The average salary for a biochemist in California is around $139,580 per year.
Avg Salary
Biochemists earn an average yearly salary of $139,580.
Wages typically start from $83,580 and go up to $208,210.
82% above national average Updated in 2025
Biochemist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level biochemist earnings begin at:
$100.10 per hour
$208,210 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level biochemist earnings begin at:
$86.53 per hour
$179,990 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level biochemist earnings begin at:
$67.11 per hour
$139,580 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level biochemist earnings begin at:
$50.93 per hour
$105,920 per year
10th percentile
Starting level biochemist earnings begin at:
$40.18 per hour
$83,580 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Biochemist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $99,550 |
| Washington | $98,840 |
| Kansas | $97,850 |
| Texas | $97,510 |
| Ohio | $90,000 |
| Illinois | $87,010 |
| Georgia | $85,680 |
| Maine | $84,560 |
| Arkansas | $82,390 |
| North Carolina | $82,220 |
| Utah | $81,990 |
| Louisiana | $81,690 |
| Minnesota | $81,280 |
| Missouri | $79,550 |
| Arizona | $78,530 |
| Indiana | $77,660 |
| Rhode Island | $76,710 |
| Kentucky | $74,710 |
| Nevada | $69,220 |
| Oklahoma | $69,130 |
| Nebraska | $66,910 |
| South Dakota | $64,490 |
| West Virginia | $62,990 |
| Montana | $50,100 |
| Alabama | $48,510 |
| Florida | $157,390 |
| California | $139,580 |
| Tennessee | $134,560 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,090 |
| Connecticut | $132,670 |
| Massachusetts | $131,600 |
| New Jersey | $122,620 |
| Oregon | $120,590 |
| District of Columbia | $120,090 |
| New Hampshire | $109,770 |
| Michigan | $109,340 |
| South Carolina | $109,080 |
| Idaho | $107,660 |
| Wisconsin | $106,480 |
| Virginia | $105,780 |
| Delaware | $101,880 |
| Iowa | $101,090 |
| New York | $101,080 |
| Maryland | $100,650 |
How do biochemist salaries compare to similar careers?
Biochemists earn 6% less than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than physicists but more than biochemical engineers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physicist salary | $207K |
| Materials scientist salary | $177K |
| Pharmacist salary | $165K |
| Biochemist salary | $140K |
| Biostatistician salary | $136K |
| Nanosystems engineer salary | $131K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $131K |
| Biochemical engineer salary | $131K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)