Biostatistician Salary: Your 2024 Guide

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Biostatisticians are the data science wizards behind statistics and research studies in medicine, agriculture, and public health. The demand for biostatisticians has continued to grow.

[Featured Image] Two people looking at graphs of statistic in a lab

A biostatistician must be highly educated and trained to land a job, and salaries are high to match this level of expertise. Your salary can vary depending on your education, experience, industry, and location.

Continue reading to learn what you can expect to earn as a biostatistician.

How much do biostatisticians make?

As a biostatistician, you can expect to earn an above-average salary. Biostatisticians tend to be data science and research experts, so employers sometimes require candidates with master's or doctorate degrees in a statistics-related field. According to Job Bank Canada, mathematicians and statisticians earn a median hourly wage of $46.47, or $96,657 annually, based on a 40-hour work week [1]. 

Factors that impact a biostatistician salary

Biostatisticians can earn a good salary regardless of where they work, but it varies depending on education, experience, industry, and location. For example, a biostatistician who works for a non-profit will most likely earn less than one at a technology company.

Education

It is typical for individuals with higher education to earn higher salaries. This is true for biostatisticians, who often have master’s or doctorate degrees in statistics or a related field. For a biostatistician, the terminal degree is a doctorate or Ph.D. 

Experience

In addition to education, biostatisticians can also increase their salary with experience. Those with significant experience can make $92,000 [2]. As you move into senior-level positions, such as Director of Data, you could make upwards of $216,000 [3].

Junior-level biostatisticians might start out earning less than the average, but there is plenty of room for growth:

  • Entry- or mid-level: $83,828 [2]

  • Senior-level: $119,525 [4]

That number can be higher depending on where and who you work for. 

Industry

Besides your education and experience level, your salary can vary by industry and place of work. Biostatisticians have a range of potential workplaces, such as universities, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. They can also work within different industries.

Further, where you work can impact your earnings. For example, biostatisticians working in hospitals could earn a different salary than those working in health insurance or for the federal government. 

Location

Where you live and where your organization is based can impact your salary as a biostatistician. Typically, working in bigger cities such as Toronto and Vancouver means you’ll make more to cover the high cost of living. 

Biostatisticians can work remotely because they can do their jobs via the internet and over Zoom calls. As companies and governments have shifted online, salaries may continue to match the organization's location. 

If you are a biostatistician in Canada, you might expect to earn [1]:

ProvinceAverage hourly salary
Ontario$47.10
Quebec$50.27
Alberta$44.39
Manitoba$43.28
New Brunswick$37.00
New Foundland and Labrador$37.02
Nova Scotia$46.67

Become a biostatistician with Coursera.

Get started as a biostatistician with the Biostatistics in Public Health specialization from Johns Hopkins University. This specialization is intended for public health and health care professionals, researchers, data analysts, and social workers who need a primer in biostatistics concepts—all at your own pace, in four months or less.

Article sources

1

.Job Bank Canada. “Biostatistician in Canada, https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/outlook-occupation/5442/ca;jsessionid=2DB2C53AF3ED52375BB5CBAA86139C10.jobsearch76.” Accessed April 29, 2024. 

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