Occupation salary profile

Microbiologists

SOC 19-1022 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

Investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Includes medical microbiologists who study the relationship between organisms and disease or the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.

National median · BLS
$87,990
▲ +0.76% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$74,975
▲ +2.99% YoY · 308 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$97,600
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
18,940
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Microbiologists

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 308 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$54,670$60,000
25th$67,100$64,890
Median (50th)$87,990$74,975
75th$122,350$88,925
90th — top pay$150,000$115,000
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $74,975 for Microbiologists — 14.8% below the BLS national median of $87,990.

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Microbiologists

BLS projects employment of microbiologists to grow 6.2% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,500 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
20,100 → 21,400
+1,300 jobs
Projected change
+6.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,500
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Self-employed
2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $74,975
Change vs prior year +2.99%
After inflation (CPI-U) -0.14%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 87 28.2% $60,000 $63,120 $70,344
Level II 80 26% $64,724 $75,000 $88,026
Level III 68 22.1% $74,235 $79,283 $100,976
Level IV 34 11% $87,553 $103,351 $120,636
H-1B job titles

Salaries by job title in Microbiologists

The 7 most-filed job titles inside SOC 19-1022, from 308 H-1B filings. Seniority words and level numbers are grouped (“Senior Data Engineer II” counts as Data Engineer). Tap a title for its full range, wage levels and the exact titles employers used.

Job title LCAs Share P25 Median P75 YoY
Research Scientist 37 12.01% $65,000 $74,200 $86,275 +13.99%
Research Associate 20 6.49% $62,544 $69,814 $82,312 -5.01%
Microbiologist 18 5.84% $60,288 $63,180 $82,690 -13.45%
Scientist generic 16 5.19% $69,950 $77,128 $106,210 -28.39%
Postdoctoral Scholar 14 4.55% $61,227 $63,060 $72,363 +3.36%
Postdoctoral Research Associate 13 4.22% $60,000 $62,354 $69,680 -0.55%
Postdoctoral Fellow 13 4.22% $61,008 $61,800 $68,000 -2.59%

Titles are cleaned from the employer's own LCA text (codes and typos removed, nothing invented). Rows need 10+ filings in this SOC.

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Microbiologists

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Science4.6
  • Reading Comprehension4.1
  • Critical Thinking4.0
  • Writing4.0
  • Active Learning3.9
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Speaking3.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.8
  • Complex Problem Solving3.6
  • Learning Strategies3.6
Top knowledge areas
  • Biology4.7
  • Chemistry3.8
  • English Language3.6
  • Computers and Electronics3.6
  • Education and Training3.5
  • Mathematics3.3
  • Engineering and Technology3.0
  • Administrative2.9
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WindowsSAP softwareAssistant Software for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Interpretation ASASIBasic Local Alignment Search Tool BLASTBD Biosciences CellQuestBD Biosciences CloneCytBruker Optics OPUSBtB Software Mycobacteriology LabCodon Usage DatabaseComBaseComputer Service & Support CLS-2000 Laboratory SystemComputing Solutions LabSoft LIMS Micro

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What microbiologists do

  • Isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.
  • Provide laboratory services for health departments, community environmental health programs, and physicians needing information for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Monitor and perform tests on water, food, and the environment to detect harmful microorganisms or to obtain information about sources of pollution, contamination, or infection.
  • Examine physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics, using microscope, to identify and classify microorganisms in human, water, and food specimens.
  • Supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists.
  • Use a variety of specialized equipment, such as electron microscopes, gas and high-pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence-activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers.
  • Investigate the relationship between organisms and disease, including the control of epidemics and the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.
  • Prepare technical reports and recommendations, based upon research outcomes.
Also called
BacteriologistClinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist)Microbiological AnalystMicrobiologistClinical MicrobiologistMedical TechnologistPublic Health MicrobiologistQuality Control Microbiologist (QC Microbiologist)Research MicrobiologistResearch Specialist
More job titles for this occupation (14)
CytologistElectron MicroscopistMedical Lab Scientist (Medical Laboratory Scientist)Medical MicrobiologistMicrobiology AnalystMicrobiology ScientistMicrobiology SpecialistMicroscopistPharmaceutical MicrobiologistQA Microbiologist (Quality Assurance Microbiologist)Quality Control Microbiology Analyst (QC Microbiology Analyst)Research AssociateScientistVirologist

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.