Microbiologists
Microbiologists (SOC 19-1022) earn a median $87,990 a year ($42.30 an hour) in the United States, with 18,940 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What microbiologists do
Microbiologists study microscopic organisms such as bacteria, algae, and fungi, including their growth, structure, development, and interactions with their surroundings. Some work in medical microbiology, looking at how organisms cause disease or how antibiotics affect them. Typical tasks include isolating and maintaining cultures of bacteria and other microorganisms under prescribed or experimental conditions, using microscopes and other methods to examine their physical and cultural characteristics and to identify them, and testing water, food, and the environment for harmful organisms. Some provide laboratory services to health departments and community environmental programs. The occupation differs from biochemists, who study the chemistry of living systems more broadly, from clinical laboratory technologists, who run diagnostic tests on patient samples, and from biological technicians, who assist scientists with routine laboratory work. They also use specialized equipment such as electron microscopes, supervise biological technologists and technicians, and prepare technical reports and recommendations from research results.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Microbiologist, Bacteriologist, Clinical Microbiologist, Electron Microscopist, Cytologist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $26.28 | $32.26 | $42.30 | $58.82 | $72.12 | $46.92 | 18,940 |
| Annual | $54,670 | $67,100 | $87,990 | $122,350 | $150,000 | $97,600 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where microbiologists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $36.53 | $47.08 | $58.82 | $68.38 | $78.25 | $57.55 | 1,960 | 0.54 | 4.42 |
| Annual | $75,990 | $97,930 | $122,350 | $142,220 | $162,760 | $119,700 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $30.02 | $38.49 | $52.18 | $67.96 | $88.18 | $55.19 | 2,600 | 0.14 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $62,440 | $80,060 | $108,530 | $141,360 | $183,420 | $114,790 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $28.49 | $37.41 | $52.15 | $67.63 | $89.19 | $55.29 | 1,590 | 0.58 | 4.72 |
| Annual | $59,260 | $77,810 | $108,470 | $140,670 | $185,520 | $114,990 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $31.97 | $42.30 | $49.55 | $60.72 | $75.97 | $52.37 | 880 | 0.18 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $66,510 | $87,990 | $103,070 | $126,300 | $158,020 | $108,930 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $27.81 | $38.46 | $46.16 | $54.26 | $63.32 | $46.12 | 790 | 0.18 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $57,840 | $80,010 | $96,020 | $112,860 | $131,700 | $95,920 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $30.02 | $38.49 | $52.18 | $67.96 | $88.18 | $55.19 | 2,600 | 0.14 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $62,440 | $80,060 | $108,530 | $141,360 | $183,420 | $114,790 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $36.53 | $47.08 | $58.82 | $68.38 | $78.25 | $57.55 | 1,960 | 0.54 | 4.42 |
| Annual | $75,990 | $97,930 | $122,350 | $142,220 | $162,760 | $119,700 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $28.49 | $37.41 | $52.15 | $67.63 | $89.19 | $55.29 | 1,590 | 0.58 | 4.72 |
| Annual | $59,260 | $77,810 | $108,470 | $140,670 | $185,520 | $114,990 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $28.74 | $32.10 | $44.26 | $53.95 | $61.20 | $45.12 | 1,470 | 0.24 | 1.98 |
| Annual | $59,780 | $66,770 | $92,050 | $112,210 | $127,300 | $93,850 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $31.26 | $37.20 | $38.99 | $51.20 | $64.89 | $44.82 | 1,050 | 0.11 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $65,020 | $77,380 | $81,090 | $106,490 | $134,960 | $93,220 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $36.75 | $52.18 | $62.53 | $85.88 | $89.68 | $65.32 | 700 | 0.30 | 2.42 |
| Annual | $76,430 | $108,520 | $130,070 | $178,640 | $186,530 | $135,860 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $34.63 | $39.62 | $59.57 | $74.36 | $91.24 | $59.76 | 190 | 0.17 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $72,040 | $82,400 | $123,910 | $154,670 | $189,780 | $124,300 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $37.42 | $37.42 | $59.42 | $88.61 | $88.61 | $60.79 | 30 | 0.16 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $77,830 | $77,830 | $123,590 | $184,310 | $184,310 | $126,450 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $36.53 | $48.17 | $58.82 | $68.38 | $78.75 | $58.21 | 1,810 | 0.67 | 5.49 |
| Annual | $75,990 | $100,190 | $122,350 | $142,220 | $163,790 | $121,080 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $30.30 | $37.85 | $55.76 | $87.56 | $94.95 | $60.10 | 30 | 0.23 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $63,020 | $78,720 | $115,980 | $182,110 | $197,490 | $125,010 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $36.53 | $48.17 | $58.82 | $68.38 | $78.75 | $58.21 | 1,810 | 0.67 | 5.49 |
| Annual | $75,990 | $100,190 | $122,350 | $142,220 | $163,790 | $121,080 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $29.36 | $39.62 | $55.19 | $75.36 | $93.84 | $58.92 | 1,370 | 0.44 | 3.58 |
| Annual | $61,070 | $82,410 | $114,800 | $156,750 | $195,190 | $122,560 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $32.15 | $37.74 | $41.21 | $52.77 | $65.27 | $46.19 | 1,330 | 0.14 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $66,880 | $78,490 | $85,710 | $109,770 | $135,760 | $96,080 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $28.79 | $32.12 | $48.38 | $57.94 | $64.45 | $45.94 | 1,240 | 0.28 | 2.26 |
| Annual | $59,880 | $66,810 | $100,620 | $120,520 | $134,050 | $95,550 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.34 | $37.46 | $48.28 | $61.13 | $69.50 | $48.83 | 780 | 0.12 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $63,110 | $77,920 | $100,420 | $127,150 | $144,550 | $101,560 | ||||
Top industries employing microbiologists
Scientific Research and Development Services employ 22.2% of microbiologists nationally (4,210 jobs) at a median $105,110 a year ($50.54 an hour), followed by Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (14.6%) and Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (12.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 4,210 | 22.2% | $105,110 | $50.54 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing NAICS 325400 | 2,760 | 14.6% | $83,770 | $40.28 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 2,300 | 12.1% | $59,890 | $28.80 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,830 | 9.7% | $134,640 | $64.73 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 1,570 | 8.3% | $77,930 | $37.47 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (18,940). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $79,260 for microbiologists in May 2021 and $87,990 in May 2025, with employment of 19,430 and 18,940.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $79,260 | $38.11 | 19,430 |
| May 2022 | $81,990 | $39.42 | 19,710 |
| May 2023 | $85,470 | $41.09 | 21,540 |
| May 2024 | $87,330 | $41.98 | 19,760 |
| May 2025 | $87,990 | $42.30 | 18,940 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
43 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts profile | $58.82 | $122,350 | $75,990 | $162,760 | 1,960 | 0.54 | 4.42 |
| 2 | California profile | $52.18 | $108,530 | $62,440 | $183,420 | 2,600 | 0.14 | 1.17 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $52.15 | $108,470 | $59,260 | $185,520 | 1,590 | 0.58 | 4.72 |
| 4 | Georgia profile | $49.55 | $103,070 | $66,510 | $158,020 | 880 | 0.18 | 1.48 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $46.16 | $96,020 | $57,840 | $131,700 | 790 | 0.18 | 1.51 |
| 6 | Illinois profile | $44.26 | $92,050 | $59,780 | $127,300 | 1,470 | 0.24 | 1.98 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $42.90 | $89,220 | $65,600 | $141,130 | 170 | 0.09 | 0.72 |
| 8 | Montana profile | $42.19 | $87,750 | $53,940 | $171,600 | 80 | 0.16 | 1.35 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $41.52 | $86,360 | $60,800 | $134,040 | 180 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| 10 | North Carolina profile | $41.28 | $85,860 | $57,710 | $138,600 | 1,050 | 0.21 | 1.75 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania profile | $40.70 | $84,650 | $50,300 | $132,040 | 670 | 0.11 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $40.09 | $83,400 | $58,050 | $138,280 | 290 | 0.10 | 0.80 |
| 13 | Delaware profile | $39.79 | $82,770 | $59,040 | $128,480 | 190 | 0.39 | 3.17 |
| 14 | Colorado profile | $39.25 | $81,640 | $49,690 | $152,730 | 370 | 0.13 | 1.07 |
| 15 | New York profile | $38.99 | $81,090 | $65,020 | $134,960 | 1,050 | 0.11 | 0.89 |
| 16 | Florida profile | $38.91 | $80,930 | $46,090 | $135,710 | 270 | 0.03 | 0.22 |
| 17 | Iowa profile | $38.38 | $79,830 | $66,780 | $138,090 | 180 | 0.12 | 0.95 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | $38.19 | $79,430 | $57,540 | $111,120 | 170 | 0.25 | 2.06 |
| 19 | Michigan profile | $37.83 | $78,680 | $52,470 | $103,150 | 370 | 0.08 | 0.68 |
| 20 | Missouri profile | $37.78 | $78,590 | $54,540 | $163,130 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| 21 | Indiana profile | $37.45 | $77,900 | $55,460 | $120,020 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| 22 | Virginia profile | $37.41 | $77,820 | $55,120 | $161,470 | 280 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 23 | Washington profile | $37.35 | $77,690 | $53,490 | $129,480 | 340 | 0.10 | 0.79 |
| 24 | Tennessee profile | $37.32 | $77,630 | $52,880 | $143,220 | 210 | 0.06 | 0.52 |
| 25 | Alaska profile | $36.69 | $76,320 | $62,060 | $93,920 | 30 | 0.10 | 0.85 |
| 26 | Utah profile | $34.90 | $72,600 | $46,960 | $123,120 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | $34.86 | $72,500 | $46,420 | $129,590 | 530 | 0.10 | 0.78 |
| 28 | Nebraska profile | $34.84 | $72,470 | $57,160 | $166,000 | 90 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| 29 | Hawaii profile | $34.12 | $70,970 | $56,050 | $89,810 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.81 |
| 30 | South Dakota profile | $33.91 | $70,530 | $40,820 | $107,200 | 80 | 0.19 | 1.52 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | $33.90 | $70,500 | $50,570 | $118,560 | 120 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| 32 | Arizona profile | $33.60 | $69,880 | $52,530 | $93,310 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| 33 | West Virginia profile | $32.96 | $68,550 | $42,740 | $82,680 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.43 |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | $32.26 | $67,100 | $46,030 | $109,040 | 420 | 0.14 | 1.18 |
| 35 | Kentucky profile | $31.97 | $66,500 | $55,100 | $123,070 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.32 |
| 36 | Texas profile | $31.95 | $66,450 | $45,850 | $103,820 | 920 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| 37 | Idaho profile | $31.70 | $65,940 | $48,660 | $100,510 | 70 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| 38 | Alabama profile | $31.58 | $65,690 | $38,350 | $96,660 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.44 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $31.13 | $64,740 | $51,820 | $98,460 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 40 | Nevada profile | $31.01 | $64,490 | $51,990 | $125,860 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.58 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $29.66 | $61,690 | $44,010 | $115,210 | ** | ** | ** |
| 42 | Arkansas profile | $28.73 | $59,750 | $42,580 | $145,270 | 140 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| – | Maine profile | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.05 | 0.41 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-1020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-1022 Microbiologists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-1022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-1022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.