SOC 19-1022 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · May 2025

How much do Microbiologists make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?

In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Microbiologists in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is $100,420. The 10th percentile is $63,110 and the 90th percentile is $144,550. Employment is 780.

Median annual wage

$100,420

10th percentile
$63,110
25th percentile
$77,920
Median
$100,420
75th percentile
$127,150
90th percentile
$144,550
Mean
$101,560

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

Two cooks working in a commercial kitchen in 1930
Cooks in a Washington state kitchen, 1930. Seattle Municipal Archives. Photograph by Seattle Municipal Archives. Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Percentile spread

For Microbiologists, the published 10th percentile is $63,110 and the 90th percentile is $144,550. The difference is $81,440, which is 81.1% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $77,920 to the 75th at $127,150, covers $49,230.

The mean annual wage is $101,560, which sits above the median of $100,420. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA median is 14.1% higher than the national median of $87,990 for Microbiologists. In 2024 national prices the local median is $88,424, which is 0.5% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 7.5% lower than the California median of $108,530.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is 113.566, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $100,420 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Microbiologists at $88,424 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

3 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Microbiologists. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ranks 3rd of 4 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA is 57 miles away, with a median of $80,540 and employment of 30. That median is 19.8% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $72,864, against $88,424 here.
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is 110 miles away, with a median of $108,900 and employment of 270. That median is 8.4% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $97,330, against $88,424 here.
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA is 121 miles away, with a median of $102,590 and employment of 70. That median is 2.2% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $96,381, against $88,424 here.

Employment share

Microbiologists accounts for 0.01% of wage-and-salary employment in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (780 of 6,271,560). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (18,940 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.02 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.

Highest-paying jobs in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · Microbiologists by metro · How to read these percentiles · Median and mean · When a wage is not published · How the figures are made · Compare this wage after prices

Questions this page answers

How much do Microbiologists make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?

In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Microbiologists in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is $100,420. The 10th percentile is $63,110 and the 90th percentile is $144,550. Employment is 780.

How does that compare with the national median for Microbiologists?

The local median is 14.1% higher than the national median of $87,990.

What is Microbiologists pay in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA after local prices?

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is 113.566, with the United States at 100. In those national prices, the May 2025 median of $100,420 is $88,424. The wage is May 2025 and the parity is 2024.

How does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA compare with nearby metros for Microbiologists?

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA is the closest metropolitan area within 200 miles with a published annual median, 57 miles away, at $80,540. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ranks 3rd of 4 metros within 200 miles on that median. Distances use Census Bureau internal points.