SOC 19-1022 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Microbiologists wages by metro
National median annual wage
$87,990
- 10th percentile
- $54,670
- 25th percentile
- $67,100
- Median
- $87,990
- 75th percentile
- $122,350
- 90th percentile
- $150,000
- Mean
- $97,600
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 18,940.
That median is 72.6% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 700 | $76,430 | $130,070 | $186,530 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 190 | $72,040 | $123,910 | $189,780 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 30 | $77,830 | $123,590 | $184,310 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,810 | $75,990 | $122,350 | $163,790 |
| Vallejo, CA | 30 | $63,020 | $115,980 | $197,490 |
| Worcester, MA | 90 | $70,210 | $115,660 | $167,800 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 70 | $50,690 | $114,840 | $143,220 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,370 | $61,070 | $114,800 | $195,190 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 150 | $66,150 | $112,470 | $185,040 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 80 | $91,210 | $112,440 | $185,870 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 630 | $66,500 | $109,320 | $162,410 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 270 | $63,090 | $108,900 | $142,950 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 70 | $60,000 | $102,590 | $142,950 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 570 | $56,010 | $101,990 | $132,040 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,240 | $59,880 | $100,620 | $134,050 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 780 | $63,110 | $100,420 | $144,550 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 130 | $65,030 | $95,980 | $161,130 |
| Peoria, IL | 30 | $54,670 | $93,240 | $175,760 |
| Fresno, CA | 30 | $53,520 | $91,890 | $182,010 |
| Richmond, VA | 50 | $57,060 | $90,930 | $129,600 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,810 | $75,990 | $122,350 | $163,790 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,370 | $61,070 | $114,800 | $195,190 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,330 | $66,880 | $85,710 | $135,760 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,240 | $59,880 | $100,620 | $134,050 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 780 | $63,110 | $100,420 | $144,550 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 700 | $76,430 | $130,070 | $186,530 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 630 | $66,500 | $109,320 | $162,410 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 570 | $56,010 | $101,990 | $132,040 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 400 | $63,830 | $85,860 | $138,620 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 330 | $54,070 | $85,010 | $137,520 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 320 | $45,760 | $66,450 | $99,690 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 290 | $56,720 | $85,120 | $144,680 |
| Madison, WI | 270 | $53,390 | $67,940 | $109,040 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 270 | $63,090 | $108,900 | $142,950 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 260 | $60,090 | $85,340 | $139,240 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 220 | $54,900 | $77,690 | $132,250 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 200 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 190 | $72,040 | $123,910 | $189,780 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 170 | $42,430 | $65,910 | $131,960 |
| Columbus, OH | 170 | $48,560 | $78,030 | $135,270 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 1,960 | $75,990 | $122,350 | $162,760 |
| California | 2,600 | $62,440 | $108,530 | $183,420 |
| Maryland | 1,590 | $59,260 | $108,470 | $185,520 |
| Georgia | 880 | $66,510 | $103,070 | $158,020 |
| New Jersey | 790 | $57,840 | $96,020 | $131,700 |
| Illinois | 1,470 | $59,780 | $92,050 | $127,300 |
| Oregon | 170 | $65,600 | $89,220 | $141,130 |
| Montana | 80 | $53,940 | $87,750 | $171,600 |
| Connecticut | 180 | $60,800 | $86,360 | $134,040 |
| North Carolina | 1,050 | $57,710 | $85,860 | $138,600 |
| Pennsylvania | 670 | $50,300 | $84,650 | $132,040 |
| Minnesota | 290 | $58,050 | $83,400 | $138,280 |
| Delaware | 190 | $59,040 | $82,770 | $128,480 |
| Colorado | 370 | $49,690 | $81,640 | $152,730 |
| New York | 1,050 | $65,020 | $81,090 | $134,960 |
| Florida | 270 | $46,090 | $80,930 | $135,710 |
| Iowa | 180 | $66,780 | $79,830 | $138,090 |
| New Hampshire | 170 | $57,540 | $79,430 | $111,120 |
| Michigan | 370 | $52,470 | $78,680 | $103,150 |
| Missouri | 140 | $54,540 | $78,590 | $163,130 |
| Indiana | 150 | $55,460 | $77,900 | $120,020 |
| Virginia | 280 | $55,120 | $77,820 | $161,470 |
| Washington | 340 | $53,490 | $77,690 | $129,480 |
| Tennessee | 210 | $52,880 | $77,630 | $143,220 |
| Alaska | 30 | $62,060 | $76,320 | $93,920 |
| Utah | 120 | $46,960 | $72,600 | $123,120 |
| Ohio | 530 | $46,420 | $72,500 | $129,590 |
| Nebraska | 90 | $57,160 | $72,470 | $166,000 |
| Hawaii | 60 | $56,050 | $70,970 | $89,810 |
| South Dakota | 80 | $40,820 | $70,530 | $107,200 |
| Kansas | 120 | $50,570 | $70,500 | $118,560 |
| Arizona | 80 | $52,530 | $69,880 | $93,310 |
| West Virginia | 40 | $42,740 | $68,550 | $82,680 |
| Wisconsin | 420 | $46,030 | $67,100 | $109,040 |
| Kentucky | 80 | $55,100 | $66,500 | $123,070 |
| Texas | 920 | $45,850 | $66,450 | $103,820 |
| Idaho | 70 | $48,660 | $65,940 | $100,510 |
| Alabama | 110 | $38,350 | $65,690 | $96,660 |
| South Carolina | 100 | $51,820 | $64,740 | $98,460 |
| Nevada | 110 | $51,990 | $64,490 | $125,860 |
| Puerto Rico | 190 | $40,160 | $63,680 | $95,180 |
| Mississippi | Not available | $44,010 | $61,690 | $115,210 |
| Arkansas | 140 | $42,580 | $59,750 | $145,270 |
| Maine | 30 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other life, physical, and social science occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Chemists
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
- Biological Technicians
- School Psychologists
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Microbiologists?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Microbiologists is $87,990. Employment is 18,940.
How does Microbiologists pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Microbiologists is 72.6% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Microbiologists?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is highest on this page's list at $130,070.