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Research microbiologist salary
Average research microbiologist salary
$70,894
Understanding Research Microbiologist Salaries
A Research Microbiologist plays a crucial role in studying microorganisms, contributing to fields such as medicine, agriculture, and environmental science. According to recent data, the average salary for this position is approximately $70,894 per year, equating to about $34 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors like location, years of experience, and the specific sector within which one works.
Where Do Research Microbiologists Earn More?
States such as California, Massachusetts, and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for research microbiologists, driven by the presence of leading research institutions and biotech companies. Additionally, cities like San Francisco, Boston, and Houston are known for higher pay rates, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in these areas.
Job Opportunities
The field presents various job opportunities, including positions in academia, government research laboratories, and private sector companies. Networking and continuous education are essential for career advancement in this competitive field.
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Where can a Research Microbiologist earn more?
Average research microbiologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for research microbiologists are Virginia, Massachusetts, and California. The lowest average research microbiologist salary states are Nebraska, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research microbiologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $91,823 | $44.15 |
| 2 | Vermont | $90,105 | $43.32 |
| 3 | California | $90,828 | $43.67 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $82,896 | $39.85 |
| 5 | Virginia | $95,117 | $45.73 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $70,688 | $33.98 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $70,366 | $33.83 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $87,768 | $42.20 |
| 9 | Georgia | $75,957 | $36.52 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $71,888 | $34.56 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $70,257 | $33.78 |
| 12 | Michigan | $64,389 | $30.96 |
| 13 | Colorado | $66,622 | $32.03 |
| 14 | Delaware | $68,918 | $33.13 |
| 15 | Arizona | $68,275 | $32.82 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $64,142 | $30.84 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $75,763 | $36.42 |
| 18 | Maryland | $76,166 | $36.62 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $69,246 | $33.29 |
| 20 | Maine | $63,998 | $30.77 |
| 21 | New York | $72,279 | $34.75 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $59,753 | $28.73 |
| 23 | Oregon | $60,769 | $29.22 |
| 24 | Nevada | $67,481 | $32.44 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $59,942 | $28.82 |
| 26 | Illinois | $60,166 | $28.93 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $56,874 | $27.34 |
| 28 | Iowa | $61,796 | $29.71 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $60,588 | $29.13 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $68,059 | $32.72 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $58,683 | $28.21 |
| 32 | Washington | $63,413 | $30.49 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $57,182 | $27.49 |
| 34 | Missouri | $55,876 | $26.86 |
| 35 | Indiana | $56,437 | $27.13 |
| 36 | Alaska | $62,684 | $30.14 |
| 37 | Montana | $57,313 | $27.55 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $52,211 | $25.10 |
| 39 | Alabama | $56,841 | $27.33 |
| 40 | Ohio | $54,441 | $26.17 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $50,769 | $24.41 |
| 42 | Idaho | $54,384 | $26.15 |
| 43 | Florida | $53,634 | $25.79 |
| 44 | Utah | $51,356 | $24.69 |
| 45 | Texas | $51,930 | $24.97 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $50,346 | $24.20 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $46,523 | $22.37 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $49,067 | $23.59 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $50,807 | $24.43 |
| 50 | Kansas | $46,703 | $22.45 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $46,221 | $22.22 |
Highest paying cities for research microbiologists
The highest-paying cities for research microbiologists are Berkeley, CA, Cambridge, MA, and Laurel, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $95,588 | $45.96 |
| 2 | Cambridge, MA | $91,897 | $44.18 |
| 3 | Laurel, MD | $76,210 | $36.64 |
| 4 | Atlanta, GA | $76,026 | $36.55 |
| 5 | Ames, IA | $61,511 | $29.57 |
| 6 | Peoria, IL | $59,057 | $28.39 |
| 7 | Cincinnati, OH | $53,223 | $25.59 |
| 8 | Lincoln, NE | $50,733 | $24.39 |
Research microbiologist salary details
A research microbiologist's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $102,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research microbiologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| 75th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| Average | $70,894 | $5,908 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
Highest paying research microbiologist jobs
The highest paying types of research microbiologists are research and development scientist, research scientist, and microbiology supervisor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Laboratory Technician | $38,308 | $3,192 | $18.42 | 86,476 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Research Scientist | $89,998 | $7,500 | $43.27 | 93,013 |
| Quality Control Microbiologist | $55,202 | $4,600 | $26.54 | 82,081 |
| Public Health Microbiologist | $64,113 | $5,343 | $30.82 | 65,489 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for research microbiologists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Patrick Schlievert Ph.D.
Chair, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa
These are proportionately scaled down for nine-month appointments, but you can generate additional summer salary from grants. If you go with a start-up, your salary will likely also be in the $100K range, but you will probably also have to write SBIR grant applications, generating additional wages. The critical thing with small companies is that you can gain experience that may get you the desired job in a large company. I became chair of M&I because I wanted to help the faculty! That is my only desired legacy. That is often not why chairs are hired, though. Department chairs in large universities often make $250K to $350K; this is quite acceptable.
Top companies hiring research microbiologists now:
Which companies pay research microbiologists the most?
Research microbiologist salaries at Randstad North America, Inc. and Goldbelt Falcon are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research microbiologist salary at companies like Indigo Ag and Silliker, Inc. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $82,615 | $39.72 |
| 2 | Goldbelt Falcon | $78,166 | $37.58 |
| 3 | Indigo Ag | $77,556 | $37.29 |
| 4 | Silliker, Inc. | $77,503 | $37.26 |
| 5 | US Meat Animal Research Center | $76,565 | $36.81 |
| 6 | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | $75,712 | $36.40 |
| 7 | Molecular epidemiology | $75,093 | $36.10 |
| 8 | U.S. Department of Education | $73,471 | $35.32 |
| 9 | Novus | $70,121 | $33.71 |
| 10 | USDA | $67,697 | $32.55 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research Microbiologist salary by industry
The average research microbiologist salary varies across industries:
- The average research microbiologist salary in the manufacturing industry is $76,977, the highest of any industry.
- The average research microbiologist salary in the finance industry is $75,189.
- Research microbiologists in the government industry earn an average salary of $69,290, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research microbiologists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $76,977 | $37.01 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $75,189 | $36.15 |
| 3 | Health Care | $71,750 | $34.50 |
| 4 | Government | $69,290 | $33.31 |
High paying research microbiologist jobs
Research microbiologist salary trends
The average research microbiologist salary has risen by $16,102 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research microbiologist earned $54,792 annually, but today, they earn $70,894 a year. That works out to a 26% change in pay for research microbiologists over the last decade.
Compare research microbiologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research microbiologist salary over time
Compare research microbiologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research microbiologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $70,900 | $34.08 | +10.4% |
| 2025 | $63,500 | $30.55 | +5.3% |
| 2024 | $60,200 | $28.93 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $58,800 | $28.25 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $56,200 | $27.00 | -1.0% |
Recently added research microbiologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astrix Technology | Senior R&D Microbiologist | Hackensack, NJ | 05/08/2025 | $80,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Superior | Researcher I Field Microbiologist-Lake Superior Research Institute | Superior, WI | 03/08/2025 | $48,000 |
| United States Department of Agriculture | Research Microbiologist | Ione, OR | 12/16/2024 | $86,962 |
| Department of Agriculture | Research Microbiologist | Charleston, SC | 11/21/2024 | $86,962 |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | Research Microbiologist | Albany, CA | 10/25/2024 | $93,320 |
| United States Department of Agriculture | Research Microbiologist | Fort Collins, CO | 10/24/2024 | $86,962 |
| Department of Agriculture | Research Microbiologist/Veterinary Medical Officer | Ames, IA | 10/08/2024 | $87,602 |
| Intellectt Inc. | Research Microbiologist-Atlanta, GA, 30313 | Atlanta, GA | 09/28/2024 | $64,989 |
| United States Department of Agriculture | Research Microbiologist/Molecular Biologist/Entomologist (Research Associate) | Ione, OR | 09/26/2024 | $69,107 |
| Department of Agriculture | Research Microbiologist/Molecular Biologist/Entomologist (Research Associate) | Peoria, IL | 09/24/2024 | $69,107 |
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