Biochemists and Biophysicists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 19-1021 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$127,421
$61.26/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
Get notified when this number updates
Personal or work email, both work. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.
The national median salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists is $127,421 per year ($61.26/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $94,994 and $163,467 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $201,115 per year. There are approximately 33,830 biochemists and biophysicists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+5.8%
Faster than average
Annual openings
3K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
36K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
7% from new growth93% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
22K
$131,910
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
NAICS 325400
6K
$109,030
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
2K
$75,120
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing
NAICS 334500
670
$109,100
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
650
$62,970
Wage range across top 5 industries: $62,970 to $131,910 (109% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$35.71
$74,277
P25
$45.67
$94,994
P50MEDIAN
$61.26
$127,421
P75
$78.59
$163,467
P90
$96.69
$201,115
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average biochemists and biophysicists salary?
The national median salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists is $127,421 per year ($61.26/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $94,994 and $163,467 annually.
How much do top-earning biochemists and biophysicists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists is $201,115 per year ($96.69/hr). The 75th percentile is $163,467 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for biochemists and biophysicists?
Entry-level Biochemists and Biophysicists (10th percentile) earn approximately $74,277 per year ($35.71/hr). The 25th percentile is $94,994 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.