Biologist Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does a Biologist Scientist make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Biologist Scientist in the United States is $58,086 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.

However, a Biologist Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $68,176
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $51,873 to $63,367
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $46,217
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
AI Onboarding
View as table View as graph 25% $51,873 10% $46,217 90% $68,176 75% $63,367 $58,086 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Biologist Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $63,367 $5,281 $1,219 $30
Average $58,086 $4,840 $1,117 $28
25th Percentile $51,873 $4,323 $998 $25
Check out Biologist Scientist Job Openings in the United States
Travel L&D RN - Labor & Delivery Registered Nurse

Focus Staff - RAPID CITY, SD

Travel L&D RN - Labor & Delivery Registered Nurse

Focus Staff - LEBANON, NH

Travel ER RN - Emergency Room RN Registered Nurse

Focus Staff - URBANA, IL

Travel M/S RN - Med/Surg Registered Nurse

Focus Staff - WEIRTON, WV

Search More Biologist Scientist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Biologist Scientist Salaries

A Biologist Scientist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Biologist Scientist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Biologist Scientist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $57,697
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $66,669
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $83,221
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $120,552
  • Expert (over 8 years): $136,660
Levels Salary
Biologist... Level Biologist Scientist$57,697
Biologist... Level Biologist Scientist$66,669
Biologist... Level Biologist Scientist$83,221
Biologist... Level Biologist Scientist$120,552
Biologist... Level Biologist Scientist$136,660
$57,697 0 yr
$66,669 < 2 yrs
$83,221 2-4 yrs
$120,552 5-8 yrs
$136,660 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Biologist Scientists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $73,264
  • San Francisco: $72,461
  • Oakland: $70,934

What Skills Can Increase a Biologist Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 11.99% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Microbiology (Mentioned in 2.67% Job Postings): Microbiology (from Greek μῑκρος, mīkros, "small"; βίος, bios, "life"; and -λογία, -logia) is the study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, parasitology, mycology and bacteriology. Eukaryotic microorganisms possess membrane-bound cell organelles and include fungi and protists, whereas prokaryotic organisms—all of which are microorganisms—are conventionally classified as lacking membrane-bound organelles and include Bacteria and Archaea. Microbiologists traditionally relied on culture, staining, and microscopy. However, less than 1% of the microorganisms present in common environments can be cultured in isolation using current means. Microbiologists often rely on molecular biology tools such as DNA sequence based identification, for example 16s rRNA gene sequence used for bacteria identification.
  • SOP (Mentioned in 2% Job Postings): SOP is A standard operating procedure is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 11.99%
Microbiology 2.67%
SOP 2%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Biologist Scientist's salary.
  • Cell Biology: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Biochemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cell Biology
$67,380
16%
Collaboration
$66,218
14%
Biochemistry
$65,056
12%
Cell Culture
$64,475
11%
Innovation
$64,475
11%
Analysis
$63,894
10%
Get Latest Data

Biologist Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Biologist Scientist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Biologist Scientist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Biologist Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Biologist Scientist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$87,129$42.050%

How Education impacts a Biologist Scientist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Biologist Scientists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Biologist Scientist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $55,345 and $58,563).

Biologist Scientist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Biologist Scientist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.3%
High School 1.3%
Associates 2.0%
Bachelors 58.9%
Masters 24.1%
Doctorate 12.5%
view as graph

Biologist Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Biologist Scientist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Biologist Scientist

Salaries for a Biologist Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $54,601 in 2023 to around $54,368 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Biologist Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Biologist Scientist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$54,601
2024
$54,573
2025
$54,368
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $54,601
2024 $54,573
2025 $54,368
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Biologist Scientist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Biologist Scientist

Here are companies hiring for Biologist Scientist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Biologist Scientist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Biologist Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst