Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Salary in the United States

How much does a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist in the United States is $59,948 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $70,368
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $53,517 to $65,402
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $47,662
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View as table View as graph 25% $53,517 10% $47,662 90% $70,368 75% $65,402 $59,948 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $65,402 $5,450 $1,258 $31
Average $59,948 $4,996 $1,153 $29
25th Percentile $53,517 $4,460 $1,029 $26
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Key Factors That Influence Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Salaries

A Pharmaceutical Microbiologist'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 Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist'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): $59,052
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $59,707
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $60,910
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $61,151
  • Expert (over 8 years): $61,311
Levels Salary
Entry Level Pharmaceutical Microbiologist$59,052
Intermediate Level Pharmaceutical Microbiologist$59,707
Senior Level Pharmaceutical Microbiologist$60,910
Specialist Level Pharmaceutical Microbiologist$61,151
Expert Level Pharmaceutical Microbiologist$61,311
$59,052 0 yr
$59,707 < 2 yrs
$60,910 2-4 yrs
$61,151 5-8 yrs
$61,311 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Pharmaceutical Microbiologists

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: $75,612
  • San Francisco: $74,868
  • Oakland: $73,208

What Skills Can Increase a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist'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 Pharmaceutical Microbiologist'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
$69,539
16%
Collaboration
$68,340
14%
Biochemistry
$67,141
12%
Cell Culture
$66,542
11%
Innovation
$66,542
11%
Analysis
$65,942
10%
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How Education impacts a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Pharmaceutical Microbiologists 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 Pharmaceutical Microbiologist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $55,345 and $58,563).

Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Pharmaceutical Microbiologist
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%
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Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Pharmaceutical Microbiologist

Salaries for a Pharmaceutical Microbiologist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $56,336 in 2023 to around $56,096 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Pharmaceutical Microbiologist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$56,336
2024
$56,307
2025
$56,096
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $56,336
2024 $56,307
2025 $56,096
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Pharmaceutical Microbiologist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Pharmaceutical Microbiologist

Here are companies hiring for Pharmaceutical Microbiologist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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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.)

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