Pay by state · 43 states
Microbiologist Salary by State (2026)
Microbiologists earn the most in Massachusetts at $122,350 a year and the least in Arkansas at $59,750 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $87,990. All 43 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $122,350Massachusetts
- National median
- $87,990BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $59,750Arkansas
- States reporting
- 43of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Microbiologist salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of microbiologists OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAMassachusetts | $122,350 | $97,930 | $142,220 | 1,960 | $115,690 |
| 2 | CACalifornia | $108,530 | $80,060 | $141,360 | 2,600 | $98,022 |
| 3 | MDMaryland | $108,470 | $77,810 | $140,670 | 1,590 | $103,345 |
| 4 | GAGeorgia | $103,070 | $87,990 | $126,300 | 880 | $107,038 |
| 5 | NJNew Jersey | $96,020 | $80,010 | $112,860 | 790 | $88,250 |
| 6 | ILIllinois | $92,050 | $66,770 | $112,210 | 1,470 | $92,089 |
| 7 | OROregon | $89,220 | $77,320 | $102,970 | 170 | $86,319 |
| 8 | MTMontana | $87,750 | $62,940 | $133,470 | 80 | $92,715 |
| 9 | CTConnecticut | $86,360 | $67,960 | $108,490 | 180 | $83,351 |
| 10 | NCNorth Carolina | $85,860 | $66,630 | $111,200 | 1,050 | $91,025 |
| 11 | PAPennsylvania | $84,650 | $59,280 | $105,110 | 670 | $86,756 |
| 12 | MNMinnesota | $83,400 | $70,840 | $110,580 | 290 | $84,566 |
| 13 | DEDelaware | $82,770 | $64,030 | $107,810 | 190 | $82,929 |
| 14 | COColorado | $81,640 | $66,750 | $118,560 | 370 | $79,222 |
| 15 | NYNew York | $81,090 | $77,380 | $106,490 | 1,050 | $75,138 |
| 16 | FLFlorida | $80,930 | $59,510 | $106,900 | 270 | $78,258 |
| 17 | IAIowa | $79,830 | $68,680 | $104,290 | 180 | $90,962 |
| 18 | NHNew Hampshire | $79,430 | $69,420 | $94,380 | 170 | $76,254 |
| 19 | MIMichigan | $78,680 | $64,370 | $92,600 | 370 | $81,773 |
| 20 | MOMissouri | $78,590 | $56,910 | $125,430 | 140 | $86,537 |
| 21 | INIndiana | $77,900 | $60,710 | $92,420 | 150 | $83,468 |
| 22 | VAVirginia | $77,820 | $55,130 | $129,250 | 280 | $76,970 |
| 23 | WAWashington | $77,690 | $63,770 | $96,650 | 340 | $72,599 |
| 24 | TNTennessee | $77,630 | $64,940 | $99,350 | 210 | $84,500 |
| 25 | AKAlaska | $76,320 | $64,400 | $87,330 | 30 | $74,561 |
| 26 | UTUtah | $72,600 | $56,730 | $96,990 | 120 | $73,434 |
| 27 | OHOhio | $72,500 | $51,220 | $97,010 | 530 | $78,147 |
| 28 | NENebraska | $72,470 | $63,830 | $98,890 | 90 | $80,430 |
| 29 | HIHawaii | $70,970 | $60,650 | $79,860 | 60 | $64,547 |
| 30 | SDSouth Dakota | $70,530 | $52,040 | $81,420 | 80 | $79,618 |
| 31 | KSKansas | $70,500 | $61,510 | $92,350 | 120 | $78,274 |
| 32 | AZArizona | $69,880 | $57,680 | $85,690 | 80 | $69,410 |
| 33 | WVWest Virginia | $68,550 | $51,930 | $76,490 | 40 | $76,595 |
| 34 | WIWisconsin | $67,100 | $53,390 | $84,080 | 420 | $71,311 |
| 35 | KYKentucky | $66,500 | $63,400 | $85,740 | 80 | $73,759 |
| 36 | TXTexas | $66,450 | $54,970 | $82,650 | 920 | $68,465 |
| 37 | IDIdaho | $65,940 | $57,560 | $76,650 | 70 | $69,051 |
| 38 | ALAlabama | $65,690 | $49,000 | $76,160 | 110 | $73,956 |
| 39 | SCSouth Carolina | $64,740 | $62,310 | $77,780 | 100 | $69,057 |
| 40 | NVNevada | $64,490 | $58,780 | $110,200 | 110 | $64,504 |
| 41 | PRPuerto Rico | $63,680 | $52,850 | $75,760 | 190 | N/A |
| 42 | MSMississippi | $61,690 | $46,130 | $67,840 | N/A | $70,946 |
| 43 | ARArkansas | $59,750 | $49,300 | $106,330 | 140 | $68,728 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Microbiologists, that changes the ranking: Massachusetts leads on raw pay at $122,350, while Massachusetts leads once prices are taken into account at $115,690.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Microbiologist pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Microbiologists the most?
Massachusetts reports the highest median wage for Microbiologists at $122,350 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by California ($108,530) and Maryland ($108,470).
Which state pays Microbiologists the least?
Arkansas reports the lowest median for Microbiologists at $59,750 a year, $62,600 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Microbiologists earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Massachusetts first at $115,690 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $122,350. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.