Microscopist Microbiology Salary in the United States

How much does a Microscopist Microbiology make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Microscopist Microbiology in the United States is $86,319 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,275
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,170 to $94,148
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $74,572

Key Factors That Influence Microscopist Microbiology Salaries

A Microscopist Microbiology'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 Microscopist Microbiology Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Microscopist Microbiology'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): $83,734
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $83,916
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $86,319
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $89,543
  • Expert (over 8 years): $89,773
Levels Salary
Entry Level Microscopist Microbiology$83,734
Intermediate Level Microscopist Microbiology$83,916
Senior Level Microscopist Microbiology$86,319
Specialist Level Microscopist Microbiology$89,543
Expert Level Microscopist Microbiology$89,773

How Do Microscopist Microbiology Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Microscopist Microbiologies. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $95,573.
  • California: $95,210.
  • Massachusetts: $93,941.

Top Paying Cities for Microscopist Microbiologies

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: $108,875
  • San Francisco: $107,682
  • Oakland: $105,413

What Skills Can Increase a Microscopist Microbiology's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 4.75% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Molecular Biology (Mentioned in 3.48% Job Postings): Molecular biology /məˈlɛkjʊlər/ is a branch of biology that concerns the molecular basis of biological activity between biomolecules in the various systems of a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA, proteins and their biosynthesis, as well as the regulation of these interactions. Writing in Nature in 1961, William Astbury described molecular biology as:
  • Infection Control (Mentioned in 2.51% Job Postings): Infection control is the discipline concerned with preventing nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection, a practical (rather than academic) sub-discipline of epidemiology. It is an essential, though often underrecognized and undersupported, part of the infrastructure of health care. Infection control and hospital epidemiology are akin to public health practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole. Anti-infective agents include antibiotics, antibacterials, antifungals, antivirals and antiprotozoals. Infection control addresses factors related to the spread of infections within the healthcare setting (whether patient-to-patient, from patients to staff and from staff to patients, or among-staff), including prevention (via hand hygiene/hand washing, cleaning/disinfection/sterilization, vaccination, surveillance), monitoring/investigation of demonstrated or suspected spread of infection within a particular health-care setting (surveillance and outbreak investigation), and management (interruption of outbreaks). It is on this basis that the common title being adopted within health care is "infection prevention and control."
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 4.75%
Molecular Biology 3.48%
Infection Control 2.51%

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 Microscopist Microbiology's salary.

  • Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 138%.
  • Empathy: Can increase your salary by up to 40%.
  • Infection Control: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Risk Management $205,440
138%
Empathy $120,847
40%
Infection Control $100,130
16%

Microscopist Microbiology Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Microscopist Microbiology roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Microscopist Microbiology positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Microscopist Microbiology as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Microscopist Microbiology

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$94,951$46.010%

How Education impacts a Microscopist Microbiology's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Microscopist Microbiologies 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 Microscopist Microbiology with a Bachelor's Degree is between $71,979 and $75,388).

Microscopist Microbiology Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Microscopist Microbiology
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.6%
High School 2.6%
Associates 3.4%
Bachelors 74.1%
Masters 15.5%
Doctorate 4.3%

Microscopist Microbiology Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Microscopist Microbiology'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 September 01, 2026
$80,170
Average $86,319/year
$94,148
$6,681
Average $7,193/month
$7,846
$1,542
Average $1,660/week
$1,811
$39
Average $41/hour
$45
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $94,148 $7,846 $1,811 $45
Average $86,319 $7,193 $1,660 $41
25th Percentile $80,170 $6,681 $1,542 $39

Most common benefits for Microscopist Microbiology

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

Common company salaries for Microscopist Microbiology

Here are companies hiring for Microscopist Microbiology and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Microscopist Microbiology Job

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

For Employees

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

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

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

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Microscopist Microbiology

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Microscopist Microbiology?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Microscopist Microbiology roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

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