Microbiologists · SOC 19-1022

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Microbiologistss

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025U.S. metropolitan areas

Metro areas ranked by published median annual wage for microbiologists. Areas where BLS suppressed the median are not ranked (1 such areas are excluded here). Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

Top 25 of 71 metro areas

Microbiologists: metro areas with the highest published median annual wages, May 2025
#	Metro area	Median annual	Employment	Per 1,000 jobs
1	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$130,070	700	0.3
2	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$123,910	190	0.2
3	Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$123,590	30	0.2
4	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$122,350	1,810	0.7
5	Vallejo, CA	$115,980	30	0.2
6	Worcester, MA	$115,660	90	0.3
7	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$114,840	70	0.1
8	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$114,800	1,370	0.4
9	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$112,470	150	0.1
10	Athens-Clarke County, GA	$112,440	80	0.9
11	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$109,320	630	0.2
12	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$108,900	270	0.2
13	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$102,590	70	0.0
14	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$101,990	570	0.2
15	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$100,620	1,240	0.3
16	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$100,420	780	0.1
17	Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$95,980	130	0.1
18	Peoria, IL	$93,240	30	0.2
19	Fresno, CA	$91,890	30	0.1
20	Richmond, VA	$90,930	50	0.1
21	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$90,460	140	0.1
22	St. Louis, MO-IL	$89,630	120	0.1
23	Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	$89,240	60	0.5
24	Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$86,120	70	0.3
25	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$85,860	400	1.2

Full state and metro tables, the national distribution, and the pay map are on the Microbiologists overview.

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.