19
Microbiologists is a notable career in the 19 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Microbiologists against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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11
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11
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11
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13
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13
| soc | 19-1022 |
| title | Microbiologists |
| onet code | 19-1022.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 19 |
| tot emp | 19,760 |
| a mean | 95,200 |
| a median | 87,330 |
| a pct10 | 51,220 |
| a pct25 | 63,920 |
| a pct75 | 120,750 |
| a pct90 | 150,650 |
| h mean | 45 |
| h median | 41 |
The day-to-day work of a microbiologists typically centers on isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Science, Reading Comprehension, and Writing. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.94 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working microbiologists, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (63.6%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 91% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in Massachusetts at $126,260 and lowest in Alabama at $55,600 — a 2.3× spread. The top five states (Massachusetts, California, Maryland, Georgia, Maine) average $105,342. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $126,260 | $119,850 | $78,640 | $168,140 | 2,110 |
| California | $107,380 | $115,910 | $71,940 | $175,280 | 2,510 |
| Maryland | $101,060 | $108,870 | $57,650 | $180,410 | 2,040 |
| Georgia | $97,090 | $103,880 | $63,000 | $150,650 | 990 |
| Maine | $94,920 | $91,260 | $51,730 | $123,290 | 60 |
| Oregon | $89,220 | $89,540 | $62,780 | $113,990 | 160 |
| Montana | $88,770 | $100,700 | $48,970 | $162,260 | 110 |
| Virginia | $88,080 | $99,870 | $48,350 | $171,910 | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $86,380 | $88,670 | $63,480 | $106,860 | 170 |
| New York | $85,850 | $94,660 | $59,310 | $142,790 | 1,090 |
| Minnesota | $85,340 | $93,380 | $56,680 | $136,440 | 430 |
| North Carolina | $82,170 | $92,260 | $52,030 | $132,660 | 1,320 |
| Connecticut | $82,080 | $84,580 | $47,970 | $123,980 | 290 |
| New Jersey | $82,070 | $90,300 | $54,900 | $129,910 | 1,080 |
| Indiana | $80,110 | $86,560 | $55,460 | $120,730 | 230 |
| South Dakota | $77,730 | $89,790 | $47,150 | $173,750 | 130 |
| Washington | $77,130 | $81,970 | $50,600 | $116,830 | 350 |
| Alaska | $76,900 | $76,400 | $57,260 | $95,340 | 40 |
| Iowa | $76,490 | $89,470 | $62,280 | $143,600 | 160 |
| Ohio | $75,940 | $83,090 | $45,590 | $133,800 | 530 |
| Delaware | $75,720 | $83,580 | $60,270 | $122,970 | 180 |
| Mississippi | $75,590 | $88,120 | $43,050 | $158,100 | 40 |
| Illinois | $74,350 | $81,310 | $51,430 | $123,480 | 840 |
| Florida | $74,220 | $79,790 | $38,960 | $131,830 | 300 |
| Nebraska | $72,950 | $94,960 | $52,430 | $170,260 | 70 |
| Nevada | $72,380 | $74,560 | $43,760 | $104,390 | 50 |
| Tennessee | $71,140 | $83,280 | $47,870 | $135,470 | 190 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,010 | $77,100 | $44,860 | $125,040 | 780 |
| Michigan | $70,610 | $75,600 | $52,570 | $100,520 | 340 |
| Colorado | $69,010 | $81,910 | $47,000 | $130,690 | 370 |
| Missouri | $68,630 | $76,440 | $49,810 | $123,530 | 130 |
| Utah | $67,780 | $74,750 | $43,280 | $118,190 | 140 |
| Hawaii | $65,000 | $68,760 | $52,060 | $86,700 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $63,470 | $71,630 | $46,890 | $101,580 | 690 |
| Kentucky | $62,900 | $69,750 | $49,670 | $113,730 | 80 |
| Texas | $62,720 | $69,020 | $44,480 | $105,250 | 690 |
| Kansas | $62,470 | $69,220 | $45,130 | $97,490 | 160 |
| North Dakota | $61,420 | $65,070 | $48,600 | $81,280 | 40 |
| Arkansas | $60,710 | $80,590 | $41,340 | $146,620 | 140 |
| Idaho | $60,450 | $71,760 | $44,790 | $105,350 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $57,690 | $67,130 | $48,690 | $99,340 | 90 |
| Alabama | $55,600 | $65,500 | $37,600 | $95,790 | 90 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for microbiologists. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Bacteriologist or Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Microbiologists compares to others in the 19 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Microbiologists
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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