California · 2025–2026 pay · 32,761 people
How much are scientists and science technicians paid in California?
$89,063typical pay for scientists and science technicians, 2025–2026
$55,980 – $120,820what most people earned
Counts everyone paid during the year, including part-year workers, in the 242 jobs listed below (part-time-schedule titles left out). Each employer counts with its latest published year (2025 or 2026).
✓ Official data from 7 agencies · Matches each agency's latest release · Show sourcesHide sources
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- LA County Auditor-Controller · lacounty.gov ↗
- LA City Controller · controller.lacity.gov ↗
- SF Controller's Office · sf.gov ↗
- San Mateo County · smcgov.org ↗
- City of Richmond · ci.richmond.ca.us ↗
- City of San Jose · sanjoseca.gov ↗
Pay by job
Typical pay counts everyone paid during each job's latest year. Short, seasonal roles (typical pay under $5,000) are listed last.
- Environmental Scientist Range C1,981 people$84,132
- Environmental Health Specialist1,209 people$92,772
- Jr Specialist1,143 people$38,282
- Senior Environmental Scientist Specialist1,066 people$104,408
- Assistant Project Scientist-Fy958 people$80,917
- Clin Research Crd839 people$75,691
- Sra Nex763 people$66,238
- Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisory714 people$137,679
- Assistant Specialist644 people$59,475
- Senior Planner631 people$124,026
- Associate Planner628 people$100,329
- Clin Rsch Crd618 people$79,100
- Air Pollution Specialist Range C538 people$120,634
- Fish and Wildlife Scientific Aid525 people$17,087
- Psychologist-Clinical Correctional Facility Range Q443 people$175,177
- Assistant Planner441 people$76,832
- Associate Specialist428 people$77,625
- Laboratory Assistant402 people$55,096
- Environmental Scientist Range B369 people$57,845
- Clinical Psychologist359 people$137,293
- Associate Project Scientist-Fy351 people$93,575
- Engineering Geologist Range D334 people$129,567
- Project Scientist-Fy329 people$122,067
- Assistant Res-Fy324 people$97,117
- Senior Transportation Planner314 people$110,027
- Air Quality Specialist292 people$108,536
- Jr Specialist Nex292 people$11,481
- Environmental Specialist285 people$111,187
- Associate Transportation Planner284 people$90,412
- Clin Research Supervisor281 people$114,867
- Principal Planner274 people$144,443
- Senior Criminalist257 people$135,348
- Air Resources Supervisor250 people$159,526
- Engineering Geologist Range C244 people$112,338
- Ehs Specialist Rx235 people$101,438
- Transportation Planner227 people$113,595
- Hazardous Materials Specialist222 people$126,989
- Ehs Specialist218 people$118,779
- Intrm Postdoc Scholar-Employee211 people$36,348
- Senior Psychologist Correctional Facility Specialist Range P183 people$190,674
- Lab Research Supervisor180 people$99,763
- Air Quality Inspector174 people$93,559
- Clin Research Crd Senior Nex171 people$102,736
- Forestry Technician Range a165 people$59,296
- Counseling Psychologist Hx163 people$117,457
- Fish and Wildlife Technician Range B163 people$52,542
- Public Health Microbiologist147 people$106,041
- Associate Res-Fy144 people$119,750
- Environmental Scientist143 people$106,019
- Planning Technician143 people$56,774
- City Planner142 people$139,538
- Staff Air Pollution Specialist142 people$143,827
- Environmental Health Technician138 people$57,140
- Clin Rsch Crd Senior Ex134 people$89,504
- Laboratory Assistant Correctional Facility Range B133 people$45,556
- Land Use/Environ Planner133 people$98,134
- Planning Assistant133 people$83,383
- Senior Engineering Geologist Range a132 people$155,792
- Research Scientist Staff128 people$107,099
- Psychologist Health facility-Clinical-Safety Range127 people$149,669
- Clin Research Coordinator125 people$80,937
- Senior Psychologist Correctional Facility Supervisor Range P125 people$186,682
- Research Scientist Chemical sciences124 people$108,178
- Research Technician Range123 people$26,167
- Senior Environmental Planner123 people$116,390
- Scientific Aid117 people$20,012
- Conservationist Range B116 people$89,712
- Forensic Scientist116 people$140,459
- Psychologist-Clinical Correctional Facility Range P113 people$121,364
- Air Pollution Specialist Range B109 people$80,638
- Research Analyst108 people$102,796
- Senior Engineering Geologist Range S107 people$156,305
- Consulting Psychologist Range U106 people$159,100
- Associate Environmental Planner105 people$99,465
- Field Researcher104 people$45,335
- Ehs Specialist Nex Rx102 people$91,302
- Research Scientist Social/Behavioral sciences101 people$101,579
- Assistant Specialist Nex100 people$13,938
- Clin Research Coordinator Assistant99 people$49,165
- Assistant Project Scientist-Fy-B/E/E98 people$92,620
- Forensic Specialist96 people$97,251
- Senior Psychologist Health facility Specialist Range U96 people$158,035
- Postdoc-Employee Nex94 people$20,760
- Intern-Clinical Psychology Nex92 people$26,703
- Laboratory Analyst91 people$91,800
- Staff Toxicologist Specialist88 people$123,198
- Research Scientist85 people$95,284
- Senior Environmental Specialist85 people$132,190
- Psychologist Health facility-Clinical-Safety Range U84 people$91,223
- Laboratory Supervisor83 people$115,369
- Air Resources Technician82 people$43,723
- Coastal Program Analyst78 people$94,246
- Research Scientist Supervisor78 people$141,198
- Res Analyst Behavioral Sciences76 people$106,514
- Supervising Psychologist76 people$158,380
- Supervising Transportation Planner76 people$133,825
- Transportation Planner Range C76 people$70,243
- Water Quality Technician76 people$105,492
- Lab Technician74 people$73,772
- Materials Testing Technician74 people$78,887
- Environmental Health and Safety Professional Range73 people$80,357
- Clinical Psychology Intern Range D72 people$17,301
- Regional Planner71 people$98,477
- Water Resources Technician71 people$74,225
- Clin Rsch Crd Senior Nex70 people$101,921
- Chief Psychologist Correctional Facility Range P69 people$238,533
- Forester Supervisory68 people$172,737
- Agron Aes66 people$249,094
- Research Fellow - Ne Range66 people$23,846
- Forensic Technician65 people$80,907
- Research Specialist65 people$83,862
- Engineering Geologist Range B64 people$79,710
- Research Scientist Microbiological sciences64 people$97,653
- Safety Specialist64 people$79,517
- Senior Psychologist Health facility Supervisor Range U63 people$161,830
- Senior Regional Planner62 people$120,113
- Environmental Scientist Range a61 people$39,310
- Research Fellow Range60 people$60,000
- Agron Aes-Ay59 people$217,947
- Forensic Print Specialist59 people$131,643
- Conservation Technician57 people$32,852
- Criminalist Range C57 people$91,233
- Associate Health Physicist56 people$112,698
- Senior Environmental Health Specialist56 people$129,669
- City Planning Associate55 people$113,744
- Forester Nonsupervisory55 people$116,078
- Supervising Environmental Health Specialist54 people$129,293
- Chief Environmental Health Specialist53 people$131,940
- Criminalist Supervisor52 people$153,280
- Senior Air Quality Specialist52 people$121,373
- Senior Chemist52 people$147,343
- Vis Assistant Project Scientist52 people$24,285
- Intern-Clin Psych-Gen Camp Nex51 people$23,232
- Fish and Wildlife Technician Range a50 people$38,695
- Supervising Criminalist48 people$176,794
- Forensic Identification Specialist47 people$126,425
- Environmental Health and Safety Specialist46 people$134,198
- Field Researcher Rp46 people$82,586
- Senior Laboratory Assistant46 people$51,222
- Associate Agron Aes-Ay45 people$176,864
- Associate Environmental Planner Archeology45 people$99,945
- Clin Rsch Analyst Rp45 people$111,438
- Research Scientist Epidemiology/Biostatistics45 people$81,123
- Epidemiology Analyst43 people$87,577
- Lab Helper43 people$29,263
- Senior Environmental Health Insp43 people$175,178
- Supervising Engineering Geologist43 people$175,868
- Water Quality Specialist43 people$102,966
- Ehs Supervisor42 people$126,973
- Principle Transportation Planner42 people$102,558
- Assistant Res-Fy-B/E/E41 people$121,750
- Environmental Technician41 people$56,840
- Forestry Technician41 people$13,500
- Senior Laboratory Technician41 people$98,349
- Transportation Planning Associate41 people$132,586
- Agricultural Biologist/Weights and Measures40 people$69,134
- Criminalist Lv40 people$141,509
- Associate Energy Specialist Technology evaluation and development39 people$71,303
- Survey Researcher39 people$50,807
- Associate Environmental Planner Natural sciences38 people$101,569
- Supervising Planner37 people$108,165
- Resource Specialist36 people$75,847
- Senior Industrial Hygienist36 people$149,299
- Agricultural Tchn Prn35 people$69,482
- Assistant Project Scientist-Fy Nex35 people$16,839
- Senior City Planner35 people$183,862
- Senior Epidemiologist35 people$130,274
- Senior Research Analyst35 people$108,492
- Supervising Epidemiologist35 people$157,831
- Associate Specialist Nex34 people$22,985
- Agricultural Tchn33 people$21,550
- Assistant Agron Aes-Ay33 people$158,679
- Industrial Hygienist33 people$120,934
- Planner - Senior33 people$124,790
- Senior Water Resources Specialist33 people$199,287
- Water Resources Specialist33 people$98,069
- Associate State Archeologist32 people$76,866
- Clin Research Analyst Rp32 people$134,023
- Clin Rsch Analyst32 people$118,566
- Reg Envrnmtlhlth Specialist32 people$122,541
- Communicable Disease Investgr31 people$73,601
- Criminalist Range B31 people$67,204
- Environmental Compliance Specialist31 people$91,279
- Environmental Health Inspector31 people$136,846
- Research Scientist Supervisor Social/Behavioral sciences31 people$130,757
- Associate Project Scientist-Fy-B/E/E30 people$113,267
- Crime Scene Investigator30 people$88,361
- Crime Scene Specialist30 people$81,556
- Crime Scene Technician30 people$81,080
- Supervising Air Quality Specialist30 people$147,895
- Associate Hazardous Materials Specialist Range B29 people$97,538
- Associate Res-Fy-B/E/E29 people$154,080
- Environmental Affairs Officer29 people$179,075
- Planner Assistant29 people$80,880
- Project Scientist-Fy-B/E/E29 people$132,517
- Supervisor Environmental Health Specialist29 people$120,129
- Sustainability Professional Range29 people$78,603
- Agricultural Tchn Senior28 people$59,215
- Environ Health Specialist28 people$82,028
- Planning Intern28 people$6,217
- Principal Regional Planner28 people$134,457
- Safety Inspector28 people$82,839
- Senior Public Health Microbiologist28 people$111,804
- Latent Print Analyst27 people$86,486
- Latent Print Examiner27 people$111,651
- Clin Research Coordinator Senior Ex26 people$102,721
- Forensic Investigator26 people$94,104
- Laboratory Assistant Range B26 people$40,085
- Psychologist Ceh26 people$127,771
- Research Scientist Supervisor Microbiological sciences26 people$145,499
- Senior Safety Specialist26 people$116,376
- Associate Regional Planner25 people$86,589
- Biologist / Standards Specialist25 people$121,150
- Research Scientist Supervisor Chemical sciences25 people$141,516
- Safety Coordinator25 people$93,532
- Ag Biologist/Standard Specialist24 people$80,248
- Coroner Technician24 people$64,445
- Energy Analyst Range C24 people$60,516
- Environmental Planner Range C24 people$72,741
- Laboratory Technician Assistant24 people$61,142
- Planner - Associate24 people$96,164
- Public Health Epidemiologist24 people$80,923
- Resource Conservation Specialist24 people$114,813
- Senior Toxicologist24 people$165,687
- Vector Ecologist24 people$115,550
- Environmental Analyst20 people$91,589
- Laboratory Scientist19 people$113,304
- Research Scientist Senior19 people$128,711
- Safety Analyst18 people$128,481
- Senior Biologist17 people$168,707
- Senior Forensic Scientist14 people$168,905
- Associate Chemist11 people$124,372
- Senior Psychologist10 people$137,705
- Environmental Program Coordinator8 people$102,744
- Research Technician8 people$53,217
- Senior Laboratory Scientist8 people$135,153
- Epidemiologist Senior7 people$115,308
- Environmental Program Specialist6 people$76,716
- Safety Administrator6 people$151,352
- Wildlife Biologist6 people$27,687
- Conservation Planner5 people$45,398
- Student Researcher575 people$2,359
No jobs match.
Other job groups in California
- Police, fire and security176,179 people$130,399
- Office and administrative support170,152 people$58,553
- Teachers and librarians139,376 people$26,771
- Doctors, nurses and health professionals124,234 people$123,749
- Social work and counseling92,074 people$78,333
- Business and finance jobs81,158 people$89,636
- Managers52,322 people$139,893
- Recreation and personal care43,179 people$6,848
- Computer and IT jobs42,342 people$109,549
- Cleaning and grounds31,436 people$48,245
- Drivers and transportation29,426 people$73,263
- Engineers and architects28,964 people$126,204
- Healthcare support25,409 people$58,315
- Maintenance and repair25,059 people$86,439
- Construction and trades23,475 people$81,905
- Legal jobs21,161 people$172,369
- Arts, media and sports10,671 people$71,787
- Food service8,247 people$51,841
- Plant operators and production7,480 people$109,684
- Farming, fishing and forestry2,308 people$37,267
- Sales and cashiers561 people$53,920
Jobs are grouped by the federal Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2018) major groups. This page: Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (SOC 19-0000). Job titles we could not place with confidence are left out. "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this