Microbiologists pay in the U.S.
$97,600avg. a year
$46.92 an hour · 18,940 employed
Microbiologists in the U.S. earn an average of $97,600 a year and a median of $87,990. Pay is highest in Massachusetts ($119,700) and lowest in Mississippi ($67,720).
$87,990Median pay
$46.92Average hourly
+6%Avg. pay since 2020
18,940Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for microbiologists
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
11,960 jobs
Massachusetts
$119,700
$57.55 an hour
21,590 jobs
Maryland
$114,990
$55.29 an hour
32,600 jobs
California
$114,790
$55.19 an hour
4880 jobs
Georgia
$108,930
$52.37 an hour
580 jobs
Montana
$104,520
$50.25 an hour
6170 jobs
Oregon
$97,510
$46.88 an hour
7790 jobs
New Jersey
$95,920
$46.12 an hour
81,050 jobs
North Carolina
$95,490
$45.91 an hour
9290 jobs
Minnesota
$95,220
$45.78 an hour
10280 jobs
Virginia
$94,580
$45.47 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Microbiologists pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $76k$76k–$86k$86k–$94k$94k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $135,860 | $65.32 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $124,300 | $59.76 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $123,550 | $59.40 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $122,560 | $58.92 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $121,080 | $58.21 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $113,080 | $54.37 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $104,350 | $50.17 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $103,650 | $49.83 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Microbiologists pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $69,120 | $65,690 | 110 |
| Alaska | $78,560 | $76,320 | 30 |
| Arizona | $72,040 | $69,880 | 80 |
| Arkansas | $82,120 | $59,750 | 140 |
| California | $114,790 | $108,530 | 2,600 |
| Colorado | $91,930 | $81,640 | 370 |
| Connecticut | $93,070 | $86,360 | 180 |
| Delaware | $88,280 | $82,770 | 190 |
| Florida | $87,610 | $80,930 | 270 |
| Georgia | $108,930 | $103,070 | 880 |
| Hawaii | $71,820 | $70,970 | 60 |
| Idaho | $73,080 | $65,940 | 70 |
| Illinois | $93,850 | $92,050 | 1,470 |
| Indiana | $84,570 | $77,900 | 150 |
| Iowa | $91,170 | $79,830 | 180 |
| Kansas | $78,920 | $70,500 | 120 |
| Kentucky | $75,570 | $66,500 | 80 |
| Maryland | $114,990 | $108,470 | 1,590 |
| Massachusetts | $119,700 | $122,350 | 1,960 |
| Michigan | $80,240 | $78,680 | 370 |
| Minnesota | $95,220 | $83,400 | 290 |
| Mississippi | $67,720 | $61,690 | – |
| Missouri | $94,410 | $78,590 | 140 |
| Montana | $104,520 | $87,750 | 80 |
| Nebraska | $87,580 | $72,470 | 90 |
| Nevada | $85,220 | $64,490 | 110 |
| New Hampshire | $82,630 | $79,430 | 170 |
| New Jersey | $95,920 | $96,020 | 790 |
| New York | $93,220 | $81,090 | 1,050 |
| North Carolina | $95,490 | $85,860 | 1,050 |
| Ohio | $79,300 | $72,500 | 530 |
| Oregon | $97,510 | $89,220 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $86,370 | $84,650 | 670 |
| South Carolina | $72,030 | $64,740 | 100 |
| South Dakota | $75,990 | $70,530 | 80 |
| Tennessee | $87,520 | $77,630 | 210 |
| Texas | $72,510 | $66,450 | 920 |
| Utah | $79,830 | $72,600 | 120 |
| Virginia | $94,580 | $77,820 | 280 |
| Washington | $84,170 | $77,690 | 340 |
| West Virginia | $70,360 | $68,550 | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $73,280 | $67,100 | 420 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$121,080
1,810 jobsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$122,560
1,370 jobsNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$96,080
1,330 jobsChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$95,550
1,240 jobsLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$101,560
780 jobsSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$135,860
700 jobsAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$113,080
630 jobsPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$95,730
570 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do microbiologists make?
The average is $97,600 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $87,990 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $46.92, and the median is $42.30 an hour.
Which state pays microbiologists the most?
Massachusetts, with an average of $119,700 a year. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $135,860.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $54,670 a year, and the top 10% earn over $150,000.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 19-1022. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.