Management

Natural Sciences Managers

SOC 11-9121

Direct scientists and research programs and turn findings into projects.

The job

Median pay

$167k

$119k to $222k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+8.2% projected

Openings a year

9.2k

BLS projection

Typical education

Bachelor's

Our model

AI displacement risk

High

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

6/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

80th pct

More exposed than 80% of occupations · modeled estimate · 38th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

62/100

At a glance

The $167,220 median for Natural Sciences Managers runs $100,030 above the typical occupation we cover, and 35% above the Management median. Set against Computer & Information Systems Managers (+16%), the +8.2% projection here is 7.8 points lower. Hiring volume is roughly 9,200 openings a year. For Natural Sciences Managers, the typical entry route is a bachelor's degree. Projected employment change for 2025 to 2035 is +8.2%, ahead of the typical occupation we cover. Works-with-AI scores 6/100 against high displacement risk, closer to displacement than to help, with modeled exposure at the 80th percentile.

Take the next step

Weigh it against Technical Program ManagersPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostMassachusetts leads at $267k; all states are listed below Find careers like itOpen the map at Natural Sciences Managers and explore its neighbours See open jobsNatural Sciences Managers roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Natural Sciences Managers, who lean most on reading comprehension Real pay & reviewsSelf-reported pay and reviews on Glassdoor

Similar pay in Management

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Monitoring

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 50 states and DC. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	14,950	0.8	1.2×	$210k
Massachusetts	10,590	2.9	4.2×	$267k
New Jersey	10,040	2.3	3.4×	$207k
Pennsylvania	7,980	1.3	1.9×	$138k
Texas	7,470	0.5	0.8×	$130k
North Carolina	6,010	1.2	1.7×	$174k
New York	5,690	0.6	0.8×	$135k
Maryland	4,820	1.7	2.5×	$169k
Florida	4,370	0.4	0.6×	$112k
Georgia	3,212 (estimated)	0.7 (estimated)	0.9× (estimated)	$163k (estimated)

All 50 states and DC

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Illinois	2,810	0.5	0.7×	$160k
Washington	2,490	0.7	1.0×	$182k
Michigan	2,220	0.5	0.7×	$129k
Oregon	1,700	0.9	1.2×	$143k
Indiana	1,670	0.5	0.8×	$108k
Colorado	1,640	0.6	0.8×	$153k
Ohio	1,560	0.3	0.4×	$137k
Washington DC	1,540	2.2	3.1×	$157k
Minnesota	1,530	0.5	0.7×	$136k
Virginia	1,470	0.4	0.5×	$151k
Utah	1,286 (estimated)	0.7 (estimated)	1.1× (estimated)	$119k
Missouri	1,230	0.4	0.6×	$129k
Connecticut	1,190	0.7	1.0×	$211k
Louisiana	1,181 (estimated)	0.6 (estimated)	0.9× (estimated)	$116k
Wisconsin	1,070	0.4	0.5×	$129k
Arizona	900	0.3	0.4×	$125k
Tennessee	880	0.3	0.4×	$125k
South Carolina	780	0.3	0.5×	$131k
Alaska	710	2.2	3.1×	$131k
Idaho	610	0.7	1.0×	$125k
Iowa	610	0.4	0.6×	$110k
Nebraska	550	0.5	0.8×	$121k
Hawaii	510	0.8	1.2×	$108k
Delaware	440	0.9	1.3×	$196k (estimated)
Maine	430	0.7	1.0×	$141k
Kentucky	400	0.2	0.3×	$126k
New Mexico	400	0.5	0.7×	$143k (estimated)
Alabama	370	0.2	0.3×	$133k
Montana	370	0.7	1.0×	$119k
Arkansas	340	0.3	0.4×	$119k
Nevada	320	0.2	0.3×	$112k
Oklahoma	310	0.2	0.3×	$112k
Vermont	290	1.0	1.4×	$131k
Kansas	240	0.2	0.2×	$154k
New Hampshire	240	0.4	0.5×	$134k
Mississippi	210	0.2	0.3×	$119k
Rhode Island	200	0.4	0.6×	$130k
South Dakota	180	0.4	0.6×	$128k
West Virginia	160	0.2	0.3×	$138k
Wyoming	150	0.5	0.8×	$109k
North Dakota	140	0.3	0.5×	$131k

Top metro areas

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ10,100 jobs · $180k median
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH9,570 jobs · $291k median
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV5,890 jobs · $169k median
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA5,530 jobs · $225k median
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD5,510 jobs · $173k median
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA2,890 jobs · $207k median
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX2,870 jobs · $133k median
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA2,530 jobs · $193k median

Where this ranks

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.