Is Research Scientist a good career in 2026?
D
40/100 · Below Average
Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
$81K
Median pay
+32%
vs US average
8%/yr
Demand growth
72/100
Future-proof
Reasons it's worth it
- ✓Pays 32% above the US average wage ($81K vs $62K).
- ✓Relatively automation-resilient (72/100 future-proof).
- ✓In-demand skills: Experimental Design, Statistics, Publication, Grant Writing.
Things to weigh
- !Competition can be high for the best-paid positions — keep skills current.
Dig into the numbers
Common questions
Is Research Scientist a good career in 2026?
On our data, Research Scientist scores 40/100 (Below Average). Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power. Median pay is $81K (32% above the US average), demand is ~8%/yr, and automation risk is 28/100.
Does Research Scientist pay well?
The median Research Scientist earns about $81K, which is 32% above the US average wage of $62K.
Will Research Scientist be automated by AI?
Automation risk is 28/100 (72/100 future-proof). Most of the role is hard to fully automate near-term.
Career score blends demand growth and automation risk; pay from BLS-anchored medians. A guide, not a guarantee.