Understanding Median Salary
- The scientist's career salary is the median salary figure for that occupation. In this example, a chemist's median salary is $73,480.
Source: O*NET Online, U.S. Department of Labor, May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates http://www.onetonline.org/. - U.S. Mean Annual Wage is $49,630.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm - Minimum Wage figure of $15,080 represents the annual wage that would be earned for full time work at the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Minimum wage effective July 24, 2009 http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/minimumwage.htm
Sample Salary Graphics for Science Career Chemist: $73,740

Sources:
ONet http://online.onetcenter.org
BLS http://www.bls.gov/emp/, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#19-0000
DOL http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/minimumwage.htm