Allexxandar // Shutterstock
1 / 41#41. Agricultural technicians
- Median annual wage: $39,150
- Median hourly wage: $18.82
- Total employment: 180 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying science jobs for people in Portland, Oregon
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 Portland. 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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2 / 41#40. Biological technicians
- Median annual wage: $47,390
- Median hourly wage: $22.78
- Total employment: 1,530 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 41#39. Chemical technicians
- Median annual wage: $48,900
- Median hourly wage: $23.51
- Total employment: 260 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ART STOCK CREATIVE // Shutterstock
4 / 41#38. Food science technicians
- Median annual wage: $50,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.30
- Total employment: 240 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
photodiem // Shutterstock
5 / 41#37. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- Median annual wage: $52,010
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 310 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 41#36. Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians
- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 120 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
7 / 41#35. Social science research assistants
- Median annual wage: $59,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
8 / 41#34. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 700 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAYA LAB // Shutterstock
9 / 41#33. Forest and conservation technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.08
- Total employment: 280 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
10 / 41#32. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,640
- Median hourly wage: $34.92
- Total employment: 110 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 41#31. Hydrologic technicians
- Median annual wage: $76,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
science photo // Shutterstock
12 / 41#30. Food scientists and technologists
- Median annual wage: $78,390
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 180 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
13 / 41#29. Anthropologists and archeologists
- Median annual wage: $80,670
- Median hourly wage: $38.78
- Total employment: 150 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aslysun // Shutterstock
14 / 41#28. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $81,070
- Median hourly wage: $38.98
- Total employment: 410 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Robert Kneschke // Shutterstock
15 / 41#27. Foresters
- Median annual wage: $81,140
- Median hourly wage: $39.01
- Total employment: 130 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 41#26. Survey researchers
- Median annual wage: $82,300
- Median hourly wage: $39.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
17 / 41#25. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $82,960
- Median hourly wage: $39.89
- Total employment: 430 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
18 / 41#24. Zoologists and wildlife biologists
- Median annual wage: $84,180
- Median hourly wage: $40.47
- Total employment: 360 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
19 / 41#23. Forensic science technicians
- Median annual wage: $86,150
- Median hourly wage: $41.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Agenturfotografin // Shutterstock
20 / 41#22. Historians
- Median annual wage: $87,920
- Median hourly wage: $42.27
- Total employment: Not available
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Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
21 / 41#21. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $88,000
- Median hourly wage: $42.31
- Total employment: 1,080 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 41#20. Epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $93,620
- Median hourly wage: $45.01
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 41#19. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,240
- Median hourly wage: $46.27
- Total employment: 280 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
angellodeco // Shutterstock
24 / 41#18. Microbiologists
- Median annual wage: $96,290
- Median hourly wage: $46.30
- Total employment: 130 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
25 / 41#17. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
- Median annual wage: $97,380
- Median hourly wage: $46.82
- Total employment: 980 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 41#16. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $98,850
- Median hourly wage: $47.52
- Total employment: 300 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Deemerwha studio // Shutterstock
27 / 41#15. Conservation scientists
- Median annual wage: $98,930
- Median hourly wage: $47.56
- Total employment: 340 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chad McDermott // Shutterstock
28 / 41#14. Urban and regional planners
- Median annual wage: $99,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.83
- Total employment: 590 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 41#13. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $99,540
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 1,510 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 41#12. Soil and plant scientists
- Median annual wage: $101,250
- Median hourly wage: $48.68
- Total employment: 130 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 41#11. Biochemists and biophysicists
- Median annual wage: $101,390
- Median hourly wage: $48.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
32 / 41#10. Social scientists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $102,500
- Median hourly wage: $49.28
- Total employment: 220 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
33 / 41#9. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $103,970
- Median hourly wage: $49.99
- Total employment: 160 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
34 / 41#8. Life scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,090
- Median hourly wage: $50.52
- Total employment: 160 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Patrizio Martorana // Shutterstock
35 / 41#7. Hydrologists
- Median annual wage: $107,980
- Median hourly wage: $51.91
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 41#6. Economists
- Median annual wage: $116,880
- Median hourly wage: $56.19
- Total employment: 160 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
37 / 41#5. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $118,640
- Median hourly wage: $57.04
- Total employment: 150 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
38 / 41#4. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $120,130
- Median hourly wage: $57.75
- Total employment: 420 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 41#3. Atmospheric and space scientists
- Median annual wage: $121,600
- Median hourly wage: $58.46
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 41#2. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $132,550
- Median hourly wage: $63.73
- Total employment: 230 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 41#1. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $155,560
- Median hourly wage: $74.79
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 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.
