How to Become a Natural Sciences Manager
Lead research teams and R&D programs, translating between the lab and the organization. It typically requires a master's degree, with a median salary of $167,220 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$167,220/yr
Middle half
$119,430 to $221,540
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
8,500
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Research Program Management
- Scientific Judgment
- Budgeting
- Team Leadership
- Communication
Helpful certifications
- Advanced science degree + management experience
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
66/100
Work-life balance
59/100
Stress level
45/100
Related careers
- Physicist$172,250 median
- Astronomer$128,820 median
- Biochemist$127,410 median
- Biostatistician$105,650 median
- Statistician$105,650 median
- Biomedical Scientist / Researcher$103,410 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Natural Sciences Manager make?
The median pay for a Natural Sciences Manager is $167,220 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $119,430 and $221,540 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Natural Sciences Manager?
The usual entry point is a master's degree. Common majors are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Business Administration, Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Atmospheric Science.
Is Natural Sciences Manager a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 8,500 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Natural Sciences Manager use most?
Common skills for this role are Research Program Management, Scientific Judgment, Budgeting, Team Leadership, and Communication.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).