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The national median salary for Microbiologists is $87,984 per year ($42.30/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $67,101 and $122,346 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $150,010 per year. There are approximately 18,940 microbiologists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Includes medical microbiologists who study the relationship between organisms and disease or the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
21K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's 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
4K
$105,110
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
NAICS 325400
3K
$83,770
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
2K
$59,890
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
2K
$134,640
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
2K
$77,930
Wage range across top 5 industries: $59,890 to $134,640 (125% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$26.28
$54,662
P25
$32.26
$67,101
P50MEDIAN
$42.30
$87,984
P75
$58.82
$122,346
P90
$72.12
$150,010
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 microbiologists salary?
The national median salary for Microbiologists is $87,984 per year ($42.30/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $67,101 and $122,346 annually.
How much do top-earning microbiologists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Microbiologists is $150,010 per year ($72.12/hr). The 75th percentile is $122,346 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for microbiologists?
Entry-level Microbiologists (10th percentile) earn approximately $54,662 per year ($26.28/hr). The 25th percentile is $67,101 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.
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