Demographic Profile of U.S. Life Sciences Research Talent

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) comprise the largest cohort of life sciences researchers (Figure 17).

Fifty-eight percent of life sciences researchers are between 25 and 44 years old, compared with 50% for all professional occupations and 44% for the total US workforce.

Figure 17: Composition of Employed Persons by Age & Occupation in the U.S., 2022

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Q2 2023.

Millennials strongly prefer hybrid work with up to three days in the office (Figure 18). This data may aid life sciences occupiers’ projections of office space needs, but may be less relevant for employees who spend most of their in-person time in labs.

Figure 18: Preferred Time Split Between Office & Home by Millennials

Source: CBRE 2022 Global Live-Work-Shop Report, Q4 2022.

U.S. life sciences researchers tend to be slightly more racially diverse than the overall U.S. workforce, with a much higher Asian population. However, there is significant underrepresentation of Hispanic and Black populations (Figure 19). This data shows further progress is needed for more racial diversity in life sciences laboratories.

Figure 19: Racial Composition of U.S. Life Sciences Researchers vs. Total U.S. Workforce

Source: Lightcast, 2022.