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How Much Does a Biochemist and Biophysicist Make?

A biochemist and biophysicist in the US earns a median salary of $127,410 a year, or $61.26 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $129,840, and the middle half earn between $95,000 and $163,460.

Median a year $127,410
Median an hour $61.26
Median a month $10,618
Average a year $129,840

Biochemist and biophysicist pay range

What biochemists and biophysicists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $74,290 $35.71
25th $95,000 $45.67
Median (50th) $127,410 $61.26
75th $163,460 $78.59
90th (top 10%) $201,110 $96.69

The median is 150% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 33,830 people work as biochemists and biophysicists in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$2,450
Every two weeks
$4,900
Twice a month
$5,309
A month
$10,618

At the median salary, before tax.

Biochemist and biophysicist salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Florida pays biochemists and biophysicists the most, at $157,820 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Florida $157,820 $157,390 370 After tax
Tennessee $150,580 $134,560 60 After tax
California $148,550 $139,580 3,240 After tax
Massachusetts $139,290 $131,600 14,890 After tax
Pennsylvania $137,680 $134,090 2,750 After tax
Connecticut $136,300 $132,670 540 After tax
Virginia $126,950 $105,780 70 After tax
New Jersey $121,470 $122,620 2,570 After tax
District of Columbia $121,400 $120,090 70 After tax
Wisconsin $118,620 $106,480 170 After tax
Texas $116,270 $97,510 520 After tax
South Carolina $110,710 $109,080 60 After tax
Michigan $110,590 $109,340 730 After tax
Georgia $110,160 $85,680 110 After tax
New Hampshire $109,450 $109,770 200 After tax
New York $108,140 $101,080 980 After tax
Kansas $104,910 $97,850 140 After tax
Delaware $104,270 $101,880 490 After tax
Maryland $104,090 $100,650 690 After tax
Illinois $102,640 $87,010 150 After tax
North Carolina $102,050 $82,220 570 After tax
Utah $100,670 $81,990 160 After tax
Arkansas $98,290 $82,390 – After tax
Washington $98,000 $98,840 270 After tax
Kentucky $97,830 $74,710 40 After tax
Maine $97,060 $84,560 390 After tax
Iowa $96,820 $101,090 140 After tax
Ohio $93,360 $90,000 350 After tax
Missouri $90,910 $79,550 290 After tax
Minnesota $88,070 $81,280 190 After tax
Nevada $87,750 $69,220 – After tax
Rhode Island $84,670 $76,710 – After tax
Oklahoma $73,800 $69,130 70 After tax
Nebraska $71,550 $66,910 70 After tax
Puerto Rico $69,270 $64,140 130
Alabama $64,020 $48,510 90 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other science jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Biochemists and Biophysicists” (SOC 19-1021). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a biochemist and biophysicist make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a biochemist and biophysicist is $61.26, and the average is $62.43. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35.71 an hour and the top 10% over $96.69.

How much does a biochemist and biophysicist make a month?

At the median salary of $127,410, a biochemist and biophysicist earns about $10,618 a month before tax, or $4,900 every two weeks.

Which state pays biochemists and biophysicists the most?

Florida has the highest average pay for a biochemist and biophysicist, at $157,820 a year. Next are Tennessee and California. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a biochemist and biophysicist?

The lowest-paid 10% of biochemists and biophysicists earn less than $74,290 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $95,000. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid biochemists and biophysicists make?

The top 10% earn more than $201,110 a year, and the top 25% more than $163,460.