Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$74,290
- 25th Percentile — Junior$95,000
- 50th Percentile — Median$127,410
- 75th Percentile — Senior$163,460
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$201,110
The top 10% of Biochemists and Biophysicists earn $201,110 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $74,290, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $201,252 | +55.0% |
| Alaska (est.) | $171,389 | +32.0% |
| Florida | $157,820 | +21.5% |
| Tennessee | $150,580 | +16.0% |
| California | $148,550 | +14.4% |
| Oregon (est.) | $145,421 | +12.0% |
| Colorado (est.) | $142,824 | +10.0% |
| Vermont (est.) | $140,227 | +8.0% |
| Massachusetts | $139,290 | +7.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $137,680 | +6.0% |
| Connecticut | $136,300 | +5.0% |
| Arizona (est.) | $128,542 | -1.0% |
| Virginia | $126,950 | -2.2% |
| Montana (est.) | $123,348 | -5.0% |
| New Jersey | $121,470 | -6.4% |
| District of Columbia | $121,400 | -6.5% |
| Idaho (est.) | $120,751 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $120,751 | -7.0% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $119,453 | -8.0% |
| Wisconsin | $118,620 | -8.6% |
| Texas | $116,270 | -10.5% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $114,259 | -12.0% |
| New Mexico (est.) | $114,259 | -12.0% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $112,961 | -13.0% |
| South Carolina | $110,710 | -14.7% |
| Michigan | $110,590 | -14.8% |
| Indiana (est.) | $110,364 | -15.0% |
| Georgia | $110,160 | -15.2% |
| New Hampshire | $109,450 | -15.7% |
| New York | $108,140 | -16.7% |
| Kansas | $104,910 | -19.2% |
| Delaware | $104,270 | -19.7% |
| Maryland | $104,090 | -19.8% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $103,872 | -20.0% |
| Illinois | $102,640 | -20.9% |
| North Carolina | $102,050 | -21.4% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $101,275 | -22.0% |
| Utah | $100,670 | -22.5% |
| Arkansas | $98,290 | -24.3% |
| Washington | $98,000 | -24.5% |
| Kentucky | $97,830 | -24.7% |
| Maine | $97,060 | -25.2% |
| Iowa | $96,820 | -25.4% |
| Ohio | $93,360 | -28.1% |
| Missouri | $90,910 | -30.0% |
| Minnesota | $88,070 | -32.2% |
| Nevada | $87,750 | -32.4% |
| Rhode Island | $84,670 | -34.8% |
| Oklahoma | $73,800 | -43.2% |
| Nebraska | $71,550 | -44.9% |
| Alabama | $64,020 | -50.7% |
What Factors Affect Biochemists and Biophysicists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Biochemists and Biophysicists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Florida pays an average of $157,820, while Alabama pays $64,020 — a gap of $93,800 per year.
The middle half of Biochemists and Biophysicists earn between $95,000 and $163,460 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $74,290, while the top 10% earn more than $201,110.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Chemists $100,450/yr United States 22.6% vs this role
- Medical Scientists $116,840/yr United States 10.0% vs this role
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists $91,680/yr United States 29.4% vs this role
- Conservation Scientists $77,130/yr United States 40.6% vs this role
- Economists $142,130/yr United States +9.5% vs this role
- Sociologists $114,920/yr United States 11.5% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 21.9% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +5.7% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists?
The average salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists in the United States is $129,840 per year, with a median of $127,410.
What is the starting salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists?
Entry-level Biochemists and Biophysicists typically earn between $74,290 and $95,000 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Biochemists and Biophysicists the most?
Florida pays Biochemists and Biophysicists the most at $157,820 per year on average, followed by Tennessee ($150,580) and California ($148,550).
How much do Biochemists and Biophysicists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $129,840, Biochemists and Biophysicists earn approximately $62.42 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Biochemists and Biophysicists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 33,830 Biochemists and Biophysicists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $129,840 and a median of $127,410 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data