Highest-paying science jobs for people in Chicago

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#42. Agricultural technicians

- Median annual wage: $43,360
- Median hourly wage: $20.85
- Total employment: Not available

#41. Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians

- Median annual wage: $46,880
- Median hourly wage: $22.54
- Total employment: 100 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Forest and conservation technicians

- Median annual wage: $47,500
- Median hourly wage: $22.84
- Total employment: 350 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Biological technicians

- Median annual wage: $51,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.98
- Total employment: 1,100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $58,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 660 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Animal scientists

- Median annual wage: $59,900
- Median hourly wage: $28.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Life scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 120 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Anthropologists and archeologists

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: Not available

#34. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,520
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 1,210 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#33. Soil and plant scientists

- Median annual wage: $63,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 320 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Social science research assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 180 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Food science technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,760
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 320 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

- Median annual wage: $64,770
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 540 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 1,350 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Conservation scientists

- Median annual wage: $66,730
- Median hourly wage: $32.08
- Total employment: 360 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Biochemists and biophysicists

- Median annual wage: $67,100
- Median hourly wage: $32.26
- Total employment: 210 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Microbiologists

- Median annual wage: $74,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 670 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#25. Zoologists and wildlife biologists

- Median annual wage: $77,780
- Median hourly wage: $37.39
- Total employment: 130 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

- Median annual wage: $78,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.77
- Total employment: 3,760 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Nuclear technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,780
- Median hourly wage: $37.87
- Total employment: 480 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Foresters

- Median annual wage: $78,860
- Median hourly wage: $37.91
- Total employment: 110 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. School psychologists

- Median annual wage: $80,600
- Median hourly wage: $38.75
- Total employment: 2,800 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Biological scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $80,970
- Median hourly wage: $38.93
- Total employment: 760 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Psychologists, all other

- Median annual wage: $89,640
- Median hourly wage: $43.09
- Total employment: 710 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#18. Urban and regional planners

- Median annual wage: $93,290
- Median hourly wage: $44.85
- Total employment: 730 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers

- Median annual wage: $95,360
- Median hourly wage: $45.85
- Total employment: 160 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#16. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health

- Median annual wage: $96,410
- Median hourly wage: $46.35
- Total employment: 870 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Clinical and counseling psychologists

- Median annual wage: $98,240
- Median hourly wage: $47.23
- Total employment: 2,980 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Political scientists

- Median annual wage: $98,300
- Median hourly wage: $47.26
- Total employment: 90 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Survey researchers

- Median annual wage: $98,510
- Median hourly wage: $47.36
- Total employment: 240 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#12. Occupational health and safety specialists

- Median annual wage: $98,780
- Median hourly wage: $47.49
- Total employment: 1,810 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#11. Food scientists and technologists

- Median annual wage: $99,320
- Median hourly wage: $47.75
- Total employment: 570 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Forensic science technicians

- Median annual wage: $99,670
- Median hourly wage: $47.92
- Total employment: 270 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Epidemiologists

- Median annual wage: $100,200
- Median hourly wage: $48.17
- Total employment: 180 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Chemists

- Median annual wage: $100,720
- Median hourly wage: $48.42
- Total employment: 2,810 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Social scientists and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $101,580
- Median hourly wage: $48.84
- Total employment: 430 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Atmospheric and space scientists

- Median annual wage: $119,270
- Median hourly wage: $57.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Physical scientists, all other

- Median annual wage: $122,950
- Median hourly wage: $59.11
- Total employment: 410 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Economists

- Median annual wage: $123,140
- Median hourly wage: $59.20
- Total employment: 470 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#3. Materials scientists

- Median annual wage: $130,440
- Median hourly wage: $62.71
- Total employment: 360 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Physicists

- Median annual wage: $131,260
- Median hourly wage: $63.11
- Total employment: 1,580 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. Sociologists

- Median annual wage: $134,730
- Median hourly wage: $64.78
- Total employment: Not available

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 291 metros.

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