The life sciences industry is one of the largest drivers of job growth in Maryland, responsible for one-third of all job gains between 2002 and 2010, according to a report the state released Tuesday. The industry, which includes biotechnology and pharmaceutical research, supports more than 71,000 jobs at federal agencies, universities and in the private sector — or roughly 3 percent of all jobs in Maryland, the report says. In the private sector, Maryland boasts more than 1,700 life sciences establishments, which is the fifth-highest concentration in the nation.
The industry also supports some of the state’s highest-paying jobs, providing workers an average salary of more than $91,000, which is 76 percent higher than the average Maryland wage earner. Salaries among the state’s life sciences workers have grown by nearly 50 percent in the last decade.
