How much do Microbiologists make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?

Percentile spread

For Microbiologists, the published 10th percentile is $72,040 and the 90th percentile is $189,780. The difference is $117,740, which is 95.0% 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 $82,400 to the 75th at $154,670, covers $72,270.

The mean annual wage is $124,300, which sits above the median of $123,910. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA median is 40.8% higher than the national median of $87,990 for Microbiologists. In 2024 national prices the local median is $112,214, which is 27.5% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 14.2% higher than the California median of $108,530.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is 110.423, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $123,910 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Microbiologists at $112,214 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

6 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Microbiologists. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ranks 2nd of 7 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).).

• Modesto, CA is 50 miles away, with a median of $59,470 and employment of 80. That median is 52% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $57,123, against $112,214 here.
• San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is 78 miles away, with a median of $130,070 and employment of 700. That median is 5% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $112,505, against $112,214 here.
• Fresno, CA is 94 miles away, with a median of $91,890 and employment of 30. That median is 25.8% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $89,949, against $112,214 here.

Employment share

Microbiologists accounts for 0.02% of wage-and-salary employment in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (190 of 1,134,970). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (18,940 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.37 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.