Geneticists Career, Salary and Skills
Geneticists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $98,920 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 55,850. Wage data is published for 208 locations.
Occupation description
Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.
O*NET code
19-1029.03
Job zone
5
Typical education
Post-Doctoral Training
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$98,920
Hourly median
$47.56
Employment
55,850
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.25 | 5.00 |
| Science | 4.12 | 4.38 |
| Writing | 4.00 | 4.88 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.88 | 3.88 |
Typical tasks
- Supervise or direct the work of other geneticists, biologists, technicians, or biometricians working on genetics research projects.
- Plan or conduct basic genomic and biological research related to areas such as regulation of gene expression, protein interactions, metabolic networks, and nucleic acid or protein complexes.
- Prepare results of experimental findings for presentation at professional conferences or in scientific journals.
- Maintain laboratory notebooks that record research methods, procedures, and results.
- Write grants and papers or attend fundraising events to seek research funds.
- Search scientific literature to select and modify methods and procedures most appropriate for genetic research goals.
- Review, approve, or interpret genetic laboratory results.
- Evaluate, diagnose, or treat genetic diseases.
Technology
- Basic Local Alignment Search Tool BLAST
- Bioinformatics databases
- C++
- ClustalW
- Database software
- Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA sequence analysis software
- Email software
- Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
- Git
- GitHub
- Golden Helix HelixTree
- HapMap
- Insightful S-PLUS
- Linux
Geneticists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Geneticists Salary in CAMedian $113,530 · Employment 11,880
- Geneticists Salary in Washington, DCMedian $114,920 · Employment 5,720
- Geneticists Salary in MDMedian $121,680 · Employment 4,970
- Geneticists Salary in San Francisco, CAMedian $138,160 · Employment 4,280
- Geneticists Salary in MAMedian $107,100 · Employment 2,930
- Geneticists Salary in NCMedian $100,070 · Employment 2,780
- Geneticists Salary in Boston, MAMedian $110,410 · Employment 2,630
- Geneticists Salary in WAMedian $108,110 · Employment 2,620
- Geneticists Salary in NYMedian $104,120 · Employment 2,520
- Geneticists Salary in TXMedian $80,870 · Employment 2,480
- Geneticists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $96,380 · Employment 2,320
- Geneticists Salary in New York, NYMedian $111,380 · Employment 1,970
Related careers
- StatisticiansNational median $105,650
- Bioinformatics TechniciansNational median $81,490
- Clinical Research CoordinatorsNational median $167,220
- Genetic CounselorsNational median $100,040
- Data ScientistsNational median $120,230
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory TechniciansNational median not published
- BiostatisticiansNational median $105,650
- Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $84,620
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.