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Natural Sciences Managers

Typical education: Master's degreeModerate pressure

What they do

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $167,220 Median per year · $80.39/hr Most earn $79,710–$316,850

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Develop client relationships and communicate with clients to explain proposals, present research findings, establish specifications, or discuss project status.
  • Prepare and administer budgets, approve and review expenditures, and prepare financial reports.
  • Provide for stewardship of plant or animal resources or habitats, studying land use, monitoring animal populations, or providing shelter, resources, or medical treatment for animals.
  • Provide for stewardship of plant or animal resources or habitats, studying land use, monitoring animal populations, or providing shelter, resources, or medical treatment for animals.
  • Prepare project proposals.
  • Conduct own research in field of expertise.

Job outlook

United States
8% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 9,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences38.4%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service11.5%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools6.7%
  • Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing4.9%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals4.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Natural Sciences Managers are not an entry-level job. People usually spend several years doing science work and earn a master's degree before moving into management, often about 8 to 10 years after starting college. Your results are a starting point for exploring, not a final answer.

  1. Bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, or another natural science

    4 years

    You build a foundation in science, lab methods, and data analysis, which every later step depends on.

  2. Biological Technician

    2-3 years

    You run experiments, collect and check data, and learn how real research projects work day to day, which prepares you for more responsibility.

  3. Biologist

    2-3 years

    Usually with a master's degree, you design studies, lead parts of projects, and often manage other people's work, building the experience that management needs.

  4. Natural Sciences Manager

    Ongoing career

    You plan, direct, and coordinate research or R&D work in fields like life sciences or physical sciences, setting goals, budgets, and schedules for teams.

Where it can lead

  1. Research Director

    5+ years in a manager role of experience first

    You set the research direction for a larger group or department and answer for results across several projects.

  2. Director of Research and Development

    Several years as a research manager of experience first

    You oversee an entire R&D area, make big decisions about funding and priorities, and usually report to senior company or organization leaders.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and math coursesStrong science and math classes build the base you need for a natural science degree later.
  • Join the science club or a science fair teamPlanning experiments and presenting results practices both research skills and the leadership skills managers need.
  • Volunteer or find a summer job at a lab, nature center, or hospitalEven simple tasks like washing equipment or recording data show you how a working science team runs.
  • Practice writing and public speakingManagers must explain science clearly to others, so English and speech classes are useful.

In college

  • Choose a major in biology, chemistry, or another natural scienceThis is the most common route into research and science management, and it leads to the lab jobs that come before it.
  • Work as a lab assistant or research aide on campusPaid or volunteer lab work gives you experience with equipment, data, and team routines that employers look for.
  • Join a science or research student groupLeading events or projects in a club builds the organizing and coordination skills that managers use.
  • Take courses in statistics, data analysis, or project managementThese skills are used in nearly every research program and help you plan and track work.
  • Look for research projects with a professorWorking on a real project helps you learn how research is designed and can lead to a strong reference for master's programs.

Tips for getting started

  • Get hands-on lab, field, or data work early. Employers value real experience running projects, and it shows whether you enjoy the day-to-day work.
  • Practice teamwork and communication. Managers spend much of their time explaining science to non-scientists, writing reports, and coordinating people.
  • Look for a bachelor's program with research opportunities, since research experience often matters as much as grades when applying to master's programs and jobs.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

  • Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $77,658 a year · typical debt $34,154
  • Biology, General Master's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $47,196 a year · typical debt $40,607
  • Applied Mathematics Master's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $90,692 a year · typical debt $34,212
  • Data Science Master's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $107,873 a year · typical debt $38,994
  • History Master's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $49,924 a year · typical debt $31,702
  • Statistics Master's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $99,597 a year · typical debt $29,791

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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