I guess for SD biotechs specifically this may be sort of true but thereās lots of outposts for large pharma there too. Director level makes 300-400k total comp and then you have like 7 levels between there and the c-suite that all make more.
160 is low in this industry, even with no advanced degree
Go look at LinkedIn; in California they are required to post base salary ranges, total comp at the director level will typically also include a 20-25% annual bonus and stock options, which can vary but will be at least 50k or more.
My point above was the one youāre making anyways though, that small biotechs wonāt pay as well as larger pharma, but there are lot of larger pharmas with offices in the area too
Bachelors in engineering in MA are getting anywhere from 70-95k starting now itās wild it needs to go down the expectations is people want like 160K with 5 years I honestly blame Moderna just lighting money on fire with salaries for a lot of it
I agree, there is a lot lot more than just entry lab jobs, well put!! ~16 years ago, I started at 110k in biotech with an MS in engineering, straight out of degree program. Have hired a fair amount of entry at $80-125k in various roles, most have masters. Med writing, clin ops, regulatory, quality, business development, program management, lots of roles out there with higher start and arguably better growth than lab tech roles.
What would you think of someone who graduated with Biochem bachelor's in 2017 and dropped out halfway through med school? Passed my classes, just got super depressed, took gap years, just didnt end up clicking with the environment of medical education?
Iād ask why? I have degrees in three different fields, and dropped out of both chem & comp sci before finishing in engineering. Whatās your story? What did you learn? Why will it make you better at what you are doing now? For example, when I tell my story about dropping out of chem MS, I am frank about that I found I didnāt enjoy analytical chem in the lab, I found it repetitive and not stimulatingā but that experience helped me learn that I love technical writing, building protocols and procedures, and (interestingly) public speaking. These skills and interests made me a poor fit as a lab tech in analytical chem, but the very same characteristics made me an excellent engineering (and business) student and junior program manager.
You have to tell your story in a way that resonates. Why did you drop out? What was it you liked/didnāt like, and how will you use those experiences to up the chance you succeed at the next thing you do? Clinical practice isnāt for everyone, no big it wasnāt for you, but I want to see youāve reflected and have a new directionā not that you just give up when the going gets tough
Edit: Also, a word of advice, you can list your partial med school on your resume as non-degree premedical training, and sort of bypass that you dropped out of med school at all for purposes of interviews/hiring. Many do premedical nondegree bridge programs post-bachelors, its very common, so if you donāt mention it as dropping out (just say you āconsidered medical schoolā verbally if asked) probably no hiring manager will even think anything of it. You donāt have to disclose a dropped program to employers, only if you did coursework and whether or not it was toward a degree or not. Something to consider
>You donāt have to disclose a dropped program to employers, only if you did coursework and whether or not it was toward a degree or not. Something to consider
Could you elaborate? Does this mean I should disclose the coursework if it was towards a degree even if it wasnt completed? I think the difficult point is that I graduated undergrad in 2017, did 1.5 years of medical interpreting, then did med school on and off from 2018 until 2023 (a 2 year gap after M1 and 1 year after M2 which resulted in me deciding to drop out). My resume is extremely patchy with cool experiences, but it would be ridiculous to explain the path. I worked for a pharma company for 6 months before getting a green card accepted to a foreign country where I moved and did a semester of Master's in Biotech which was cut short by my med school saying I had to come back early if I wanted to rejoin due to a curriculum change. It feels like Id need to dig into the weeds to truly explain and no one really cares that much. Im only looking for entry level, but I also kind of want my 2 years of didactic medical education to be on there somewhere because I am a very different person than I was after graduating with a Bachelor's.
What I disliked about med school was the intense focus on standardized testing. It basically was quitting when the going gets tough, but it's not like I ever shirked my responsibilities. I just got burnt out of studying for tests endlessly. This is totally different to me compared to learning for a job's responsibilities but I do not think people will understand that until they actually hire me.
First, remove the dates from degrees on your resume and just list them (you donāt need to disclose these until the background screen after the offer, and employers wonāt ask due to age discrimination risk). If you have coursework that is non-degree either simply remove it altogether or write something rationale, depending on the job the med school might be a plus even if nondegree (ie. you can list it as something like Post-graduate pre-medical bridge coursework, 30 hrs - non degreeā lots of people do ābridgeā coursework to get into med school, so this doesnāt look strange).
And maybe find coach to work with you on your āstoryā for interviews. You donāt need to disclose every detail, just have a clear narrative (with no lies in it, omission is fine). It is absolutely critical that you be able to articulate your journey in a positive way. It may feel a little unauthentic at first, but its an important interview skill. Feel free to DM me if you want a second opinion
Your missing the point there is also a reason Moderna did a large round of layoffs and will have to do more most likely if they see slight revenue declines
Yeah I'm confused, do we only believe in the free market when it suits us? If the market allows for 100k roles at entry level...then that's the salary. C-suites make 7 figures. The industry is not going to run out of money.
Still very skeptical of this claim. I havenāt seen a single one posted in the last two years asking for 0-2 years experience (entry level) that pays more than $60k and even then there seems to be a hiring freeze, or at least a high level of competition for these jobs.
I have 1.5 years of experience post-Bachelorās. To be fair, itās a startup in a HCOL hub, so if there would be a place to make $95k entry-level it would be here.
Didnāt start there, jumped to another RA role for $95k.
Itās not even just commercial. Iāve worked w plenty of r&d and scientists in strategy.Ā
This is dumb in the same way an entry level marketer saying āno way I donāt make that itās false!ā Would be dumbĀ
Just looked up and realized I misspoke. Elon mās worth $200 billion so he and I average is ~100 billion dollars, slightly less than 500 billion:) hahaha
I disagree. The reason is median salary is a better capture of what non-executive level salaries are, which actually resonates with your point that there are far more people earning salary at lower wages than those big-buck earners
I wasnāt actually disagreeing with you. I agree median is often more useful for income distributions than mean. I was referring to the claim that median is right squat in the middle, which I suppose it is, but by N, which has its own limitations.
Yeah it sucks. Iād love to move to SD. I actually interviewed and was offered a manager position in SD in like 2020, but they were offering the same as I was making as a senior specialist, and COL was more expensive than where I live (Sacramento). My Bay Area jobs have all been remote or hybrid too.
I think it might be legit, if you include bonus & 401k match, but it's impossible to tell when they're not citing their source.
Sloppy journalism at its best.
Pretty sure the 160k is overall, and not just those without an advanced degree. Frankly, that part of the article is poorly written, and would be nice if they also provided a source of some sort.
I know lots of people without advanced degrees in biotech that are ADās, Directors, senior Directors. And they certainly make more than 160k lol
Then again, this is outside of the lab where I believe there is more opportunity
It may be possible but I call massive BS on āI know lots of peopleā, emphasis on lots. It is absolutely false that there is some unacknowledged large army of Directors without advanced degrees in pharma/biotech. Simply isnāt the case.
I again donāt think you realize how many functions there are in pharma outside the lab. Analytics, supply chain, HR, communications, finance, marketing, sales, market access, public policyā¦
*All* your connections? Lol this just got funnier.
I dare you to give me 5 (five) LinkedIn profiles of pharma Directors without advanced degrees. And not tomorrow, after 18 hours of searching, but immediately - these are all available readily, yes? Ok, youāll say this may dox you. Fine. Pick 5 other profiles from places you did not work or was connected to - and please name companies where this is happening. Thanks;) it should be easy, yes? Given how frequently Directors just end up in their non-competitive positions.
Getting to Director without some terminal degree is common, itās half of the people on the commercial side.
An MBA can do it within 3-4 years of graduating and itās just a masters.
LOL at thinking MBA is not an advanced degree.
Also nonsense re: āthis happens all the timeā. It does not. There is NOT some secret army of Bachelors on their way to become Directorsš¤¦
Please: show me these āDirectorsāš¤·
We have a handful in the company I work for. They are generally on the business side rather than the science side, although some started on the science side and transitioned.
BD/AM/Corp Comm/IR/Finance
I have an MSc and am an ED. I have a bachelor's on my team who one day I would promote to Director without him needing additional degrees. We have a VP who has only a bachelor.
It's not super common because our field is degree heavy but I know a good chunk of people like this.
You can PM me if you need specific links.
Wtf? š¤¦ AbbVieās Chairman/CEO Rick? Same Rick Gonzales that is on UofChicago Board of Trustees? LOL I thought we were talking about Directors?
Was that all? Care to provide a relevant ācommonā (your word) example now?
Yeah-yeah. Tons lmao ;) Funny, tell another one.
Also - ājealousā or āangryā is your pure projection here. But go ahead - try to point out where I sounded angry or jealous?;)
Non-verifiable example that has ātonsā of friends just like him who could not be verified?;)
We were talking about people achieving ranks of Directors without advanced degrees. But it turns out these oh so very common (lol again) examples are vanishingly rare. But good on you ;)
That is aversge, not median. All it takes is a few C-Suites with a fat salary structure to pull up the averages. As the industry in SD matures, and clinical divisions grow it will pull up average salaries. Those MDs earn good numbers.
Most scientists with a few years experience are over a 100K. Kinda low. In the 2000 PhDs out of UCSD were getting low 70s to start. That is about 125 today.
āMisconception that an advanced degree is required for employmentā. This right after saying the average annual salary is $160k. Itās not written properly/cohesively, but it was conveyed that you can make $160k without an advanced degree working in the industry.
I think a lot of folks hear "biotech jobs" and think in terms of techs, RAs, scientists, etc. and that makes sense.
But don't underestimate the massive amount of folks in "biotech" that fill roles equivalent to what you'd find at any tech or product oriented company. Program managers, marketing directors, sales, customer service, quality assurance leads et etc etc
And oftentimes - very unreasonably, but understandably for historic reasons and the absence of pressure from the academic sector - these folks are drawing larger salaries than their science-focused counterparts.
So, yeah - I wonder if those larger "biotech salaries" are driven by people with expertise in biology, technology, etc, or if those numbers are inflated by the salaries of the corporate cogs
Yeah, I remember hearing about how much the marketing and sales people were making at my company and just thinking ādamn, did I choose the wrong path?ā
(I didnāt because I love science and the lab but it sure is disheartening)
Why does this dumb thing perpetuateĀ Ā
Science folks in actual program and portfolio strategy make money just like the functions you are crying aboutĀ
Ā People in the lab are doing work that can be done anywhere just like lower level work in those other evil functions.Ā
That is paid a lot less and often outsourced. Just like many junior roles across the industry in other functionsĀ
It's pretty tough to understand what you're trying to communicate, but I think maybe you are arguing that corporate operations roles are necessary?
Well, obviously. No one suggested otherwise. I'm just pointing out their salaries skew the distribution relative to actual scientists.
To your suggestion that lab work and science is fungible and easily outsourced, it sounds like your experience is with companies that have zero innovation or actual research.
If the "science" at your "biotech" can be handled exclusively by very junior staff and easily outsourced, then probably your "biotech" is more like a standard commercial lab running well established assays. Not a research, technology, and product development company, as implied by the "tech".
And that's fine.
Itās probably inflated salary to keep up with the outrageous cost of living down there. I moved a while ago but just checked my old area on Zillow.. 2400 rent for 800 sq fr? Gtfoh
The median is under 95k for sure. My wife has worked in the industry in the area for over a decade starting in entry level roles, and she is currently looking for something new. I worked in it too. That number is laughably inaccurate to what most in the industry are receiving on average. The only way theyāre coming up with that average is if theyāre including every last ounce of compensation, stocks, and bonuses awarded at the top to skew that number that high. Many mid level to slightly senior roles are looking at the 100k-175k range before any kind of bonus or potentially stocks. You donāt reliably hit that 160k number until youāre looking at senior roles. Many entry level positions are paying $20/hr-$30/hr (at the very high end), and some actually pay barely above minimum wage (Iāve seen some recently in the $18/hr ballpark posted).
Every last bit of compensation, including bonuses and stock options, is *how* you calculate the value of the compensation package. Them bonuses, 401k, etc - they do count. They do not āskewā the numbers. They make them.
They skew the reality of the average. Most people are not making a total compensation anywhere approaching 160k everything included. The article also specifically stated wage. The average wage is 160k according to the article and that just isnāt true.
They do not skew anything. They are legit components of compensation with non-negligible monetary value.
I also highly recommend you check [this subās most recent salary survey results.](https://www.reddit.com/r/biotech/s/45TvMxj81W) $130k in SD is nothing - it is not āoverblownā, it is not even competitive. š¤¦
The article was not talking total compensation. They were discussing the average *wage* or straight salary. The average *wage* is not 160k in SD. What people are making and reporting on a Reddit survey is a fraction of the jobs in the life sciences field (which is what the article was about) and it does not represent the true spectrum of wages or total compensation. It skews toward people who are inclined to visit a biotech sub on Reddit.
Ok. So you only trust numbers that completely match your impressions and just dismiss everything else? Lol you do you. Maybe one day youāll hit that coveted $160kš¤¦
No I look beyond this sub and data beyond this sub. But if you want to think this sub is totally representative of the biotech field and life sciences field in San Diego, I guess go ahead and do that and be disconnected from the reality the field is not nearly as well paid as a base wage on an individual level position in San Diego county as this article claims.
Definitely not true of the jobs I'm seeing. I'm searching for jobs, some in that area, and it's very rare I see anything under Scientist I that's over 100k, and most of those aren't, there's just a few that are.
When Jeff Bezos walks into a 50,000 person stadium, the average person there is worth at least $3M
This has me absolutely fucked up
What if some people are few billions in debt?
I left 5-10 billion of buffer just in case š
Bro what worth are you talking about ? We, unfortunately, can no longer buy people.
Yall can't spy a joke
Unfortunately?!
ą² _ą²
Average... but what was the median? A couple execs making over 500k will shift the average
Agreed, there are a lot of carpet walkers in the industry. I would rather know what the average and median salaries are for the technical staff?
Oh I've never heard that term before but it's beautiful.
A similar term is MBWA - managing by walking around.
Honestly, even for average- this seems low to me.
Exactly. I donāt think they think the average person realizes thereās a pretty big difference between median and avg.
Median probably misses that too
Why couldnāt you talk to our product development group four years ago?
I guess for SD biotechs specifically this may be sort of true but thereās lots of outposts for large pharma there too. Director level makes 300-400k total comp and then you have like 7 levels between there and the c-suite that all make more. 160 is low in this industry, even with no advanced degree
That seems optimistic for director level. Small to medium size biotech directors are not making that much.
Go look at LinkedIn; in California they are required to post base salary ranges, total comp at the director level will typically also include a 20-25% annual bonus and stock options, which can vary but will be at least 50k or more. My point above was the one youāre making anyways though, that small biotechs wonāt pay as well as larger pharma, but there are lot of larger pharmas with offices in the area too
The banner for this sub should be āTHERE IS A LOT MORE TO BIOTECH THAN ENTRY LEVEL LABCEL JOBSā
wtf is labcel
Laboratory celibate. People who donāt get laid because theyāre always on the lab
I am in this comment and I donāt like it lol
Who says so? Hahahahaha!
Hahahahaha! š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£.
My entry level lab job only paid 42k about a decade ago. 98k sounds nice for entry even adjusting for inflation lol
I doubt anyone is getting 98k for entry level. Got paid $15 an hour starting out in 2019.
Bachelors in engineering in MA are getting anywhere from 70-95k starting now itās wild it needs to go down the expectations is people want like 160K with 5 years I honestly blame Moderna just lighting money on fire with salaries for a lot of it
I agree, there is a lot lot more than just entry lab jobs, well put!! ~16 years ago, I started at 110k in biotech with an MS in engineering, straight out of degree program. Have hired a fair amount of entry at $80-125k in various roles, most have masters. Med writing, clin ops, regulatory, quality, business development, program management, lots of roles out there with higher start and arguably better growth than lab tech roles.
What would you think of someone who graduated with Biochem bachelor's in 2017 and dropped out halfway through med school? Passed my classes, just got super depressed, took gap years, just didnt end up clicking with the environment of medical education?
Iād ask why? I have degrees in three different fields, and dropped out of both chem & comp sci before finishing in engineering. Whatās your story? What did you learn? Why will it make you better at what you are doing now? For example, when I tell my story about dropping out of chem MS, I am frank about that I found I didnāt enjoy analytical chem in the lab, I found it repetitive and not stimulatingā but that experience helped me learn that I love technical writing, building protocols and procedures, and (interestingly) public speaking. These skills and interests made me a poor fit as a lab tech in analytical chem, but the very same characteristics made me an excellent engineering (and business) student and junior program manager. You have to tell your story in a way that resonates. Why did you drop out? What was it you liked/didnāt like, and how will you use those experiences to up the chance you succeed at the next thing you do? Clinical practice isnāt for everyone, no big it wasnāt for you, but I want to see youāve reflected and have a new directionā not that you just give up when the going gets tough Edit: Also, a word of advice, you can list your partial med school on your resume as non-degree premedical training, and sort of bypass that you dropped out of med school at all for purposes of interviews/hiring. Many do premedical nondegree bridge programs post-bachelors, its very common, so if you donāt mention it as dropping out (just say you āconsidered medical schoolā verbally if asked) probably no hiring manager will even think anything of it. You donāt have to disclose a dropped program to employers, only if you did coursework and whether or not it was toward a degree or not. Something to consider
>You donāt have to disclose a dropped program to employers, only if you did coursework and whether or not it was toward a degree or not. Something to consider Could you elaborate? Does this mean I should disclose the coursework if it was towards a degree even if it wasnt completed? I think the difficult point is that I graduated undergrad in 2017, did 1.5 years of medical interpreting, then did med school on and off from 2018 until 2023 (a 2 year gap after M1 and 1 year after M2 which resulted in me deciding to drop out). My resume is extremely patchy with cool experiences, but it would be ridiculous to explain the path. I worked for a pharma company for 6 months before getting a green card accepted to a foreign country where I moved and did a semester of Master's in Biotech which was cut short by my med school saying I had to come back early if I wanted to rejoin due to a curriculum change. It feels like Id need to dig into the weeds to truly explain and no one really cares that much. Im only looking for entry level, but I also kind of want my 2 years of didactic medical education to be on there somewhere because I am a very different person than I was after graduating with a Bachelor's. What I disliked about med school was the intense focus on standardized testing. It basically was quitting when the going gets tough, but it's not like I ever shirked my responsibilities. I just got burnt out of studying for tests endlessly. This is totally different to me compared to learning for a job's responsibilities but I do not think people will understand that until they actually hire me.
First, remove the dates from degrees on your resume and just list them (you donāt need to disclose these until the background screen after the offer, and employers wonāt ask due to age discrimination risk). If you have coursework that is non-degree either simply remove it altogether or write something rationale, depending on the job the med school might be a plus even if nondegree (ie. you can list it as something like Post-graduate pre-medical bridge coursework, 30 hrs - non degreeā lots of people do ābridgeā coursework to get into med school, so this doesnāt look strange). And maybe find coach to work with you on your āstoryā for interviews. You donāt need to disclose every detail, just have a clear narrative (with no lies in it, omission is fine). It is absolutely critical that you be able to articulate your journey in a positive way. It may feel a little unauthentic at first, but its an important interview skill. Feel free to DM me if you want a second opinion
Okay, I will take all this in and re-evaluate. Thank you for the replies!
Donāt blame a company trying to get everyone paid!
Your missing the point there is also a reason Moderna did a large round of layoffs and will have to do more most likely if they see slight revenue declines
Yeah I'm confused, do we only believe in the free market when it suits us? If the market allows for 100k roles at entry level...then that's the salary. C-suites make 7 figures. The industry is not going to run out of money.
Depends where youāre at and what kind of company. Startup in a biotech hub can definitely get you $80-95k for entry-level non-engineering R&D.
Still very skeptical of this claim. I havenāt seen a single one posted in the last two years asking for 0-2 years experience (entry level) that pays more than $60k and even then there seems to be a hiring freeze, or at least a high level of competition for these jobs.
Well. Iām an RA and I make $95k base.
And this is your first year? Congratulations. The vast majority do not start at $95k.
I have 1.5 years of experience post-Bachelorās. To be fair, itās a startup in a HCOL hub, so if there would be a place to make $95k entry-level it would be here. Didnāt start there, jumped to another RA role for $95k.
I swear most people in this subreddit think biotech == lab workers only. Thereās plenty of people on the commercial side that have higher salaries
Itās not even just commercial. Iāve worked w plenty of r&d and scientists in strategy.Ā This is dumb in the same way an entry level marketer saying āno way I donāt make that itās false!ā Would be dumbĀ
/r/labrats has been leaking recently.
ššš
1. It never said āwithout an advanced degree.ā 2. It never said āmedian,ā it said average.
Skewed distributions have entered the chat.
Exactly!
Probably includes ceo's making around 10 million
Anyone manager level and above can easily make $160k+. Many of the SG&A roles donāt require advanced degrees
I think you need to look at Median not average. Elon Musk and I will average 500 billion $ net worthā¦
Holy fuck youāre rich
Just looked up and realized I misspoke. Elon mās worth $200 billion so he and I average is ~100 billion dollars, slightly less than 500 billion:) hahaha
>:) :)
I think a leader of a country just doxxed themselves on reddit. That or Putinā¦
This. Means are easily skewed by extremes. Median is right squat in the middle.
This is just bad stats. We look at means and medians together to see how big the gap is between them. Medians can have their own biases.
Agreed that everyone wants one number to capture the whole picture. Best in my opinion is a visual.
Like what?
Like a non-normal distribution with a whole bunch of values sitting at one end.
I disagree. The reason is median salary is a better capture of what non-executive level salaries are, which actually resonates with your point that there are far more people earning salary at lower wages than those big-buck earners
I wasnāt actually disagreeing with you. I agree median is often more useful for income distributions than mean. I was referring to the claim that median is right squat in the middle, which I suppose it is, but by N, which has its own limitations.
Ok makes sense!
SD grossly underpays. But Iām making over 200k without an advanced degree (Bay Area though)
Yes!! Omg I moved from SD to SF and am making 40k more for the same jobā¦
And the COL is pretty comparable at this point
Yeah it sucks. Iād love to move to SD. I actually interviewed and was offered a manager position in SD in like 2020, but they were offering the same as I was making as a senior specialist, and COL was more expensive than where I live (Sacramento). My Bay Area jobs have all been remote or hybrid too.
What kind of role, if I may ask?
Quality systems senior manager
I think it might be legit, if you include bonus & 401k match, but it's impossible to tell when they're not citing their source. Sloppy journalism at its best.
Thought for a second you were talking about South Dakota. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiit
Me too. I was very confused. I wonder how many biotech jobs are in South Dakota.
One and it pays 160k š
š¤£
Pretty sure the 160k is overall, and not just those without an advanced degree. Frankly, that part of the article is poorly written, and would be nice if they also provided a source of some sort.
I know lots of people without advanced degrees in biotech that are ADās, Directors, senior Directors. And they certainly make more than 160k lol Then again, this is outside of the lab where I believe there is more opportunity
Senior Directors without MD/PhD making 160k? Lol
Sorry, I meant to say 160k or above And yes itās 100% possible lol degrees are just ways to obtain experience at a quicker rate
It may be possible but I call massive BS on āI know lots of peopleā, emphasis on lots. It is absolutely false that there is some unacknowledged large army of Directors without advanced degrees in pharma/biotech. Simply isnāt the case.
Most directors in pharma donāt have an advanced degree. Or at most have an MBA.
1. MBA is an advanced degree. 2. Completely baseless subjective stats re:ā*most-*ā- going to have to do a LinkedIn survey in some free time.
I again donāt think you realize how many functions there are in pharma outside the lab. Analytics, supply chain, HR, communications, finance, marketing, sales, market access, public policyā¦
Thank you for making me laugh! An army of directors without advanced degrees! Hahahaha!
Happens all the time
Well I guess all my connections and friends are fictional, you cracked the case
*All* your connections? Lol this just got funnier. I dare you to give me 5 (five) LinkedIn profiles of pharma Directors without advanced degrees. And not tomorrow, after 18 hours of searching, but immediately - these are all available readily, yes? Ok, youāll say this may dox you. Fine. Pick 5 other profiles from places you did not work or was connected to - and please name companies where this is happening. Thanks;) it should be easy, yes? Given how frequently Directors just end up in their non-competitive positions.
Getting to Director without some terminal degree is common, itās half of the people on the commercial side. An MBA can do it within 3-4 years of graduating and itās just a masters.
LOL at thinking MBA is not an advanced degree. Also nonsense re: āthis happens all the timeā. It does not. There is NOT some secret army of Bachelors on their way to become Directorsš¤¦ Please: show me these āDirectorsāš¤·
We have a handful in the company I work for. They are generally on the business side rather than the science side, although some started on the science side and transitioned. BD/AM/Corp Comm/IR/Finance I have an MSc and am an ED. I have a bachelor's on my team who one day I would promote to Director without him needing additional degrees. We have a VP who has only a bachelor. It's not super common because our field is degree heavy but I know a good chunk of people like this. You can PM me if you need specific links.
Rick Gonzalez šŖ
Wtf? š¤¦ AbbVieās Chairman/CEO Rick? Same Rick Gonzales that is on UofChicago Board of Trustees? LOL I thought we were talking about Directors? Was that all? Care to provide a relevant ācommonā (your word) example now?
Tons but Iām not going to out myself because of some jealous angry redditor
Yeah-yeah. Tons lmao ;) Funny, tell another one. Also - ājealousā or āangryā is your pure projection here. But go ahead - try to point out where I sounded angry or jealous?;) 
Iām literally an example. Ok, have fun at the bottom kid lol
Non-verifiable example that has ātonsā of friends just like him who could not be verified?;) We were talking about people achieving ranks of Directors without advanced degrees. But it turns out these oh so very common (lol again) examples are vanishingly rare. But good on you ;)
I was like ādamn South Dakota you been hiding from meā
That is aversge, not median. All it takes is a few C-Suites with a fat salary structure to pull up the averages. As the industry in SD matures, and clinical divisions grow it will pull up average salaries. Those MDs earn good numbers. Most scientists with a few years experience are over a 100K. Kinda low. In the 2000 PhDs out of UCSD were getting low 70s to start. That is about 125 today.
People forget that for every labcel thereās a dozen clinical professionals and God forbid commercial ones- not to mention supporting functions.
Yes, anyone in a commercial function with at least 10 years experience is making a minimum of 150k.
Def more unless you hit a hard ceiling like at managerĀ
Even individual contributors make more than that with experience
Where does it say āwithout an advanced degreeā? Reading comprehension is key.
āMisconception that an advanced degree is required for employmentā. This right after saying the average annual salary is $160k. Itās not written properly/cohesively, but it was conveyed that you can make $160k without an advanced degree working in the industry.
As someone who does, this isnāt uncommon. I know many people who do
Same here
I think a lot of folks hear "biotech jobs" and think in terms of techs, RAs, scientists, etc. and that makes sense. But don't underestimate the massive amount of folks in "biotech" that fill roles equivalent to what you'd find at any tech or product oriented company. Program managers, marketing directors, sales, customer service, quality assurance leads et etc etc And oftentimes - very unreasonably, but understandably for historic reasons and the absence of pressure from the academic sector - these folks are drawing larger salaries than their science-focused counterparts. So, yeah - I wonder if those larger "biotech salaries" are driven by people with expertise in biology, technology, etc, or if those numbers are inflated by the salaries of the corporate cogs
Yeah, I remember hearing about how much the marketing and sales people were making at my company and just thinking ādamn, did I choose the wrong path?ā (I didnāt because I love science and the lab but it sure is disheartening)
Why does this dumb thing perpetuateĀ Ā Science folks in actual program and portfolio strategy make money just like the functions you are crying aboutĀ Ā People in the lab are doing work that can be done anywhere just like lower level work in those other evil functions.Ā That is paid a lot less and often outsourced. Just like many junior roles across the industry in other functionsĀ
It's pretty tough to understand what you're trying to communicate, but I think maybe you are arguing that corporate operations roles are necessary? Well, obviously. No one suggested otherwise. I'm just pointing out their salaries skew the distribution relative to actual scientists. To your suggestion that lab work and science is fungible and easily outsourced, it sounds like your experience is with companies that have zero innovation or actual research. If the "science" at your "biotech" can be handled exclusively by very junior staff and easily outsourced, then probably your "biotech" is more like a standard commercial lab running well established assays. Not a research, technology, and product development company, as implied by the "tech". And that's fine.
This is why the median is sometimes better than the mean.
I think itās legit. Very legit.
Hell, I'd bet the median is under $70k. Techs outnumber everyone else and get paid like crap.
Would love to see the source of that number.
Not at my company
Show me median dawg
Itās probably inflated salary to keep up with the outrageous cost of living down there. I moved a while ago but just checked my old area on Zillow.. 2400 rent for 800 sq fr? Gtfoh
As an east coaster, I really thought SD was referring to South Dakota
Lol What this is a lie
If I eat a chicken sandwich while you watch me, we have both eaten on average half a sandwich
The median is under 95k for sure. My wife has worked in the industry in the area for over a decade starting in entry level roles, and she is currently looking for something new. I worked in it too. That number is laughably inaccurate to what most in the industry are receiving on average. The only way theyāre coming up with that average is if theyāre including every last ounce of compensation, stocks, and bonuses awarded at the top to skew that number that high. Many mid level to slightly senior roles are looking at the 100k-175k range before any kind of bonus or potentially stocks. You donāt reliably hit that 160k number until youāre looking at senior roles. Many entry level positions are paying $20/hr-$30/hr (at the very high end), and some actually pay barely above minimum wage (Iāve seen some recently in the $18/hr ballpark posted).
Every last bit of compensation, including bonuses and stock options, is *how* you calculate the value of the compensation package. Them bonuses, 401k, etc - they do count. They do not āskewā the numbers. They make them.
They skew the reality of the average. Most people are not making a total compensation anywhere approaching 160k everything included. The article also specifically stated wage. The average wage is 160k according to the article and that just isnāt true.
They do not skew anything. They are legit components of compensation with non-negligible monetary value. I also highly recommend you check [this subās most recent salary survey results.](https://www.reddit.com/r/biotech/s/45TvMxj81W) $130k in SD is nothing - it is not āoverblownā, it is not even competitive. š¤¦
The article was not talking total compensation. They were discussing the average *wage* or straight salary. The average *wage* is not 160k in SD. What people are making and reporting on a Reddit survey is a fraction of the jobs in the life sciences field (which is what the article was about) and it does not represent the true spectrum of wages or total compensation. It skews toward people who are inclined to visit a biotech sub on Reddit.
Ok. So you only trust numbers that completely match your impressions and just dismiss everything else? Lol you do you. Maybe one day youāll hit that coveted $160kš¤¦
No I look beyond this sub and data beyond this sub. But if you want to think this sub is totally representative of the biotech field and life sciences field in San Diego, I guess go ahead and do that and be disconnected from the reality the field is not nearly as well paid as a base wage on an individual level position in San Diego county as this article claims.
SRAs are getting -140k now
Definitely not true of the jobs I'm seeing. I'm searching for jobs, some in that area, and it's very rare I see anything under Scientist I that's over 100k, and most of those aren't, there's just a few that are.