Average Biochemists And Biophysicists Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Biochemists And Biophysicists is $127,410 per year. The middle 50% earn between $95,000 and $163,460, with 33,830 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 37 states and 51 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Biochemists And Biophysicists pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $74,290
- 25th
- $95,000
- Median
- $127,410
- 75th
- $163,460
- 90th
- $201,110
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Biochemists And Biophysicists are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for biochemists and biophysicists from 2024 to 2034. Growth is above the US average of about 4% across all occupations. This is an expanding field.
- Projected growth
- +5.8%
- 2,100 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 2,900
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, which helps explain the high wage level and relatively narrow candidate pool.
Where Biochemists And Biophysicists earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Florida at $157,390, about 23.5% above the national median. At the metro level, Jacksonville, FL leads with a median of $174,880.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $157,390 | 370 |
| California | $139,580 | 3,240 |
| Tennessee | $134,560 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,090 | 2,750 |
| Connecticut | $132,670 | 540 |
| Massachusetts | $131,600 | 14,890 |
| New Jersey | $122,620 | 2,570 |
| District of Columbia | $120,090 | 70 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, FL | $174,880 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $165,050 | 1,380 |
| Knoxville, TN | $149,140 | 30 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $145,550 | 50 |
| Boulder, CO | $140,710 | 390 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $139,740 | 80 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $135,320 | 150 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $134,090 | 3,050 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see biochemists and biophysicists pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Biochemists And Biophysicists rose from $94,490 to $127,410, a gain of +34.8% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $94,490 would need to be worth $118,989 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $127,410 is $8,421 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +7.1% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 7.1%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +34.8%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +7.1%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Biochemists And Biophysicists median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $127,410
- 2024
- $103,650
- 2023
- $107,460
- 2022
- $103,810
- 2021
- $102,270
- 2020
- $94,270
- 2019
- $94,490
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Biological Scientists, All Other
- $98,920
- Life Scientists, All Other
- $93,750
- Microbiologists
- $87,990
- Epidemiologists
- $87,220
- Soil And Plant Scientists
- $78,850
Common salary questions for Biochemists And Biophysicists
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Biochemists And Biophysicists workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.