Geneticist Salary

Tap to Read ➤ Dr. Sumaiya Khan

The salary a geneticist commands depends on many factors. Read on for details of some important factors that can affect a geneticist's salary. The salary a geneticist commands depends on many factors. Read on for details of some important factors that can affect a geneticist's salary.

Nowadays, every scientist and doctor in the world is trying to cure a disease, rather than merely treat it. Almost every fiber in our being is dictated by a gene, or a group of genes. In fact, even cancer is now being identified on the basis of the genes and the type of mutation responsible for bringing about the disease.

Hence, scientists are trying to get to the root of the problems, which lies in the genes. This is where a geneticist is needed. Many aspiring geneticists often wonder about the salary. But before that, understand exactly what geneticists do.

Job Description

As mentioned earlier, geneticists are involved with studying and identifying genes. Hence, there are different types of geneticists, like molecular geneticists and clinical geneticists. They perform tests to diagnose rare genetic diseases and disorders in fetuses. This helps to understand whether or not the child has a debilitating genetic disorder.

Another job that the geneticist does is to diagnose and treat disorders related to pregnancy, which may have an underlying genetic base, like infertility or the problem of multiple miscarriages. Many geneticists are also involved in doing research work, and most of these end up drawing a large chunk of the salary.

Geneticists evaluate the severity of symptoms, like mental retardation or other genetically responsible disabilities. They are also involved with genetic counseling, in which they deal with families who have a history of genetic disorders or defects. They need to do research and use statistics to determine the probability of landing with a healthy child.

Salary Range

The salary of a geneticist is determined by a lot of factors. This includes the education of the individual, the location, experience, job profile, etc. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, as of May 2017 the average geneticist salary on an annual basis was USD 77,480. This approximately comes to an hourly wage of USD 37.25.

Also, the highest average yearly salary of a geneticist was seen in Nevada at USD 96,870! Next in line was South California at USD 89,920, California at USD 86,200 and New Jersey at USD 84,450 per year. Massachusetts has the highest number of geneticists working in the state with salary of about USD 80,030 per year.

Many industries are involved with employment, which eventually affects the salary of jobs related to a geneticist. It is generally seen that scientists and geneticists that are involved with research are the ones that are paid the most when compared to their counterparts in other fields. The average geneticist salaries based on the type of employer are -

Here is an information about the average salary of a geneticist in accordance with the type of domain or an employer he works with: Medical and diagnostic laboratories - US$ 84,970 Offices of physicians - US$ 80,920 Hospitals; state, local, and private - US$ 74,780 Colleges, universities, and professional schools; (state, local, and private0 - US$ 73,330

This is a very lucrative job for anyone wanting to make a career in this field. Geneticists are in huge demand as there is need to unravel the secrets behind human genetics and diseases whose exact causative factor is still not known. So, if you want a great and exciting job which also offers great returns, then the job of a geneticist is just for you!