156 metro areas
Bioinformatics Scientist Salary by City (2026)
Bioinformatics scientists earn the most in San Francisco, CA, an average of $148,010 a year, against $106,330 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Dayton, OH ($136,110 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $106,330BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $148,010San Francisco, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $136,110Dayton, OH
- Metro areas
- 156With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for bioinformatics scientists
Top 10 metro areas
- San Francisco, CA$148,010
- San Jose, CA$142,290
- New Haven, CT$128,520
- Portland, ME$127,030
- Dayton, OH$126,170
- Boston, MA-NH$124,110
- Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$123,740
- New York, NY-NJ$123,530
- Santa Maria, CA$122,820
- Tucson, AZ$120,830
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $148,010 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $142,290 |
| New Haven, CT | $128,520 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $127,030 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $126,170 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $124,110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $123,740 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $123,530 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $122,820 |
| Tucson, AZ | $120,830 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Dayton, OH$126,170 nominal$136,110
- San Jose, CA$142,290 nominal$128,860
- San Francisco, CA$148,010 nominal$128,020
- Indianapolis, IN$119,950 nominal$125,340
- Portland, ME$127,030 nominal$124,710
- Tucson, AZ$120,830 nominal$124,700
- New Haven, CT$128,520 nominal$122,920
- Barnstable Town, MA$117,080 nominal$119,040
- Rochester, NY$114,320 nominal$117,810
- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$111,610 nominal$117,030
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $136,110 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $128,860 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $128,020 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $125,340 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $124,710 |
| Tucson, AZ | $124,700 |
| New Haven, CT | $122,920 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $119,040 |
| Rochester, NY | $117,810 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $117,030 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Bioinformatics Scientist salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $148,010 | $92,960 | $175,140 | $128,020 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $142,290 | $86,030 | $170,020 | $128,860 |
| 3 | New Haven, CT | $128,520 | $81,580 | $151,650 | $122,920 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $127,030 | $90,790 | $144,890 | $124,710 |
| 5 | Dayton, OH | $126,170 | $82,140 | $147,850 | $136,110 |
| 6 | Boston, MA-NH | $124,110 | $77,630 | $147,010 | $114,630 |
| 7 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $123,740 | $75,670 | $147,410 | $113,640 |
| 8 | New York, NY-NJ | $123,530 | $82,080 | $143,940 | $109,740 |
| 9 | Santa Maria, CA | $122,820 | $75,650 | $146,060 | $112,890 |
| 10 | Tucson, AZ | $120,830 | $66,310 | $147,700 | $124,700 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $119,950 | $73,630 | $142,790 | $125,340 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $119,950 | $79,660 | $139,800 | $107,930 |
| 13 | Santa Rosa, CA | $117,540 | $73,740 | $139,110 | $109,050 |
| 14 | Barnstable Town, MA | $117,080 | $87,920 | $131,460 | $119,040 |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $116,270 | $75,800 | $136,220 | $103,920 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $116,170 | $76,610 | $135,660 | $111,180 |
| 17 | Rochester, NY | $114,320 | $74,570 | $133,890 | $117,810 |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | $113,190 | $75,690 | $131,660 | $115,320 |
| 19 | Providence, RI-MA | $112,130 | $77,310 | $129,290 | $110,180 |
| 20 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $111,610 | $70,570 | $131,830 | $117,030 |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $111,510 | $73,380 | $130,290 | $108,730 |
| 22 | Salinas, CA | $110,140 | $74,860 | $127,520 | $101,010 |
| 23 | Vallejo, CA | $107,700 | $63,750 | $129,380 | $99,280 |
| 24 | Grand Rapids, MI | $107,330 | $61,280 | $130,000 | $112,330 |
| 25 | Buffalo, NY | $106,640 | $68,290 | $125,530 | $111,260 |
| 26 | Worcester, MA | $106,480 | $65,890 | $126,460 | $103,860 |
| 27 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $106,290 | $71,280 | $123,530 | $109,190 |
| 28 | Stockton, CA | $105,810 | $64,850 | $125,990 | $100,690 |
| 29 | Anchorage, AK | $105,620 | $79,440 | $118,520 | $100,190 |
| 30 | Bremerton, WA | $105,410 | $77,670 | $119,080 | $99,810 |
| 31 | Oxnard, CA | $105,410 | $66,290 | $124,700 | $95,360 |
| 32 | Santa Cruz, CA | $105,290 | $62,960 | $126,150 | $95,810 |
| 33 | Spokane, WA | $105,230 | $76,340 | $119,450 | $104,870 |
| 34 | Los Angeles, CA | $105,100 | $68,810 | $122,970 | $92,550 |
| 35 | Denver, CO | $104,600 | $68,470 | $122,390 | $98,880 |
| 36 | Kennewick, WA | $104,330 | $71,610 | $120,430 | $104,250 |
| 37 | Winston, NC | $103,900 | $71,780 | $119,720 | $112,880 |
| 38 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $103,400 | $59,630 | $124,970 | $95,220 |
| 39 | Greensboro, NC | $103,310 | $78,750 | $115,420 | $111,250 |
| 40 | Charleston, SC | $102,860 | $71,090 | $118,500 | $101,880 |
| 41 | Durham, NC | $102,690 | $69,200 | $119,180 | $105,250 |
| 42 | Olympia, WA | $102,230 | $80,020 | $113,150 | $98,610 |
| 43 | Hartford, CT | $101,730 | $69,140 | $117,770 | $99,010 |
| 44 | Sacramento, CA | $101,400 | $67,620 | $118,040 | $95,060 |
| 45 | Portland, OR-WA | $101,280 | $70,200 | $116,580 | $96,070 |
| 46 | Wilmington, NC | $100,730 | $68,020 | $116,850 | $104,470 |
| 47 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $100,630 | $76,960 | $112,300 | $90,690 |
| 48 | Salt Lake City, UT | $100,380 | $72,860 | $113,940 | $99,520 |
| 49 | Ithaca, NY | $100,340 | $70,450 | $115,070 | $97,120 |
| 50 | Riverside, CA | $99,590 | $65,190 | $116,540 | $93,560 |
| 51 | Birmingham, AL | $99,010 | $70,620 | $112,990 | $108,040 |
| 52 | Phoenix, AZ | $98,970 | $74,340 | $111,090 | $95,790 |
| 53 | Harrisburg, PA | $98,950 | $70,120 | $113,150 | $100,300 |
| 54 | Modesto, CA | $98,070 | $63,480 | $115,110 | $94,200 |
| 55 | Atlanta, GA | $97,760 | $74,920 | $109,010 | $97,700 |
| 56 | Orlando, FL | $97,680 | $68,680 | $111,990 | $96,310 |
| 57 | Boulder, CO | $97,570 | $82,330 | $105,100 | $92,750 |
| 58 | Bozeman, MT | $97,550 | $69,760 | $111,240 | $95,160 |
| 59 | Provo, UT | $97,410 | $58,780 | $116,440 | $99,160 |
| 60 | Corvallis, OR | $97,360 | $72,990 | $109,390 | $93,600 |
| 61 | San Antonio, TX | $97,280 | $59,110 | $116,060 | $102,710 |
| 62 | Mobile, AL | $97,260 | $71,720 | $109,820 | $110,400 |
| 63 | Asheville, NC | $97,200 | $65,690 | $112,720 | $100,720 |
| 64 | Fort Collins, CO | $96,990 | $66,230 | $112,130 | $95,910 |
| 65 | Colorado Springs, CO | $96,930 | $69,060 | $110,660 | $96,250 |
| 66 | Houston, TX | $96,820 | $66,120 | $111,920 | $98,170 |
| 67 | Albany, NY | $96,720 | $68,060 | $110,840 | $97,140 |
| 68 | Bakersfield, CA | $96,010 | $56,930 | $115,270 | $95,170 |
| 69 | Gulfport, MS | $95,970 | $59,280 | $114,050 | $106,630 |
| 70 | El Paso, TX | $95,950 | $72,760 | $107,390 | $106,720 |
| 71 | Des Moines, IA | $95,530 | $64,480 | $110,820 | $104,180 |
| 72 | State College, PA | $95,470 | $75,710 | $105,190 | $98,660 |
| 73 | Helena, MT | $95,160 | $77,560 | $103,830 | $99,460 |
| 74 | El Centro, CA | $94,850 | $68,370 | $107,890 | $99,660 |
| 75 | Chicago, IL-IN | $94,040 | $61,900 | $109,870 | $90,780 |
| 76 | Ames, IA | $93,750 | $72,510 | $104,230 | $105,540 |
| 77 | Oklahoma City, OK | $93,640 | $55,680 | $112,340 | $103,570 |
| 78 | Crestview, FL | $93,370 | $49,230 | $115,110 | $96,230 |
| 79 | Miami, FL | $92,980 | $57,180 | $110,610 | $81,450 |
| 80 | Billings, MT | $92,850 | $73,590 | $102,340 | $99,280 |
| 81 | Pittsburgh, PA | $92,440 | $66,100 | $105,390 | $97,640 |
| 82 | Fresno, CA | $91,710 | $66,020 | $104,370 | $89,770 |
| 83 | Charlottesville, VA | $91,670 | $71,410 | $101,650 | $92,460 |
| 84 | Manhattan, KS | $91,620 | $60,130 | $107,120 | $101,620 |
| 85 | McAllen, TX | $91,460 | $69,620 | $102,210 | $106,480 |
| 86 | Syracuse, NY | $91,100 | $73,840 | $99,610 | $95,150 |
| 87 | Palm Bay, FL | $90,560 | $50,900 | $110,090 | $90,560 |
| 88 | Duluth, MN-WI | $90,040 | $62,650 | $103,540 | $101,430 |
| 89 | Dallas, TX | $89,650 | $66,120 | $101,230 | $86,960 |
| 90 | Detroit, MI | $89,290 | $54,270 | $106,540 | $89,020 |
| 91 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $88,500 | $51,330 | $106,810 | $93,070 |
| 92 | Jackson, MS | $88,440 | $51,650 | $106,580 | $99,320 |
| 93 | Huntsville, AL | $88,030 | $54,770 | $104,420 | $94,580 |
| 94 | Jacksonville, FL | $87,760 | $47,940 | $107,370 | $88,220 |
| 95 | Ann Arbor, MI | $87,730 | $57,760 | $102,480 | $86,960 |
| 96 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $87,690 | $67,160 | $97,800 | $94,220 |
| 97 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $87,260 | $64,380 | $98,530 | $89,090 |
| 98 | Albuquerque, NM | $87,210 | $61,050 | $100,110 | $91,280 |
| 99 | Brownsville, TX | $86,720 | $61,010 | $99,400 | $100,870 |
| 100 | Wenatchee, WA | $86,380 | $67,040 | $95,930 | $83,170 |
| 101 | Richmond, VA | $86,300 | $64,290 | $97,160 | $88,190 |
| 102 | Tampa, FL | $86,200 | $45,530 | $106,230 | $85,440 |
| 103 | Davenport, IA-IL | $86,050 | $66,640 | $95,600 | $96,600 |
| 104 | Omaha, NE-IA | $86,050 | $62,730 | $97,550 | $93,620 |
| 105 | Milwaukee, WI | $85,950 | $64,480 | $96,510 | $88,670 |
| 106 | Las Vegas, NV | $85,920 | $58,760 | $99,300 | $85,740 |
| 107 | Flagstaff, AZ | $85,880 | $64,580 | $96,370 | $85,600 |
| 108 | College Station, TX | $85,820 | $52,330 | $102,320 | $94,360 |
| 109 | Savannah, GA | $85,820 | $63,040 | $97,030 | $90,140 |
| 110 | Amherst Town, MA | $85,630 | $59,360 | $98,570 | $85,420 |
| 111 | Champaign, IL | $85,610 | $46,780 | $104,730 | $92,350 |
| 112 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $85,590 | $62,030 | $97,200 | $85,620 |
| 113 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $85,360 | $48,110 | $103,710 | $85,170 |
| 114 | Columbus, OH | $84,970 | $56,490 | $98,990 | $89,000 |
| 115 | Panama City, FL | $84,970 | $48,190 | $103,080 | $87,330 |
| 116 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $84,880 | $50,110 | $102,000 | $92,080 |
| 117 | Redding, CA | $84,840 | $57,530 | $98,300 | $84,260 |
| 118 | Pensacola, FL | $84,590 | $47,110 | $103,060 | $86,570 |
| 119 | Boise City, ID | $84,530 | $59,070 | $97,050 | $85,910 |
| 120 | Cape Coral, FL | $84,510 | $57,600 | $97,760 | $82,570 |
| 121 | Madison, WI | $84,200 | $63,920 | $94,180 | $86,550 |
| 122 | Green Bay, WI | $84,180 | $58,530 | $96,800 | $90,430 |
| 123 | Iowa City, IA | $84,140 | $59,990 | $96,030 | $91,950 |
| 124 | Knoxville, TN | $83,300 | $55,310 | $97,090 | $89,990 |
| 125 | Akron, OH | $83,200 | $53,770 | $97,680 | $89,110 |
| 126 | Little Rock, AR | $83,160 | $52,520 | $98,240 | $93,060 |
| 127 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $83,120 | $51,560 | $98,680 | $79,300 |
| 128 | Chico, CA | $82,560 | $50,150 | $98,530 | $81,580 |
| 129 | Las Cruces, NM | $82,470 | $56,350 | $95,330 | $91,420 |
| 130 | Nashville, TN | $82,280 | $59,240 | $93,640 | $85,410 |
| 131 | Columbia, MO | $82,060 | $58,490 | $93,640 | $91,750 |
| 132 | Athens, GA | $81,740 | $42,160 | $101,250 | $87,570 |
| 133 | Tulsa, OK | $81,740 | $59,280 | $92,810 | $91,620 |
| 134 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $80,930 | $49,610 | $96,370 | $87,450 |
| 135 | Lansing, MI | $80,640 | $61,340 | $90,150 | $84,890 |
| 136 | Missoula, MT | $80,480 | $57,470 | $91,810 | $83,450 |
| 137 | Bend, OR | $80,430 | $56,430 | $92,250 | $77,630 |
| 138 | Eugene, OR | $80,430 | $58,970 | $91,020 | $79,190 |
| 139 | Fargo, ND-MN | $80,430 | $50,230 | $95,330 | $88,510 |
| 140 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $79,770 | $59,800 | $89,610 | $86,920 |
| 141 | Lexington, KY | $79,730 | $59,510 | $89,690 | $85,830 |
| 142 | Yuma, AZ | $79,370 | $58,990 | $89,400 | $85,610 |
| 143 | New Orleans, LA | $78,670 | $49,360 | $93,100 | $84,960 |
| 144 | Burlington, VT | $77,850 | $53,230 | $90,000 | $77,120 |
| 145 | Idaho Falls, ID | $77,060 | $51,000 | $89,900 | $81,620 |
| 146 | Alexandria, LA | $75,500 | $52,230 | $86,960 | $88,110 |
| 147 | Austin, TX | $74,340 | $47,880 | $87,380 | $75,810 |
| 148 | Lafayette, LA | $73,150 | $48,710 | $85,200 | $83,880 |
| 149 | Gainesville, FL | $71,950 | $43,120 | $86,150 | $74,380 |
| 150 | San Juan, PR | $71,910 | $40,830 | $87,210 | N/A |
| 151 | Baton Rouge, LA | $71,360 | $45,970 | $83,870 | $78,610 |
| 152 | Slidell, LA | $68,680 | $52,310 | $76,750 | $74,070 |
| 153 | Reno, NV | $68,290 | $54,620 | $75,030 | $67,600 |
| 154 | Lafayette, IN | $65,540 | $51,980 | $72,220 | $70,150 |
| 155 | Tallahassee, FL | $64,330 | $46,610 | $73,070 | $68,500 |
| 156 | Jefferson City, MO | $62,500 | $49,190 | $69,080 | $71,040 |
More
More on bioinformatics scientists
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Bioinformatics Scientist salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays bioinformatics scientists the most?
San Francisco, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $148,010 a year, followed by San Jose, CA ($142,290), New Haven, CT ($128,520), Portland, ME ($127,030). The national mean is $106,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do bioinformatics scientists earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Dayton, OH ($136,110 at national prices, $126,170 nominal), San Jose, CA ($128,860 at national prices, $142,290 nominal), San Francisco, CA ($128,020 at national prices, $148,010 nominal).
How much do bioinformatics scientists make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $123,530; Los Angeles, CA: $105,100; Chicago, IL-IN: $94,040; Dallas, TX: $89,650; Houston, TX: $96,820 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do bioinformatics scientists earn the least?
Of the 156 metro areas with their own estimate, Jefferson City, MO has the lowest mean wage, $62,500. At local prices that is worth $71,040.