Best cities for a biologist
The best cities for biologists are Sacramento, CA, Oakland, CA, and Anchorage, AK, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for biologists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for biologists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a biologist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for biologists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for biologists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a biologist. While the absolute best city for biologists is Sacramento, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for biologists in 2024.
If you're looking for a biologist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for biologists in 2026
1. Sacramento, CA
Total biologist jobs: 18 Average annual salary: $87,967 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location quotient: 5.48 2. Oakland, CA
Total biologist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $87,794 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location quotient: 6.64 3. Anchorage, AK
Total biologist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $77,319 Lowest 10 percent warn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location quotient: 3.76 4. Las Vegas, NV
Total biologist jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $71,550 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location quotient: 1.89 5. Cleveland, OH
Total biologist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $66,570 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location quotient: 2.00 6. Reno, NV
Total biologist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $81,221 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location quotient: 1.68 7. Fresno, CA
Total biologist jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $83,179 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location quotient: 10.20 8. Bakersfield, CA
Total biologist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $78,422 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location quotient: 8.42 9. Tulsa, OK
Total biologist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $68,654 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location quotient: 1.32 10. Lincoln, NE
Total biologist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $63,316 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location quotient: 3.46
Choose from 10+ customizable biologist resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use biologist resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your biologist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for biologists
- Sacramento, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Anchorage, AK
- Las Vegas, NV
- Cleveland, OH
- Reno, NV
- Fresno, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- Tulsa, OK
- Lincoln, NE
- (18 biologist jobs)
- (10 biologist jobs)
- (3 biologist jobs)
- (7 biologist jobs)
- (5 biologist jobs)
- (2 biologist jobs)
- (9 biologist jobs)
- (6 biologist jobs)
- (2 biologist jobs)
- (6 biologist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a biologist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $87,967 | $59,000 | 495,234 | 18 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $87,794 | $59,000 | 420,005 | 10 |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK | $77,319 | $58,000 | 298,192 | 3 |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $71,550 | $48,000 | 632,912 | 7 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $66,570 | $46,000 | 385,809 | 5 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $81,221 | $54,000 | 245,255 | 2 |
| 7 | Fresno, CA | $83,179 | $56,000 | 522,053 | 9 |
| 8 | Bakersfield, CA | $78,422 | $53,000 | 376,380 | 6 |
| 9 | Tulsa, OK | $68,654 | $47,000 | 403,090 | 2 |
| 10 | Lincoln, NE | $63,316 | $44,000 | 280,364 | 6 |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA | $88,005 | $59,000 | 870,887 | 8 |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $73,863 | $50,000 | 639,863 | 11 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $65,781 | $44,000 | 472,522 | 31 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $72,482 | $51,000 | 673,184 | 15 |
| 15 | Cincinnati, OH | $62,351 | $43,000 | 298,800 | 4 |
| 16 | North Las Vegas, NV | $71,471 | $48,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,770 | $40,000 | 855,164 | 35 |
| 18 | Seattle, WA | $74,233 | $51,000 | 704,352 | 12 |
| 19 | San Jose, CA | $86,494 | $58,000 | 1,025,350 | 5 |
| 20 | Mesa, AZ | $62,920 | $42,000 | 484,587 | 2 |
| 21 | Oklahoma City, OK | $68,807 | $46,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 22 | Madison, WI | $66,822 | $47,000 | 252,551 | 2 |
| 23 | Henderson, NV | $70,816 | $48,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 24 | Stockton, CA | $87,220 | $59,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 25 | Fremont, CA | $87,087 | $59,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 26 | Brookhaven, NY | $81,728 | $58,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 27 | Toledo, OH | $65,569 | $46,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 28 | New York, NY | $81,179 | $57,000 | 8,537,673 | 10 |
| 29 | Newark, NJ | $69,615 | $49,000 | 281,764 | 6 |
| 30 | Islip, NY | $81,539 | $58,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 31 | Oyster Bay, NY | $81,463 | $57,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 32 | Hempstead, NY | $81,302 | $57,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 33 | San Diego, CA | $73,336 | $50,000 | 1,406,630 | 45 |
| 34 | Columbus, OH | $63,993 | $44,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 35 | Lubbock, TX | $57,879 | $38,000 | 252,506 | 3 |
| 36 | Milwaukee, WI | $67,537 | $47,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 37 | Winston-Salem, NC | $56,435 | $38,000 | 242,203 | 6 |
| 38 | Buffalo, NY | $79,815 | $56,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 39 | Tucson, AZ | $62,082 | $42,000 | 530,706 | 3 |
| 40 | Omaha, NE | $63,413 | $44,000 | 446,970 | - |
| 41 | Irvine, CA | $74,299 | $51,000 | 266,122 | 7 |
| 42 | Detroit, MI | $60,996 | $43,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 43 | Los Angeles, CA | $75,084 | $51,000 | 3,976,322 | 8 |
| 44 | Santa Ana, CA | $74,420 | $51,000 | 334,217 | 1 |
| 45 | Baltimore, MD | $69,805 | $49,000 | 614,664 | 13 |
| 46 | Glendale, AZ | $63,203 | $43,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 47 | Phoenix, AZ | $63,169 | $43,000 | 1,615,017 | 1 |
| 48 | Fort Wayne, IN | $59,417 | $41,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 49 | Riverside, CA | $74,265 | $51,000 | 324,722 | 1 |
| 50 | Scottsdale, AZ | $63,096 | $43,000 | 246,645 | - |
Highest paying cities for biologists
| Rank | City | Avg. biologist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $88,005 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $74,871 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $74,233 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $73,863 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $72,482 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $71,550 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $69,805 |
| 8 | Newark, NJ | $69,615 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $66,570 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $66,460 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $65,781 |
| 12 | Manassas, VA | $64,510 |
| 13 | Lincoln, NE | $63,316 |
| 14 | North Chicago, IL | $62,351 |
| 15 | Charleston, WV | $60,158 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $60,013 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,770 |
| 18 | Birmingham, AL | $56,675 |
| 19 | Winston-Salem, NC | $56,435 |
| 20 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $55,075 |
Biologist best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
Search for biologist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025