[flueedo]

And what do businesses say when they actually need people with some quality? It is usually a natural consequence of your skills being in high demand that you'll be able to ask for a higher salary. Business may be saying that only because those are expensive as you charge, but if however they are actually in need of certain skills those would probably be expensive just the same.

Considering that 1)Scientific knowledge is so important for everything in our global society and 2)The US stats in science education are below those in other developed economies, I'd say probably the demand is real.