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As of October 2025, the average salary for an Assistant Professor of Biology in the United States is estimated to be $69,313 per year, translating to about $33 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, institution type, and years of experience. For instance, assistant professors at research universities typically earn more than those at community colleges.
The highest-paying states for this position include states like California, New York, and Massachusetts. In these areas, salaries can exceed the national average, making them attractive destinations for job seekers. For example, California offers competitive salaries due to its large number of research institutions.
Cities such as San Francisco, New York City, and Boston are known for offering some of the highest salaries for assistant professors in biology. These urban centers not only provide higher compensation but also vibrant academic environments that foster professional development.
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The highest-paying states for assistant professors of biology are Utah, California, and New York. The lowest average assistant professor of biology salary states are Hawaii, Missouri, and South Carolina.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $95,714 | $46.02 |
| 2 | Alaska | $95,489 | $45.91 |
| 3 | Utah | $103,133 | $49.58 |
| 4 | Oregon | $84,407 | $40.58 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $79,303 | $38.13 |
| 6 | California | $98,843 | $47.52 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $71,974 | $34.60 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $77,314 | $37.17 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $69,703 | $33.51 |
| 10 | Idaho | $83,898 | $40.34 |
| 11 | Indiana | $71,074 | $34.17 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $69,384 | $33.36 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $76,274 | $36.67 |
| 14 | Nevada | $79,038 | $38.00 |
| 15 | Kansas | $69,424 | $33.38 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $76,981 | $37.01 |
| 17 | Delaware | $77,409 | $37.22 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $74,004 | $35.58 |
| 19 | Colorado | $67,642 | $32.52 |
| 20 | Vermont | $67,112 | $32.27 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $76,573 | $36.81 |
| 22 | Illinois | $70,655 | $33.97 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $75,237 | $36.17 |
| 24 | Michigan | $67,279 | $32.35 |
| 25 | Alabama | $65,643 | $31.56 |
| 26 | Washington | $73,551 | $35.36 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $61,352 | $29.50 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $67,794 | $32.59 |
| 29 | Iowa | $64,321 | $30.92 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $67,587 | $32.49 |
| 31 | Ohio | $66,426 | $31.94 |
| 32 | Maine | $65,289 | $31.39 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $61,187 | $29.42 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $65,937 | $31.70 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $65,869 | $31.67 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $60,515 | $29.09 |
| 37 | Virginia | $63,218 | $30.39 |
| 38 | Maryland | $67,721 | $32.56 |
| 39 | Texas | $59,797 | $28.75 |
| 40 | Florida | $62,048 | $29.83 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $57,245 | $27.52 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $49,497 | $23.80 |
| 43 | Georgia | $62,315 | $29.96 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $50,107 | $24.09 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $58,199 | $27.98 |
| 46 | Montana | $56,654 | $27.24 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $58,156 | $27.96 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $53,565 | $25.75 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $55,249 | $26.56 |
| 50 | Missouri | $54,811 | $26.35 |
| 51 | Arizona | $52,342 | $25.16 |
The highest-paying cities for assistant professors of biology are Pasadena, CA, New York, NY, and Moscow, ID.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pasadena, CA | $97,542 | $46.90 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $95,879 | $46.10 |
| 3 | Moscow, ID | $82,781 | $39.80 |
| 4 | Bridgewater, MA | $77,857 | $37.43 |
| 5 | Piscataway, NJ | $74,013 | $35.58 |
| 6 | Fort Wayne, IN | $72,029 | $34.63 |
| 7 | Skokie, IL | $70,927 | $34.10 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,699 | $33.51 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $67,963 | $32.67 |
| 10 | Mankato, MN | $67,613 | $32.51 |
| 11 | Huntsville, AL | $65,213 | $31.35 |
| 12 | Sioux City, IA | $64,537 | $31.03 |
| 13 | Statesboro, GA | $62,425 | $30.01 |
| 14 | Jackson, MS | $61,576 | $29.60 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge, LA | $61,237 | $29.44 |
| 16 | Greensboro, NC | $58,308 | $28.03 |
| 17 | Murfreesboro, TN | $57,193 | $27.50 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $54,762 | $26.33 |
| 19 | San Juan, PR | $54,524 | $26.21 |
| 20 | Huntington, WV | $48,663 | $23.40 |
An assistant professor of biology's salary ranges from $44,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $108,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $108,000 | $9,000 | $52 |
| 75th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| Average | $69,313 | $5,776 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
The highest paying types of assistant professors of biology are professor, adjunct assistant professor, and adjunct professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Science Faculty Member | $70,683 | $5,890 | $33.98 | 30,806 |
| Biology Faculty Member | $60,278 | $5,023 | $28.98 | 12,876 |
| Biology Instructor | $58,811 | $4,901 | $28.27 | 37,540 |
| Adjunct Biology Instructor | $86,786 | $7,232 | $41.72 | 38,331 |
| Professor | $157,570 | $13,131 | $75.75 | 21,861 |
| Adjunct Professor | $98,821 | $8,235 | $47.51 | 22,488 |
Top companies hiring assistant professors of biology now:
Assistant professor of biology salaries at Our Lady of the Lake University and Harvard University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average assistant professor of biology salary at companies like Stanford University and California Institute of Technology are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Our Lady of the Lake University | $112,914 | $54.29 |
| 2 | Harvard University | $107,646 | $51.75 |
| 3 | Stanford University | $106,063 | $50.99 |
| 4 | California Institute of Technology | $104,003 | $50.00 |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $102,866 | $49.45 |
| 6 | Pace University | $102,843 | $49.44 |
| 7 | Oregon Health & Science University | $101,710 | $48.90 |
| 8 | University of California | $100,384 | $48.26 |
| 9 | University of California-Berkeley | $96,753 | $46.52 |
| 10 | Emory University | $94,007 | $45.20 |
| 11 | Salk Institute for Biological Studies | $87,699 | $42.16 |
| 12 | Brandeis University | $87,649 | $42.14 |
| 13 | Claremont McKenna College | $86,354 | $41.52 |
| 14 | The George Washington University | $85,606 | $41.16 |
| 15 | University of Southern California | $82,048 | $39.45 |
| 16 | Saint Louis University | $82,047 | $39.45 |
| 17 | University of New Orleans | $81,480 | $39.17 |
| 18 | The University of New Mexico | $81,463 | $39.16 |
| 19 | Saint Xavier University | $80,992 | $38.94 |
| 20 | University of Massachusetts Boston | $80,947 | $38.92 |
The average assistant professor of biology salary has risen by $9,304 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average assistant professor of biology earned $60,009 annually, but today, they earn $69,313 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for assistant professors of biology over the last decade.
Compare assistant professor of biology salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare assistant professor of biology salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,300 | $33.32 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $67,500 | $32.43 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $66,800 | $32.14 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $63,400 | $30.46 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $62,100 | $29.84 | +1.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred State College | Assistant Professor of Biology-Alfred State College | Alfred, NY | 06/26/2025 | $55,000 |
| Springfield Technical Community College | Instructor/Assistant Professor Biological Sciences-Springfield Technical Community College | Springfield, MA | 06/25/2025 | $52,880 |
| The Beach | Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences (Elasmobranch Biologist) | Long Beach, CA | 06/19/2025 | $88,008 |
| Hilbert College | Assistant Professor, Forensic Biology | Hamburg, NY | 06/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| CSU Careers | Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences (Elasmobranch Biologist) | Long Beach, CA | 06/18/2025 | $88,008 |
| Kilgore College | Assistant Professor-Biology | Kilgore, TX | 06/13/2025 | $41,431 |
| Touro College | Assistant Professor of Biology | New York, NY | 06/10/2025 | $68,000 |
| Western Wyoming Community Col | Instructor/Assistant Professor of Biology | Rock Springs, WY | 06/07/2025 | $66,900 |
| Manhattan College | Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Human Biology | New York, NY | 06/05/2025 | $75,000 |
| Hilbert College | Assistant Professor, Forensic Biology | Hamburg, NY | 05/24/2025 | $55,000 |
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