical Biochemical Genetics Residency Program
  • Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Neurological Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Program
  • Epilepsy Fellowship Program
  • Headache Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Fellowship Program
  • Vascular Neurology Fellowship Program
  • Neurology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Nuclear Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program
  • Maternal and Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility Fellowship Program
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Ophthalmology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship Program
  • Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Orthopedic Surgery of the Spine Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Orthopedics Fellowship Program
  • Orthopedic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Osteopathic Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Neurotology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Program
  • Otolaryngology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Chemical Pathology Fellowship Program
  • Cytopathology Fellowship Program
  • Forensic Pathology Fellowship Program
  • Hematological Pathology Fellowship Program
  • Immunopathology Fellowship Program
  • Laboratory Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Medical Microbiology Fellowship Program
  • Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellowship Program
  • Neuropathology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Pathology Fellowship Program
  • Radioisotopic Pathology Fellowship Program
  • Pathology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Program
  • Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship Program
  • Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatrics Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck Fellowship Program
  • Plastic Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Podiatric Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Preventive Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program
  • Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship Program
  • Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program
  • Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program
  • Psychiatry Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Radiation Oncology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Abdominal Radiology Fellowship Program
  • Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship Program
  • Neuroradiology Fellowship Program
  • Nuclear Radiology Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Radiology Fellowship Program
  • Vascular and Interventional Radiology Fellowship Program
  • Radiology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program
  • Congenital Cardiac Surgery Fellowship Program
  • Pediatric Surgery Fellowship Program
  • Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program
  • Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Program
  • Vascular Surgery Fellowship Program
  • Surgery Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Pediatric Urology Fellowship Program
  • Urology Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other
  • Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs, Other

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

  • Biopsychology
  • Gerontology

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

← All careers

Sources

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0

Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk