Research microbiologist vs public health microbiologist

The differences between research microbiologists and public health microbiologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a research microbiologist and a public health microbiologist. Additionally, a research microbiologist has an average salary of $70,894, which is higher than the $64,113 average annual salary of a public health microbiologist.

The top three skills for a research microbiologist include R, lab equipment and chemistry. The most important skills for a public health microbiologist are extraction, quality control procedures, and body fluids.

Research microbiologist vs public health microbiologist overview

	Research Microbiologist	Public Health Microbiologist
Yearly salary	$70,894	$64,113
Hourly rate	$34.08	$30.82
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	47,374	65,489
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 90%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Research microbiologist vs public health microbiologist salary

Research microbiologists and public health microbiologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Microbiologist	Public Health Microbiologist
Average salary	$70,894	$64,113
Salary range	Between $49,000 And $102,000	Between $45,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	Berkeley, CA	-
Highest paying state	Virginia	-
Best paying company	Randstad North America, Inc.	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between research microbiologist and public health microbiologist education

There are a few differences between a research microbiologist and a public health microbiologist in terms of educational background:

	Research Microbiologist	Public Health Microbiologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 90%
Most common major	Biology	Microbiology
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Research microbiologist vs public health microbiologist demographics

Here are the differences between research microbiologists' and public health microbiologists' demographics:

	Research Microbiologist	Public Health Microbiologist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5%	Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 15.6% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, 11.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between research microbiologist and public health microbiologist duties and responsibilities

Research microbiologist example responsibilities.

Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
Design and conduct testing require for surgical medical devices and pharmaceuticals by FDA and EPA.
Complete media preparation and QC.
Participate in the company's quality program according to GMP and ISO requirements.
Perform QC review on all outgoing reports.
Perform analysis relate to the application of DNA sequencing.

Public health microbiologist example responsibilities.

Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
Extract DNA from patient samples using complex laboratory equipment.
Perform high-complexity public health testing including ELISA, PCR, DFA/IFA, viral and bacterial cultures, serologies and drug susceptibilities.
Secure database entry within FDA compliance regulations and laboratory notebook entries.
Conduct biochemical assays including biochemical identification of microorganisms.
Conduct biochemical assays including biochemical identification of microorganisms.

Research microbiologist vs public health microbiologist skills

Common research microbiologist skills

R, 13%
Lab Equipment, 10%
Chemistry, 8%
Microorganisms, 6%
FDA, 6%
Laboratory Procedures, 5%

Common public health microbiologist skills

Extraction, 17%
Quality Control Procedures, 16%
Body Fluids, 10%
Pathogens, 9%
Proficiency Testing, 6%
DNA, 6%

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Research Microbiologist
Research Microbiologist vs Public Health Microbiologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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