$200,000
median · per year, annualized USD
$211,850
median · per year, annualized USD
The median for Research Scientist is $200,000 per year (typically $150,000–$250,000), versus $211,850 for Staff Engineer ($165,015–$250,000). That puts Staff Engineer about 6% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Research Scientist and Staff Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.