BLS metro-level wage data places Biological Scientists, All Other pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN at a median of $55,240 per year ($26.56/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $98,920, Lafayette-West Lafayette pays 44% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 80 biological scientists, all others are employed across the Lafayette-West Lafayette MSA in SOC 19-1029.

The Lafayette-West Lafayette pay distribution spans from $55,240 at the 10th percentile to $86,740 at the 90th — a 1.6× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $55,240 and the 75th at $61,790, so half of Lafayette-West Lafayette-based biological scientists, all others earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide IN data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.