Highest-paying science jobs in Columbia

Written by:
February 9, 2023
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Highest-paying science jobs in Columbia

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-paying science jobs in Columbia, SC metro area using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage. Jobs the BLS lists as "life, physical, and social science occupations" were included.

#15. Chemical technicians

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $48,150
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,040
- Employment: 57,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($86,340)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($78,000)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($77,020)

#14. Hydrologists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $58,510
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,780
- Employment: 6,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($148,150)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($136,920)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,470)

#13. Occupational health and safety specialists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- #421 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,740
- Employment: 106,340
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($111,950)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($108,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($108,020)

#12. Microbiologists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $60,390
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,820
- Employment: 19,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Knoxville, TN ($125,380)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($121,530)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($115,340)

#11. Zoologists and wildlife biologists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $61,900
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,300
- Employment: 15,930
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($109,570)
--- Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS ($106,800)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($100,350)

#10. Chemists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $64,080
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $89,130
- Employment: 80,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($131,290)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($115,790)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($108,330)

#9. Urban and regional planners

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $64,310
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,310
- Employment: 38,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($119,680)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,760)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($112,740)

#8. School psychologists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $68,380
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,770
- Employment: 57,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($116,280)
--- El Centro, CA ($116,010)
--- Fresno, CA ($115,360)

#7. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $72,410
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,240
- Employment: 76,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($116,630)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($109,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($107,710)

#6. Economists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $72,690
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,830
- Employment: 15,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($162,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,320)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($156,360)

#5. Conservation scientists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $75,160
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,230
- Employment: 22,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($108,670)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($106,200)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($101,900)

#4. Social science research assistants

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $77,760
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,430
- Employment: 28,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($88,730)
--- Columbia, SC ($77,760)
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($70,570)

#3. Atmospheric and space scientists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $80,640
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $96,880
- Employment: 8,520
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,860)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($118,420)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($114,860)

#2. Clinical and counseling psychologists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $83,060
- #169 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $99,640
- Employment: 58,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($136,630)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($134,200)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($133,060)

#1. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $155,570
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $104,050
- Employment: 108,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Memphis, TN-MS-AR ($176,770)
--- Columbia, SC ($155,570)
--- Danbury, CT ($151,970)

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