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Biotechnologist salary

Quoted expert
Professor Susan Bergeson

Average biotechnologist salary

$54,160

$26.04 hourly rate

Entry-level biotechnologist salary
$36,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Biotechnologist Salary Overview

The average salary for biotechnologists is reported at $54,160 per year, or around $26 per hour. This figure reflects the growing demand for professionals in the biotechnology sector, which encompasses various industries such as pharmaceuticals, agricultural technology, and environmental science. Salaries can be influenced by factors including geographical location, level of experience, and the specific sector of employment.

Salary Variations by Experience Level

Entry-level biotechnologists typically earn less, with salaries starting around $45,000. As professionals gain experience, their earning potential increases significantly. Mid-career biotechnologists can expect salaries in the range of $60,000 to $75,000, while senior roles, especially those in managerial positions or specialized research areas, can exceed $100,000 annually.

Geographic Impacts on Salary

Location plays a critical role in salary variances. States such as California, Massachusetts, and Maryland often offer higher salaries due to their concentration of biotechnology firms and research institutions. Understanding these regional differences can assist job seekers in targeting their applications effectively.

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Where can a Biotechnologist earn more?

Compare salary by location
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92k
72k
52k
32k
12k
Columbus, OH$67,995
Seattle, WA$42,004
Compare salary by company
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114k
94k
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AbbVie$100,081
Cargill$44,349

Biotechnologist salaries by experience level

Biotechnologist salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor, SalaryExpert, Comparably and Payscale, the average salary for a biotechnologist typically falls between $41,946 and $95,374.
zippia
$54,160yearly
glassdoor[1]
$93,046yearly
comparably[2]
$71,318yearly
Salary.com[3]
$41,946yearly
payscale[4]
$63,871yearly
SalaryExpert[5]
$95,374yearly

Average biotechnologist salary by state

The average biotechnologist salary in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average biotechnologist salary states are Idaho, Alabama, and Kentucky.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for biotechnologists

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Connecticut$74,994$36.05
2Rhode Island$65,794$31.63
3New Jersey$72,740$34.97
4Massachusetts$65,442$31.46
5New York$71,421$34.34
6Maryland$68,316$32.84
7New Hampshire$73,573$35.37
8Pennsylvania$59,246$28.48
9Ohio$60,780$29.22
10California$62,068$29.84
11Texas$57,261$27.53
12District of Columbia$60,419$29.05
13Illinois$56,162$27.00
14Michigan$49,990$24.03
15Virginia$56,342$27.09
16New Mexico$54,320$26.12
17Delaware$55,994$26.92
18Arkansas$54,784$26.34
19Oklahoma$54,538$26.22
20Missouri$51,219$24.62
21Vermont$49,230$23.67
22Maine$54,984$26.43
23Wyoming$51,820$24.91
24Wisconsin$50,556$24.31
25Iowa$51,821$24.91
26West Virginia$50,280$24.17
27Alaska$48,154$23.15
28Florida$51,092$24.56
29Nebraska$48,956$23.54
30Oregon$49,139$23.62
31Minnesota$48,042$23.10
32North Carolina$47,700$22.93
33Utah$46,936$22.57
34Louisiana$48,629$23.38
35Mississippi$49,126$23.62
36Hawaii$48,901$23.51
37Arizona$48,554$23.34
38Colorado$43,187$20.76
39Kansas$44,316$21.31
40South Carolina$47,798$22.98
41Tennessee$42,473$20.42
42Washington$42,123$20.25
43Georgia$46,529$22.37
44Nevada$40,020$19.24
45Indiana$40,833$19.63
46Idaho$39,825$19.15
47Montana$36,477$17.54
48Alabama$39,506$18.99
49South Dakota$38,152$18.34
50Kentucky$38,999$18.75
51North Dakota$37,559$18.06

Highest paying cities for biotechnologists

The highest-paying cities for biotechnologists are Silver Spring, MD, Worcester, MA, and Decatur, IL.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Silver Spring, MD$67,995$32.69
2Worcester, MA$65,597$31.54
3Decatur, IL$55,336$26.60
4Seattle, WA$42,004$20.19

Biotechnologist salary details

A biotechnologist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $80,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average biotechnologist salary graph
Average biotechnologist salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a biotechnologist's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$80,000$6,667$38
75th Percentile$66,000$5,500$32
Average$54,160$4,513$26
25th Percentile$44,000$3,667$21
10th Percentile$36,000$3,000$17

Highest paying biotechnologist jobs

The highest paying types of biotechnologists are research and development technician, research and development assistant, and research associate.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Laboratory Internship$35,305$2,942$16.9790,970
Research And Development Technician$83,552$6,963$40.17111,268
Research Technician$43,034$3,586$20.6964,786
Microbiological Laboratory Technician$38,713$3,226$18.6144,567
Research Laboratory Technician$38,308$3,192$18.4286,476
Biological Science Technician$35,390$2,949$17.0113,801

How would you rate the starting salaries for biotechnologists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Salaries for biotechnology technicians, research associates, and research scientists vary widely by experience and location. Graduates in biotechnology with engineering or bioinformatics backgrounds may start at higher salaries. I encourage my biotechnology students to consider adding an MBA as this broadens their potential for advancement and gives them a better understanding of how the company works while they simultaneously enjoy the scientific process.

Which companies pay biotechnologists the most?

Biotechnologist salaries at AbbVie and Henry M. Jackson Foundation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average biotechnologist salary at companies like Mérieux NutriSciences and ADM are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1AbbVie$100,081$48.12
2Henry M. Jackson Foundation$69,478$33.40
3Mérieux NutriSciences$58,187$27.97
4ADM$50,204$24.14
5Cargill$44,349$21.32

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$61,000$60,600$60,200$59,800$59,400$59,000
MaleFemale

Biotechnologist salary trends

The average biotechnologist salary has risen by $8,018 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average biotechnologist earned $46,142 annually, but today, they earn $54,160 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for biotechnologists over the last decade.

Compare biotechnologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average biotechnologist salary over time

Compare biotechnologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Biotechnologist salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$54,200$26.04+1.0%
2024$53,600$25.77+3.0%
2023$52,000$25.00+1.6%
2022$51,200$24.61+2.9%
2021$49,700$23.89+2.0%

Recently added biotechnologist salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Ask ConsultingBiotechnologist Associate (Bulk)Portsmouth, NH04/26/2025$56,349
SpectraforceBiotechnologistPortsmouth, NH03/27/2025$48,523
Ask ConsultingBiotechnologist Associate (258918)Portsmouth, NH01/28/2025$41,740
Lenmar ConsultingBiotechnologist Associate (MAX W2)Portsmouth, NH01/26/2025$56,349
Cargill, IncorporatedSenior Professional BiotechnologistPlymouth, MN01/24/2025$116,688
Planet PharmaBiotechnologist Associate (DAY Shift)Portsmouth, NH12/12/2024$48,523
Lenmar ConsultingBiotechnologist Associate (Shifts-Day/Night)Portsmouth, NH12/10/2024$56,349
The Hire Method, LLCSenior Manufacturing BiotechnologistPortsmouth, NH12/05/2024$75,000
SwipejobsBiotechnologist AssociatePortsmouth, NH07/22/2024$48,523
SwipejobsBiotechnologist AssociatePortsmouth, NH07/22/2024$48,523

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