Science · Career brief

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$103,410

High national median pay

2025 national median. Top quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

12.6%

Strong projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top 10% for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

10,500

Above the middle on opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Professional degree

Long formal preparation is part of the path

Doctoral or professional degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Analytical

Problem-solving and analysis dominate the profile

Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

ChooseField take

The strongest national signals are pay and growth; each ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if analytical work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a professional-degree path. Main tradeoff: The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

Before choosing, compare:Biochemists and Biophysicists Astronomers Physicists

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists with another field Explore rankings in Science Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$103,410

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

12.6%employment growth10,500openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Doctoral or professional degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

181,000

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Medical scientists, except epidemiologists (19-1042).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.6
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.5
Thinking Creatively4.3
Getting Information4.3
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.3

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Investigative7.0
Realistic4.3
Conventional3.7
Social3.3
Artistic2.4
Enterprising2.2

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Biology Medicine and Dentistry Chemistry Mathematics

Software and tools named in job postings

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Run a small investigation with a written hypothesis, observations or public data, and a conclusion that states what the evidence cannot prove.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Medical scientists, except epidemiologists nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Writing, Active Learning, Science among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include R; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Biochemists and Biophysicists, Astronomers, Physicists, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists.