Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$54,670
- 25th Percentile — Junior$67,100
- 50th Percentile — Median$87,990
- 75th Percentile — Senior$122,350
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$150,000
The top 10% of Microbiologists earn $150,000 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $54,670, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia (est.) | $148,352 | +52.0% |
| Massachusetts | $119,700 | +22.6% |
| Maryland | $114,990 | +17.8% |
| California | $114,790 | +17.6% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $112,240 | +15.0% |
| Georgia | $108,930 | +11.6% |
| Vermont (est.) | $105,408 | +8.0% |
| Montana | $104,520 | +7.1% |
| Maine (est.) | $99,552 | +2.0% |
| Oregon | $97,510 | -0.1% |
| New Jersey | $95,920 | -1.7% |
| North Carolina | $95,490 | -2.2% |
| Minnesota | $95,220 | -2.4% |
| Virginia | $94,580 | -3.1% |
| Missouri | $94,410 | -3.3% |
| Illinois | $93,850 | -3.8% |
| New York | $93,220 | -4.5% |
| Connecticut | $93,070 | -4.6% |
| Colorado | $91,930 | -5.8% |
| Iowa | $91,170 | -6.6% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $90,768 | -7.0% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $89,792 | -8.0% |
| Delaware | $88,280 | -9.5% |
| Florida | $87,610 | -10.2% |
| Nebraska | $87,580 | -10.3% |
| Tennessee | $87,520 | -10.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $86,370 | -11.5% |
| Louisiana (est.) | $85,888 | -12.0% |
| New Mexico (est.) | $85,888 | -12.0% |
| Nevada | $85,220 | -12.7% |
| Indiana | $84,570 | -13.4% |
| Washington | $84,170 | -13.8% |
| New Hampshire | $82,630 | -15.3% |
| Arkansas | $82,120 | -15.9% |
| Oklahoma (est.) | $81,984 | -16.0% |
| Michigan | $80,240 | -17.8% |
| Utah | $79,830 | -18.2% |
| Ohio | $79,300 | -18.8% |
| Kansas | $78,920 | -19.1% |
| Alaska | $78,560 | -19.5% |
| South Dakota | $75,990 | -22.1% |
| Kentucky | $75,570 | -22.6% |
| Wisconsin | $73,280 | -24.9% |
| Idaho | $73,080 | -25.1% |
| Texas | $72,510 | -25.7% |
| Arizona | $72,040 | -26.2% |
| South Carolina | $72,030 | -26.2% |
| Hawaii | $71,820 | -26.4% |
| West Virginia | $70,360 | -27.9% |
| Alabama | $69,120 | -29.2% |
| Mississippi | $67,720 | -30.6% |
What Factors Affect Microbiologists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Microbiologists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Massachusetts pays an average of $119,700, while Mississippi pays $67,720 — a gap of $51,980 per year.
The middle half of Microbiologists earn between $67,100 and $122,350 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $54,670, while the top 10% earn more than $150,000.
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 +2.9% vs this role
- Medical Scientists $116,840/yr United States +19.7% vs this role
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists $91,680/yr United States 6.1% vs this role
- Conservation Scientists $77,130/yr United States 21.0% vs this role
- Economists $142,130/yr United States +45.6% vs this role
- Sociologists $114,920/yr United States +17.7% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +3.9% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +40.7% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Microbiologists?
The average salary for Microbiologists in the United States is $97,600 per year, with a median of $87,990.
What is the starting salary for Microbiologists?
Entry-level Microbiologists typically earn between $54,670 and $67,100 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Microbiologists the most?
Massachusetts pays Microbiologists the most at $119,700 per year on average, followed by Maryland ($114,990) and California ($114,790).
How much do Microbiologists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $97,600, Microbiologists earn approximately $46.92 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Microbiologists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 18,940 Microbiologists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $97,600 and a median of $87,990 (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