Compensation Data Offers Entomologists Insights for Career Advancement

How much is your expertise in insect science truly worth, and how does it compare across the field? How can entomologists ensure their salaries and benefits are aligned with industry standards? And how do their roles, compensation, and experiences vary across sectors and career stages?

Insect Science Career Data (ISCD), a salary-benchmarking tool offered by the Entomological Society of America (ESA), answers these exact questions. By contributing anonymized data about salary, benefits, job type, and background, ISCD not only provides a clearer picture of the profession, but it also allows entomologists to gain access to a comprehensive resource that supports career planning, negotiation, and advocacy.

Trends in the Latest Entomology Compensation Data

In the most recent and comprehensive dataset (for the 2023 employment year, collected in 2024), nearly 1,500 professionals in entomology contributed their salary and compensation info.

While the median annual base salary as reported via ISCD in 2023 was $90,000, the chart above illustrates how salaries for entomologists increase significantly with career advancement. In ISCD, career stage is self-defined by users when they submit their job information and based on decision-making authority. Based on these self-reported stages, early career entomologists (little decision-making authority) earn between $33,000 in the 25th percentile and $66,750 in the 75th percentile. In contrast, those in managerial positions (some decision-making authority) see a substantial jump in compensation, with salaries ranging from $109,000 to $135,880. Executive-level entomologists (full decision-making authority) receive the highest earnings, from $124,800 in the 25th percentile to $164,845 in the 75th percentile. These findings highlight a clear progression in earning potential within the field of insect science, with the most notable increases occurring as professionals move into leadership and executive roles.

In addition to the upward salary trends associated with career advancement, the data also reflects that entomologists received a median salary increase of 3% across in 2023, reaching upwards of 14% at the 99th percentile. This kind of benchmark data can offer useful context during compensation discussions. The survey also revealed the primary factors driving salary increases among respondents: 65% cited cost-of-living adjustments as the basis for their raise, while 56% attributed their increase to individual merit. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.) These findings suggest that both external economic pressures and individual accomplishments commonly influence salary growth in the field, which can also be a valuable tool when negotiating a raise.

ISCD doesn’t just track salary; it also captures a broad range of compensation-related data, including benefits such as medical insurance, dental coverage, and vision care commonly offered to entomologists. According to the data, 66% of respondents reported receiving PPO (preferred provider organization) coverage through their employer, while 67% have access to dental insurance and 65% receive vision benefits.

Find Out How You Compare

How does your compensation compare? Provide your salary data today to get a personalized report and explore data across dozens of categories: by location, background, field of work, gender identity, and more. And the strength of Insect Science Career Data lies in community participation. The more professionals who participate, the more accurate, detailed, and reliable the insights become. By submitting your data, you’re helping build a resource that benefits everyone in the field, including you.

ESA encourages all individuals who work in entomology or a related field to participate in Insect Science Career Data by entering their salary, compensation, and benefits from the previous year (and to return to do so in future years). Your contribution supports not just your own career path, but the future of the profession as a whole.

Note on data privacy and interpretation: To protect individual privacy, no personally identifiable information entered into Insect Science Career Data is shared or presented in any format. All data is reported in aggregate, and no data is shared with third party vendors. Additionally, statistical outliers are automatically excluded. While this dataset offers valuable insight into compensation trends, it’s important to recognize its limitations. The data is shaped by who the tool reaches and who chooses to participate. For instance, how do ESA members’ compensation packages compare to those of non-members? Are those who submit their salary data more or less highly compensated than their peers? These are critical questions to consider when interpreting the findings.

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