luchschenF // Shutterstock
1 / 38#38. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: Not available
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying science jobs for people in San Francisco
For decades, the United States has funneled more money into research and development than any other country in the world. In 2023, this accounted for 37% of the world's scientific funding, creating a promising outlook for those pursuing a science-based career. In February 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projected an impressive 12.8% growth in science-related jobs by 2033.
However, that may have been overly optimistic: The Trump administration made significant cuts to staffing and grant funding in early 2025, which have created an enormous amount of job uncertainty in the sciences. And 2026 may not be any better, as the White House-proposed budget aims to cut funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation by 40% and 55%, respectively.
These cuts have shut down numerous research programs, creating more competition for the scientific jobs that do remain. That's a big part of the reason that new openings are drying up—in the first part of 2025, job postings were down 18%. Some researchers are even leaving the U.S., drawn to promises of academic freedom in places like Canada, Australia, and Europe.
The situation may seem dire, but it's important to note that recent events don't mean the end of scientific careers in the U.S. Many good jobs still exist, both in the public and private sectors. Of course, jobs in the sciences do require advanced education. While physicists, biochemists, and other medical scientists need to have a doctorate, other popular career fields don't require quite as much. An associate's degree is suitable for many technician roles. Other sectors, like food science, meteorology, environmental science, geology, and zoology, look for bachelor's degrees, and epidemiologists typically need a master's degree.
Think you have what it takes for a challenging and lucrative career in the sciences? Stacker used BLS data to find the highest-paying science jobs in San Francisco. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
2 / 38#37. Social science research assistants
- Median annual wage: $56,740
- Median hourly wage: $27.28
- Total employment: 810 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ART STOCK CREATIVE // Shutterstock
3 / 38#36. Food science technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 350 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
4 / 38#35. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 410 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
5 / 38#34. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,260
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 610 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Allexxandar // Shutterstock
6 / 38#33. Agricultural technicians
- Median annual wage: $67,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.67
- Total employment: 460 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
7 / 38#32. Chemical technicians
- Median annual wage: $68,000
- Median hourly wage: $32.69
- Total employment: 1,210 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAYA LAB // Shutterstock
8 / 38#31. Forest and conservation technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,220
- Median hourly wage: $33.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
photodiem // Shutterstock
9 / 38#30. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- Median annual wage: $73,990
- Median hourly wage: $35.57
- Total employment: 670 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
tilialucida // Shutterstock
10 / 38#29. Biological technicians
- Median annual wage: $79,270
- Median hourly wage: $38.11
- Total employment: 3,510 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PanuShot // Shutterstock
11 / 38#28. Anthropologists and archeologists
- Median annual wage: $79,740
- Median hourly wage: $38.34
- Total employment: 90 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
12 / 38#27. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,100
- Median hourly wage: $38.51
- Total employment: 2,000 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
13 / 38#26. Survey researchers
- Median annual wage: $87,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.97
- Total employment: 260 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Deemerwha studio // Shutterstock
14 / 38#25. Conservation scientists
- Median annual wage: $96,260
- Median hourly wage: $46.28
- Total employment: 370 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 38#24. Soil and plant scientists
- Median annual wage: $96,540
- Median hourly wage: $46.41
- Total employment: 210 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
16 / 38#23. Zoologists and wildlife biologists
- Median annual wage: $97,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.03
- Total employment: 260 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
17 / 38#22. Forensic science technicians
- Median annual wage: $103,930
- Median hourly wage: $49.96
- Total employment: 410 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
science photo // Shutterstock
18 / 38#21. Food scientists and technologists
- Median annual wage: $105,670
- Median hourly wage: $50.81
- Total employment: 360 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
19 / 38#20. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $110,240
- Median hourly wage: $53.00
- Total employment: 1,630 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
20 / 38#19. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $111,440
- Median hourly wage: $53.58
- Total employment: 360 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Robert Kneschke // Shutterstock
21 / 38#18. Foresters
- Median annual wage: $117,470
- Median hourly wage: $56.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 38#17. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $121,490
- Median hourly wage: $58.41
- Total employment: 760 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
23 / 38#16. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $124,270
- Median hourly wage: $59.75
- Total employment: 540 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
24 / 38#15. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $125,600
- Median hourly wage: $60.38
- Total employment: 1,850 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
angellodeco // Shutterstock
25 / 38#14. Microbiologists
- Median annual wage: $126,140
- Median hourly wage: $60.65
- Total employment: 870 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aslysun // Shutterstock
26 / 38#13. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $126,190
- Median hourly wage: $60.67
- Total employment: 2,040 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 38#12. Epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $126,390
- Median hourly wage: $60.76
- Total employment: 310 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
28 / 38#11. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $127,730
- Median hourly wage: $61.41
- Total employment: 940 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
29 / 38#10. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $129,400
- Median hourly wage: $62.21
- Total employment: 1,290 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
30 / 38#9. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $131,530
- Median hourly wage: $63.24
- Total employment: 160 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aodaodaodaod // Shutterstock
31 / 38#8. Sociologists
- Median annual wage: $132,200
- Median hourly wage: $63.56
- Total employment: 150 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 38#7. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,670
- Median hourly wage: $63.78
- Total employment: 4,320 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
33 / 38#6. Economists
- Median annual wage: $134,410
- Median hourly wage: $64.62
- Total employment: 440 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
34 / 38#5. Hydrologists
- Median annual wage: $137,270
- Median hourly wage: $65.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
35 / 38#4. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $140,850
- Median hourly wage: $67.72
- Total employment: 1,940 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 38#3. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $141,370
- Median hourly wage: $67.96
- Total employment: 70 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 38#2. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $142,540
- Median hourly wage: $68.53
- Total employment: 6,870 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
38 / 38#1. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $160,210
- Median hourly wage: $77.02
- Total employment: 2,220 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 291 metros.
