Geneticist Salary in the US | How Much Do A Geneticist Make in 2023? – (Updated)

geneticist-salary
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It isn’t out of place to wonder about the salary of a geneticist in the U.S or how much a clinical geneticist, plant geneticist, and medical geneticist earn if you have your mind set on a career in this field.

Individuals who choose a career as geneticists study how environmental factors interact with genes to cause various diseases or species adaption to them.

“If your parents are diabetic, so can you,” or “We get a pink rose by blending the branches of a red and a white rose plant,” are phrases we’ve all heard.

True, but how do we know for sure? Genetics is a branch of biology that studies genes, inheritance, mutation, genetic variation, and genetic roles in aging and illness.

Here, in this article, we will discuss careers in genetics, the salary of a geneticist, high-paying jobs in genetics, and how to become a geneticist in the U.S.

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Who is a Geneticist?

A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and the variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer.

Genetics is the study of heredity in general and of genes in particular.

Genetics is the field of biology that concentrates on genes, genetic variation, and heredity.

Geneticists study how these genes are inherited, activated, or mutated. They also scrutinize how genes affect health, diseases, and the environment.

There are several specialties and subspecialties in the field of genetics, and training varies for each. Medical geneticists, for example, are trained to counsel and diagnose patients with genetic disorders and are required to complete an eighteen-month residency training program.

On the other hand, a physician’s license is also required for medical or clinical geneticists since they are trained to treat and diagnose genetic disorders.

To be certified as a geneticist, you must complete an accredited clinical residency program and an accredited laboratory fellowship.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a Geneticist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $31.75 an hour? That’s $66,049 a year!

Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 10,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

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What Does a Geneticist Do?

Individuals who opt for a career as a geneticist work in both medical and scientific fields to gain a better understanding of mutation, reproduction, and cell growth.

The work of a professional in the field of Genetics typically consists of detecting genotypes, keeping records of genetic ailments, detecting faulty/misfired genes, employing mutation techniques, analyzing test results, and many other functions.

After having conducted tests or experiments, they prepare reports for clinicians and clients (patients), explaining to them the results of their analysis.

The Geneticist will research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism, or population level and may evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.

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Factors Affecting the Salary of Geneticists in the U.S.

Some factors influence or decide the compensation scale of professionals in any sector. Geneticists, as a result, are not exempt.

In the United States, the salary of a geneticist is determined by the following factors.

Certification/Skill

Certification and experience are two criteria that influence how much a geneticist earns in the U.S.

Experience

Experience plays a major role in determining the salary of a geneticist. Therefore, the level of experience he has, the more he is likely to earn.

Levels

Employees at a certain level are entitled to a certain pay. The salary of a geneticist in the U.S. can also be influenced by the level he occupies.

For instance, a senior-level geneticist earns more than one in an entry-level position.

Are Geneticists Well Paid?

Yes, geneticists are well paid. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, geneticists make an average of $80,370 per year or $38.64 per hour, though these figures always fluctuate.

The lowest 10% of geneticists make an annual salary of $57,750 or less, while the highest 10% of geneticists earn $107,450 or more per year.

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What is the Average Salary for a Geneticist in 2023?

As of May 31, 2022, the average annual pay for a Geneticist in the United States is $96,458 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $46.37 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,855/week or $8,038/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $145,500 and as low as $52,000, the majority of Geneticist salaries currently range between $73,000 (25th percentile) to $125,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $142,000 annually across the United States.

The average pay range for a Geneticist varies greatly (by as much as $52,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.

A Geneticist in your area makes on average $96,458 per year or the same as the national average annual salary of $96,458. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Geneticist salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Geneticist jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America

PercentileAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly Rate
90th Percentile$133,000$11,083$64
75th Percentile$95,000$7,917$46
Average$66,049$5,504$32
25th Percentile$45,000$3,750$22
10th Percentile$32,000$2,667$15
Source: zippia.com

How Much Does a Geneticist Make in the US?

It will interest you to know that geneticists earn based on different salary scales as displayed below:

How Much Does a Geneticist Make A Year?

Geneticists in America make an average salary of $66,049 per year or $32 per hour. The top 10 percent make over $133,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent are under $32,000 per year.

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How Much Does Geneticist Make a Month?

Geneticist monthly payments range from $8,038 /month to $10,24/month according to ZipRecruiter

Similarly, a geneticist makes $8,019 per month.

How Much Does a Geneticist Make Weekly?

The weekly salary of a geneticist is $1,854 /week according to ZipRecruiter.

Annual SalaryWeekly Pay
Top Earners$143,500$2,759
75th Percentile$134,500$2,586
Average$101,527$1,952
25th Percentile$70,000$1,346

How Much Does a Geneticist Make Per Hour?

Geneticists receive an hourly payment of $46 /hour in the U.S. However, this payment is based on several factors, such as location, education, skill, and experience.

Salary of a Geneticist in the US Based on Location

StateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
Alabama$66,475$31.961
Alaska$84,595$40.67
Arizona$72,087$34.66
Arkansas$67,946$32.67
California$88,943$42.7615
Colorado$66,879$32.15
Connecticut$96,975$46.62
Delaware$91,894$44.181
District of Columbia$88,371$42.49
Florida$58,777$28.262
Georgia$66,496$31.97
Hawaii$70,287$33.79
Idaho$59,799$28.75
Illinois$76,665$36.869
Indiana$61,527$29.582
Iowa$70,700$33.99
Kansas$69,684$33.50
Kentucky$77,010$37.02
Louisiana$74,944$36.031
Maine$76,518$36.791
Maryland$89,507$43.033
Massachusetts$95,850$46.0814
Michigan$78,767$37.87
Minnesota$63,447$30.501
Mississippi$74,517$35.83
Missouri$72,063$34.65
Montana$62,748$30.17
Nebraska$68,108$32.742
Nevada$81,949$39.40
New Hampshire$93,123$44.77
New Jersey$74,509$35.825
New Mexico$66,129$31.793
New York$74,853$35.996
North Carolina$68,728$33.042
North Dakota$67,316$32.362
Ohio$83,859$40.324
Oklahoma$65,911$31.69
Oregon$74,248$35.70
Pennsylvania$83,457$40.122
Rhode Island$97,275$46.77
South Carolina$74,950$36.03
South Dakota$66,221$31.84
Tennessee$67,290$32.35
Texas$66,666$32.056
Utah$68,014$32.702
Vermont$86,207$41.45
Virginia$74,345$35.741
Washington$68,935$33.143
West Virginia$83,342$40.07
Wisconsin$55,757$26.818
Wyoming$55,338$26.60
Source: zippia.com

What are the Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Geneticist Jobs

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Geneticist job is above the national average. Topping the list is San Mateo, CA, with Green River, WY, and Richmond CA close behind in the second and third positions.

Richmond, CA beats the national average by $17,334 (18.0%), and San Mateo, CA furthers that trend with another $25,663 (26.6%) above the $96,458 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Geneticist appear to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies very little at 11% between San Mateo, CA and Brockton, MA, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement.

The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Geneticist role.

CityAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
San Mateo, CA$122,121$10,177$2,348$58.71
Green River, WY$115,333$9,611$2,218$55.45
Richmond, CA$113,792$9,483$2,188$54.71
Stamford, CT$112,468$9,372$2,163$54.07
Bellevue, WA$111,815$9,318$2,150$53.76
Brooklyn, NY$111,331$9,278$2,141$53.52
Belgrade, MT$110,489$9,207$2,125$53.12
Santa Clara, CA$109,767$9,147$2,111$52.77
New Haven, CT$108,773$9,064$2,092$52.29
Brockton, MA$108,435$9,036$2,085$52.13
Source: ZipRecruiter

We found at least five jobs related to the Geneticist job category that pay more per year than a typical Geneticist salary. Top examples of these roles include: Quantitative Geneticist, Quantitative Genetics, and Senior Research Scientist.

Importantly, these example jobs are paid between $1,880 (1.9%) and $19,540 (20.3%) more than the average Geneticist salary of $96,458. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related Geneticist jobs may help you make more money than that the average Geneticist

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
Quantitative Geneticist$115,998$9,666$2,231$55.77
Quantitative Genetics$108,323$9,027$2,083$52.08
Senior Research Scientist$105,399$8,783$2,027$50.67
Medical Genetics Physician$99,871$8,323$1,921$48.01
Cancer Geneticist$98,338$8,195$1,891$47.28

Salary for a Geneticist in the US Based on Level

Geneticists also earn according to level. Let’s take a look at them:

How Much Does a PGeneticist Make Based on Entry Level in 2023?

The average salary for entry-level geneticist jobs is $79,351.

An Entry Level Geneticist with less than three years of experience can expect to earn an average starting salary of $62,310 per year.

A mid-level Geneticist with 4-9 years of experience earns an average salary of $77,450, while a Senior Geneticist with 10-20 years of experience makes on average $85,490.

Geneticists with more than 20 years of experience earn $103,670 per year on average.

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How Much Does a Geneticist Make at the Senior Level?

The average salary for a Geneticist at the senior level is $79,460 per year ($6,620 per month), which is $25,970 (+49%) higher than the average salary in the United States.

A Geneticist can expect an average starting salary of $50,260. The highest salaries can exceed $157,490.

Geneticist Salary By Education Level

EducationSalary
Master’s Degree$72,769
Bachelor’s Degree$54,437
Doctorate Degree$96,343
Source: zippia.com

Geneticist Salary By Year

YearAvg. SalaryHourly Rate% Change
2022$66,000$31.75+3.6%
2021$63,700$30.61+3.2%
2020$61,600$29.63+3.6%
2019$59,400$28.55+2.5%
2018$57,900$27.85-0.5%
2017$58,200$27.98+0.6%
2016$57,900$27.82+2.7%
2015$56,300$27.07+0.0%
2014$56,300$27.07+2.6%
2013$54,800$26.36
Source: Zippia

Salary for a Geneticist in the US Based on Field

Clinical Geneticist Salary

A clinical geneticist is a medical doctor specializing in managing patients and families with or at risk of a genetic condition.

They work closely with genetic counselors to support patients, families, and clinical teams in the management of genetic conditions.

The base salary for Clinical Geneticist ranges from $147,293 to $198,618 with the average base salary of $170,305.

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Plant Geneticist Salary

A plant geneticist is a scientist involved with the study of genetics in botany. Typical work is done with genes in order to isolate and then develop certain plant traits.

As of May 31, 2022, the average annual pay for a Plant Geneticist in the United States is $82,077 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $39.46 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,578/week or $6,840/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $143,000 and as low as $22,000, the majority of Plant Geneticist salaries currently range between $55,000 (25th percentile) to $108,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $138,000 annually across the United States.

The average pay range for a Plant Geneticist varies greatly (by as much as $53,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.

 A Plant Geneticist in your area makes on average $82,094 per year or $17 (0%) more than the national average annual salary of $82,077. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Plant Geneticist salaries.

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Medical Geneticist Salary

Medical geneticists specialize in medicine that involves the interaction between genes and health. They are trained to evaluate, diagnose, manage, treat and counsel individuals of all ages with hereditary disorders.

As of May 31, 2022, the average annual pay for a Medical Geneticist in the United States is $71,240 a year according to ZipRecruiter.

If you need a quick pay calculator, that works out to about $34.25 per hour. This equates to $1,370 each week or $5,937 per month.

While annual salaries for Medical Geneticists range from $34,500 (25th percentile) to $90,500 (75th percentile) on ZipRecruiter, the majority of Medical Geneticist salaries currently range from $34,500 (25th percentile) to $90,500 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $137,500 annually across the United States.

The average compensation for a Medical Geneticist ranges widely (up to $56,000), implying that there may be numerous prospects for growth and higher pay dependent on skill level, location, and years of experience.

A Medical Geneticist in your area makes on average $71,268 per year or $28 (0%) more than the national average annual salary of $71,240. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Medical Geneticist salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Medical Geneticist jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

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Animal Geneticist Salary

Animal geneticists analyze the genetic makeup of animals in order to discover which genes cause them to behave in certain ways.

Geneticists may also study animal health to determine what causes animals to be immune to specific diseases or fail to thrive in certain environments.

The average annual income for an Animal Geneticist in the United States is $63,621 per year as of May 31, 2022.

In case you need a quick salary calculation, that works out to roughly $30.59 per hour. This equates to $1,223 each week or $5,302 per month.

While annual salaries for Animal Geneticists range from $29,000 (25th percentile) to $85,500 (75th percentile) on ZipRecruiter, the majority of Animal Geneticist salaries currently range from $29,000 (25th percentile) to $85,500 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $131,000 annually across the United States.

The average compensation for an Animal Geneticist ranges widely (up to $56,500), implying that there may be numerous prospects for growth and higher pay dependent on skill level, location, and years of experience.

In your location, an Animal Geneticist earns on average $64,110 per year, which is $489 (1%) more than the national average yearly pay of $63,621. Animal Geneticist wages rank first out of 50 states nationwide.

ZipRecruiter regularly checks its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America to generate the most accurate annual salary range for Animal Geneticist positions.

JobSalaryDifference
Clinical Geneticist$89K/year+12% 
Medical Geneticist$88K/year+11% 
Molecular Geneticist$88K/year+11% 
Research Geneticist$86K/year+8% 
Pediatric Geneticist$84K/year+6% 
Animal Geneticist$79K/year -1%
Plant Geneticist$78K/year -2%
Source: jobted.com

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Are There Other Benefits of Being a Geneticist Aside From the Salary?

Aside from a respectable salary, a geneticist’s perks include overtime, health, vision, and dental insurance, retirement plans, and paid vacation.

Furthermore, a geneticist is a scientist with particular training in the study of genes and heredity, a career as a geneticist provides more job security than any other position in the plan (the passing of genetic information from parents to their children).

A medical geneticist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases and illnesses.

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What are Geneticist Job Prospects?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of genetic counselors is projected to grow 26 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 300 openings for genetic counselors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Furthermore, many of those positions are likely to arise as a result of the need to replace individuals who shift to alternative occupations or leave the workforce for other reasons, such as retirement.

As a result, the demand for geneticists is expected to increase. It also looks to be a stepping stone toward more advanced roles.

Conclusion

In the United States, geneticists can earn anything from $96,458 a year. It’s important to note that this is one of the best medical occupations available.

Regardless of the rigorous schooling and training, it pays off because they are in high demand and the job is still rewarding.

Frequently Asked Questions on geneticist salary

How do I become an animal Geneticist?

A bachelor’s degree in genetics or a related field such as animal science, biology, poultry science, or dairy science is followed by a master’s degree. Some roles may require a doctorate-level degree.

Is Animal Genetics a major?

A program that focuses on the scientific study of the genetics of multicellular animal life forms from the experimental, comparative, and clinical (veterinary and medical) viewpoints.

What skills do you need to be an animal Geneticist?

People in this role must be able to analyze the data they collect from their genetic research to help find solutions in their area of work. Technical skills: They must be able to use laboratory equipment, DNA scanners, and a variety of software applications.

What is the job outlook for an animal geneticist?

Vacancies for this career have slightly increased by 72.08 percent nationwide in that time, with an average growth of 4.50 percent per year. 

Demand for Animal Scientists is expected to go up, with an expected 350 new jobs filled by 2029. This represents an annual increase of 1.47 percent over the next few years

What education is needed to become a geneticist?

A geneticist is someone who has a medical degree or a Ph. D. degree in science and received several years of specialized training in genetics via a postdoctoral program in the field.

Some geneticists are physicians, while others are not

How do I become an animal Geneticist?

A bachelor’s degree in genetics or a related field such as animal science, biology, poultry science, or dairy science is followed by a master’s degree. Some roles may require a doctorate-level degree.

Is Animal Genetics a major?

A program that focuses on the scientific study of the genetics of multicellular animal life forms from the experimental, comparative, and clinical (veterinary and medical) viewpoints.

What skills do you need to be a animal Geneticist?

People in this role must be able to analyze the data they collect from their genetic research to help find solutions in their area of work. Technical skills: They must be able to use laboratory equipment, DNA scanners, and a variety of software applications.

What is the job outlook for an animal geneticist?

Vacancies for this career have slightly increased by 72.08 percent nationwide in that time, with an average growth of 4.50 percent per year. 

Demand for Animal Scientists is expected to go up, with an expected 350 new jobs filled by 2029. This represents an annual increase of 1.47 percent over the next few years

What education is needed to become a geneticist?

A geneticist is someone who has a medical degree or a Ph. D. degree in science and received several years of specialized training in genetics via a postdoctoral program in the field.

Some geneticists are physicians while others are not

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