What are the top science job salaries and resources available?

AI Thread Summary
Entry-level salaries for various science jobs, including physicists, mathematicians, and engineers, are discussed, with national averages available through specific salary resources. The average salary for astronomers is noted to be around $100,000, which raises questions about data accuracy and representation in salary surveys. It's emphasized that location significantly impacts salary comparisons, as the cost of living varies widely across states. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is recommended as a more reliable resource for job outlook and salary data. Overall, while high salaries are reported, actual earnings can differ based on experience, location, and job demand.
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Wow. So astronomers make 100k con average?
 
Krandor said:
Wow. So astronomers make 100k con average?
Sounds pretty sweet right! Time to study up!
 
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60K for experienced electrical engineers? Where do I find those? We pay over $100k for anyone with more than a few years experience.
 
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Krandor said:
Wow. So astronomers make 100k con average?
That's incredible... Anyone in the field have insight as to why that is so high comparatively? I've seen some pretty shocking cases of misrepresentation in salary surveys before, so I can't help but wonder..
 
Note that statistic is about people employed as astronomers, not people with astronomy degrees. Most people with astronomy degrees don't become astronomers.
 
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If you look at the "statistics" tab, you will see that they have very little data for astronomers (compared to physicists). Small numbers of data points means large fluctuations in those points.
 
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MathAmateur said:
60K for experienced electrical engineers? Where do I find those? We pay over $100k for anyone with more than a few years experience.

It says for Electrical Engineer 1, which basically means relative beginner.

Also keep in mind that a salary that is $60,000 in Cleveland may be the same as a $100,000 salary in New York city. (Same $800 apartment in Cleveland could cost $3,000 per month in New York City)
In other words, you can have identical life styles with two different salaries comparing two different states.
Noting the cost to live in your city is vital when comparing two different salaries from two different states.

The links above give the median average across the USA which can be misleading.
 
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very true, the whole point of salary.com is to use the zip code feature
 
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Is this before or after taxes?
 
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It also depends on demand at the time. I did a double degree in Math and Computer Science back in 1982. I could have gone into math or CS. Was head hunted in computing so decided on that. Starting salaries were about the same - (this is Australia) at about $60k in today's terms. But computing was exploding and I was a Team Leader/Senior Programmer in 3 years at, in today's terms about $120k. That's in the government BTW - you earn less but get better conditions eg larger amounts paid into super. Contractors earn quite a bit more but getting and keeping a job is variable.

Thanks
Bill
 
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Data science is hard to get into, in my opinion. You need a good amount of experience and expertise. There are a few entry level data science job posts that I've run into that offer training and require 0 experience, but they are not super common. Data analytic jobs usually have lower standards, and consequently pay much less, but not always.

These salary stats always seem inflated to me. I was able to make 75k with a master's degree, but a lot of that was due to random luck, and I was also living near Washington D.C. I think around 40-60k in a moderately priced area is likely. The stats are just over the high end of my estimation.
 
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Well, I got a job in data science but it's related to actual science research and not like stock trading, insurance or banking. So, the salary isn't what you'd expect a data scientist to make, but I'm happy with it. Salary is 57k in North Carolina, which comes out to roughly equivalent to 75k in D.C., except I can afford a much nicer apartment.
 
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  • #17
Zap said:
Well, I got a job in data science but it's related to actual science research apartment.

A university down the road, Bond University, stopped its computer science degree and replaced it with a combined actuarial science - data science degree. You do not have to take data analytics as the second major, but they highly recommend it.:
https://bond.edu.au/program/bachelor-actuarial-science

Evidently very good job prospects.

Thanks
Bill
 

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