Best states for a microbiologist

Q: What is the best state for microbiologists?

The best state to be a microbiologist is Massachusetts based on microbiologist salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for microbiologists?

The highest paying state for microbiologists is South Dakota based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for microbiologists?

The worst state for microbiologists is South Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

James Slauch

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Microbiologist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for microbiologists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for microbiologists.Although there are abundant microbiologist jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the Midwest. Massachusetts is the best state in the country for microbiologist jobs.

Massachusetts is the best state for jobs for microbiologists, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Massachusetts is $73,922, while the median pay in South Dakota is $32,231.Massachusetts is the best state, and Barnstable Town is the city with the highest pay for microbiologists.

10 best states for microbiologists in 2025

1. Massachusetts
Total microbiologist jobs: 1,435
Average annual salary: $73,922
Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000
Location Quotient:
4.12
Microbiologist jobs in Massachusetts
2. Vermont
Total microbiologist jobs: 34
Average annual salary: $72,331
Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Microbiologist jobs in Vermont
3. California
Total microbiologist jobs: 2,057
Average annual salary: $67,967
Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000
Location Quotient:
1.85
Microbiologist jobs in California
4. New Jersey
Total microbiologist jobs: 383
Average annual salary: $66,433
Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
Microbiologist jobs in New Jersey
5. Maryland
Total microbiologist jobs: 426
Average annual salary: $61,537
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000
Location Quotient:
1.77
Microbiologist jobs in Maryland
6. Virginia
Total microbiologist jobs: 248
Average annual salary: $70,241
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000
Location Quotient:
0.69
Microbiologist jobs in Virginia
7. Rhode Island
Total microbiologist jobs: 47
Average annual salary: $56,846
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Microbiologist jobs in Rhode Island
8. Connecticut
Total microbiologist jobs: 138
Average annual salary: $56,240
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Microbiologist jobs in Connecticut
9. New York
Total microbiologist jobs: 685
Average annual salary: $55,723
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Microbiologist jobs in New York
10. New Hampshire
Total microbiologist jobs: 47
Average annual salary: $56,577
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Location Quotient:
0.71
Microbiologist jobs in New Hampshire

Microbiologist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a microbiologist

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a microbiologist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Massachusetts	$73,922	$50,000	6,859,819	1,435
2	Vermont	$72,331	$49,000	623,657	34
3	California	$67,967	$47,000	39,536,653	2,057
4	New Jersey	$66,433	$44,000	9,005,644	383
5	Maryland	$61,537	$41,000	6,052,177	426
6	Virginia	$70,241	$48,000	8,470,020	248
7	Rhode Island	$56,846	$38,000	1,059,639	47
8	Connecticut	$56,240	$37,000	3,588,184	138
9	New York	$55,723	$37,000	19,849,399	685
10	New Hampshire	$56,577	$38,000	1,342,795	47
11	Georgia	$62,476	$45,000	10,429,379	127
12	Pennsylvania	$49,532	$33,000	12,805,537	484
13	Delaware	$53,294	$36,000	961,939	34
14	North Dakota	$60,901	$45,000	755,393	9
15	Michigan	$46,289	$31,000	9,962,311	331
16	District of Columbia	$51,015	$34,000	693,972	94
17	Maine	$51,907	$35,000	1,335,907	29
18	West Virginia	$51,159	$35,000	1,815,857	29
19	Washington	$42,790	$31,000	7,405,743	569
20	Nevada	$47,155	$33,000	2,998,039	44
21	Arizona	$48,850	$34,000	7,016,270	90
22	Colorado	$47,412	$34,000	5,607,154	128
23	Kentucky	$48,156	$34,000	4,454,189	34
24	Oregon	$41,469	$30,000	4,142,776	153
25	Wyoming	$40,351	$30,000	579,315	17
26	Alaska	$42,983	$34,000	739,795	28
27	Wisconsin	$40,499	$28,000	5,795,483	189
28	Tennessee	$41,899	$30,000	6,715,984	117
29	Illinois	$43,047	$30,000	12,802,023	302
30	Utah	$39,783	$29,000	3,101,833	114
31	Minnesota	$41,007	$29,000	5,576,606	205
32	Oklahoma	$42,399	$31,000	3,930,864	32
33	Hawaii	$46,436	$39,000	1,427,538	22
34	Iowa	$41,337	$30,000	3,145,711	68
35	North Carolina	$40,628	$28,000	10,273,419	251
36	Ohio	$38,577	$26,000	11,658,609	277
37	Montana	$40,443	$30,000	1,050,493	26
38	Missouri	$39,202	$28,000	6,113,532	181
39	Indiana	$39,117	$27,000	6,666,818	133
40	Alabama	$40,331	$29,000	4,874,747	25
41	Florida	$40,013	$29,000	20,984,400	261
42	New Mexico	$36,550	$26,000	2,088,070	54
43	Texas	$36,273	$26,000	28,304,596	572
44	Idaho	$38,092	$28,000	1,716,943	28
45	Nebraska	$35,665	$26,000	1,920,076	58
46	Kansas	$32,857	$24,000	2,913,123	70
47	Arkansas	$34,382	$25,000	3,004,279	30
48	Mississippi	$35,608	$25,000	2,984,100	18
49	South Carolina	$36,063	$25,000	5,024,369	35
50	Louisiana	$32,761	$23,000	4,684,333	59
51	South Dakota	$32,231	$23,000	869,666	13

Highest paying states for microbiologists

Rank	State	Avg. Microbiologist Salary
1	Massachusetts	$73,922
2	Vermont	$72,331
3	California	$67,967
4	New Jersey	$66,433
5	Maryland	$61,537
6	Virginia	$70,241
7	Rhode Island	$56,846
8	Connecticut	$56,240
9	New York	$55,723
10	New Hampshire	$56,577
11	Georgia	$62,476
12	Pennsylvania	$49,532
13	Delaware	$53,294
14	North Dakota	$60,901
15	Michigan	$46,289
16	District of Columbia	$51,015
17	Maine	$51,907
18	West Virginia	$51,159
19	Washington	$42,790
20	Nevada	$47,155
21	Arizona	$48,850
22	Colorado	$47,412
23	Kentucky	$48,156
24	Oregon	$41,469
25	Wyoming	$40,351
26	Alaska	$42,983
27	Wisconsin	$40,499
28	Tennessee	$41,899
29	Illinois	$43,047
30	Utah	$39,783
31	Minnesota	$41,007
32	Oklahoma	$42,399
33	Hawaii	$46,436
34	Iowa	$41,337
35	North Carolina	$40,628
36	Ohio	$38,577
37	Montana	$40,443
38	Missouri	$39,202
39	Indiana	$39,117
40	Alabama	$40,331
41	Florida	$40,013
42	New Mexico	$36,550
43	Texas	$36,273
44	Idaho	$38,092
45	Nebraska	$35,665
46	Kansas	$32,857
47	Arkansas	$34,382
48	Mississippi	$35,608
49	South Carolina	$36,063
50	Louisiana	$32,761
51	South Dakota	$32,231

Expert opinions on the best states for microbiologists

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for microbiologists to find work opportunities?
James Slauch
Professor and Head, University of Illinois
There are certain areas of the country with concentrated pharma and biotech. I doubt if this will be affected by the pandemic per se.

Microbiologist best states FAQs

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What is the worst state for microbiologists?

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Best states for Microbiologists

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total microbiologist jobs:	1,435
Average annual salary:	$73,922
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$50,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$109,000
Location Quotient:	4.12

Best states for a microbiologist

10 best states for microbiologists in 2025

1. Massachusetts

2. Vermont

3. California

4. New Jersey

5. Maryland

6. Virginia

7. Rhode Island

8. Connecticut

9. New York

10. New Hampshire