Biochemists and Biophysicists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for biochemists and biophysicistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Florida$157,820
- Tennessee$150,580
- California$148,550
- Massachusetts$139,290
- Pennsylvania$137,680
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$64,020
- Nebraska$71,550
- Oklahoma$73,800
- Rhode Island$84,670
- Nevada$87,750
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $157,820 | $157,390 | $76 | +21.5% | 370 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $150,580 | $134,560 | $72 | +16% | 60 |
| 3 | California | $148,550 | $139,580 | $71 | +14.4% | 3,240 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $139,290 | $131,600 | $67 | +7.3% | 14,890 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $137,680 | $134,090 | $66 | +6% | 2,750 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $136,300 | $132,670 | $66 | +5% | 540 |
| 7 | Virginia | $126,950 | $105,780 | $61 | -2.2% | 70 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $121,470 | $122,620 | $58 | -6.4% | 2,570 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $121,400 | $120,090 | $58 | -6.5% | 70 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $118,620 | $106,480 | $57 | -8.6% | 170 |
| 11 | Texas | $116,270 | $97,510 | $56 | -10.5% | 520 |
| 12 | South Carolina | $110,710 | $109,080 | $53 | -14.7% | 60 |
| 13 | Michigan | $110,590 | $109,340 | $53 | -14.8% | 730 |
| 14 | Georgia | $110,160 | $85,680 | $53 | -15.2% | 110 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $109,450 | $109,770 | $53 | -15.7% | 200 |
| 16 | New York | $108,140 | $101,080 | $52 | -16.7% | 980 |
| 17 | Kansas | $104,910 | $97,850 | $50 | -19.2% | 140 |
| 18 | Delaware | $104,270 | $101,880 | $50 | -19.7% | 490 |
| 19 | Maryland | $104,090 | $100,650 | $50 | -19.8% | 690 |
| 20 | Illinois | $102,640 | $87,010 | $49 | -20.9% | 150 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $102,050 | $82,220 | $49 | -21.4% | 570 |
| 22 | Utah | $100,670 | $81,990 | $48 | -22.5% | 160 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $98,290 | $82,390 | $47 | -24.3% | — |
| 24 | Washington | $98,000 | $98,840 | $47 | -24.5% | 270 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $97,830 | $74,710 | $47 | -24.7% | 40 |
| 26 | Maine | $97,060 | $84,560 | $47 | -25.2% | 390 |
| 27 | Iowa | $96,820 | $101,090 | $47 | -25.4% | 140 |
| 28 | Ohio | $93,360 | $90,000 | $45 | -28.1% | 350 |
| 29 | Missouri | $90,910 | $79,550 | $44 | -30% | 290 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $88,070 | $81,280 | $42 | -32.2% | 190 |
| 31 | Nevada | $87,750 | $69,220 | $42 | -32.4% | — |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $84,670 | $76,710 | $41 | -34.8% | — |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $73,800 | $69,130 | $35 | -43.2% | 70 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $71,550 | $66,910 | $34 | -44.9% | 70 |
| 35 | Alabama | $64,020 | $48,510 | $31 | -50.7% | 90 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 51 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacksonville, FL | $174,880 | $170,200 | 40 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $165,050 | $168,650 | 1,380 |
| 3 | Knoxville, TN | $149,140 | $165,540 | 30 |
| 4 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $145,550 | $148,310 | 50 |
| 5 | Boulder, CO | $140,710 | $153,490 | 390 |
| 6 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $139,740 | $132,100 | 80 |
| 7 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $135,320 | $131,390 | 150 |
| 8 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $134,090 | $132,770 | 3,050 |
| 9 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $131,700 | $139,380 | 580 |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $131,550 | $139,110 | 13,370 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing biochemists and biophysicistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $145,520 | $151,100 | 630 |
| 2 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $145,520 | $150,470 | 620 |
| 3 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $145,050 | $151,080 | 730 |
| 4 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $142,500 | $142,920 | — |
| 5 | Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $142,500 | $142,920 | — |
| 6 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $137,560 | $161,530 | 70 |
| 7 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $131,910 | $137,740 | 21,900 |
| 8 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $131,910 | $137,720 | 21,900 |
| 9 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $131,050 | $135,140 | 23,380 |
| 10 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $131,050 | $135,140 | 23,380 |
| 11 | Engineering Services | $129,680 | $143,910 | — |
| 12 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $128,740 | $131,630 | 32,360 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do biochemists and biophysicists make in the U.S.?
The median biochemists and biophysicists salary in the United States is $127,410 per year (mean $129,840), and about 80% earn between $74,290 and $201,110.
How much do biochemists and biophysicists make per hour?
Roughly $62 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $129,840 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays biochemists and biophysicists the most?
Florida has the highest average pay for biochemists and biophysicists at $157,820 per year (median $157,390).
What is the job outlook for biochemists and biophysicists?
Employment is projected to change +5.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 2,900 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.